Always in My Dreams
by dustypencils
Summary: AU. Olivia and Fitz have been married for 6 years and have a four-year-old daughter named Cena. Olivia runs a nonprofit she founded and Fitz is a retired Naval officer who negotiates business deals for high-profile clients. Olivia has left their home and Fitz does not know why or where she is. Find out how these two came together and why Olivia felt she needed to leave her family.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1. Living in the Dream**

She gazes into his sad blue eyes and smiles, silently trying to convey all of the love she has in her heart for him, trying to reassure him of her love. He closes his eyes and inhales deeply, breathing in the scent that is unmistakably her. God he has missed her, has missed her smile. He has waited so long for her to return, for this moment, but now he is unsure if he can do this again. She strokes the side of his face tenderly, encouraging him to open his eyes. But he is afraid to open his eyes. He is afraid she will leave again. He is afraid of going back to that place of desolation, the place he resides each time she goes away. She rubs the tip of her nose up and down his and a tear rolls down his cheek at the memory and because he wants to believe this time will be different. He wants to believe she will not leave again. The pain will be unbearable if she leaves again. Needing to hold on to the dream, his eyes remain closed.

"I can't", he mutters.

She rubs her nose against his again.

"Don't. Please don't", he implores weakly.

She kisses each of his eyelids and they flutter open without hesitation, and once again he succumbs to her ministrations. He looks into her eyes and she begins the ritual of reconnecting. She inhales deeply and exhales slowly. As her warm breath wafts over his face he remembers how she feels, how she tastes, and he wants her. He will always want her. Then she nods, encouraging him to repeat the act, but he resists. She looks at him pleadingly, encouraging him to join her in their ritual. And after a few moments he relents and begins to inhale deeply and exhale slowly. She strokes the side of his face and nods with approval, and he smiles happily as they breathe in sync, as they breathe in each other's love.

She glides her soft lips across his and he opens his mouth instinctively, once again allowing her back in. And she takes her time exploring the crevices with her warm tongue as he moans in pleasure at the familiar taste. She smiles again, inviting him to reciprocate. When he hesitates she pouts at the rejection, and after a while he acquiesces. He devours her mouth with ferocity because he can never deny her and he has missed her so much. He caresses her ass and they both moan. He is hard and he wants her, but she places her hand over his heart to calm him, to slow his movements. Then she places his hand over her heart so he can feel her love, so he can feel their hearts reconnect.

"I've missed you, Livvie – so much."

She smiles as he pulls the flowing white blouse over her head and is immediately pleased when he sees her bare breasts. He has always loved her breasts. He loves sucking them. He loves kissing them. He loves licking them. He flattens his tongue and licks a firm, brown nipple and she rakes her fingers through his hair, moaning in pleasure. He is impossibly hard and he wants to be inside of her again. He wants to feel her slickness riding up and down him again. But she knows what he needs so she looks into his eyes as she unbuckles his belt. She slides her hand into his boxers and gently fondles his warm sac. And he gasps.

"Oh my god, Liv. I've missed you so much."

She gently massages his heavy sac and smiles at his response.

"It feels so good. I need to cum, baby. You've been gone for so long."

His juices ooze from the slit and trickle quickly down her wrist. She rubs the milky liquid up and down his hard rod and his face contorts from the pleasurable pain.

"Livvie, Livvie, Livvie. You always make me feel so good", he cries breathlessly. He bends his knees slightly and pumps slowly and rhythmically in her moistened hand. "Ahh", he moans from the sensation. "Just like that. Yes, just like that, baby."

He shuts his eyes as she grips him more tightly and pumps him hard. He feels blissful as he revels in the pleasure his beautiful wife is bestowing upon him again. He can no longer hold back, does not want to hold back so he pumps faster, anticipating the heart-stopping orgasm building in his groin. He moans in pleasure as he pumps faster and faster and faster.

" _Daddy. Daddy. Wake up, daddy"_ , four-year-old Cena calls out to her father who is once again making strange noises while he is sleeping. She bounces up and down on his stomach and pounds her small fists on his chest.

" _Cena. Cena",_ Fitz groans, once again awakened by his daughter from his recurring dream. "Didn't daddy ask you not to bounce on his stomach when he is sleeping?" He asks in frustration, with his eyes still closed.

The four-year-old pulls open one of his eyelids with her chubby fingers. And he opens his other eyelid on his own accord where he sees a pair of eyes that look like his and every other part of her resembling her mother.

"But you were hurting in your sleep again, daddy. You were making those strange noises again." She looks at him with concern.

"I'm fine, princess. Daddy was just dreaming."

He closes his eyes again thinking he has to get his shit together. He cannot continue living like this. He cannot continue having wet dreams about his wife who has left their home, left him and their daughter because she is stressed and needs a break. Olivia has been gone for over a month and he does not know when she plans to come back home.

"Get up, daddy. I'm hungry." Cena demands as she pounds on her father's chest.

Fitz looks at her wild, curly hair and sighs when he thinks about the fight he is going to have later when he has to comb her hair.

"Okay, princess. What do you want for breakfast today?"

"Panny cakes!" she shouts, clapping her hands excitedly and bouncing up and down on his chest.

"Okay, okay", trying to recover from the wind she has knocked out of him.

"Go brush your teeth and wash your face, Cee. I'll be downstairs shortly."

"Yay", Cena squeals in joy. She bounces up and down on his chest one more time before going down the hall to her bedroom.

When Fitz is sure Cee is in her bathroom he lets out a long sigh and runs his hands through the sides of his hair. Each day it becomes more and more difficult to pretend for his daughter. He leans over and pulls open his nightstand drawer and slides out the envelope his wife left on his pillow the last day she was in their home. He has read the letter every day since she left; trying to understand what caused her to leave, trying to uncover clues about where she is.

Shortly after Olivia left Fitz called Calvin and Gwendolyn Pope under the guise of Cee wanting to speak to her grandparents. Although his in-laws are back in Senegal doing missionary work, he hoped they would be able to shed some light on his wife's whereabouts. However, early in the phone call it became evident they were unaware their daughter had left her family. Not wanting to alarm them he decided to remain silent about his marital problems until it was absolutely necessary to tell them that Olivia has left him.

His head begins to ache as he reads the letter again, trying to make sense of everything. Trying to understand how his wife could be so unhappy in their marriage that she felt she had no other choice but to leave their home. How could he not know she was unhappy? Had he become so disconnected from his wife that he did not know his marriage was in trouble? He knows they had hit a rough patch lately but he just attributed it to normal marital strife.

She says she is physically fine but needs a break from all of the stress in her life. The stress of trying to juggle being a wife, a mother, and a business owner had become too overwhelming. However, his trained mind tells him there has to be more to her leaving than stress. So he tries to read between the lines, tries to discern what is not written, what she did not say. She did not say she no longer loved him and their daughter. She did not say she no longer wanted them to be together as a family. She did not say she would not be coming back home. And because she said none of those things he remains hopeful, holding on to the dream. The dream is what enables him to get up every morning to face his daughter, to face his family's recriminations, to continue on with his life. But every day his heart aches more and more for his wife and he wants her back home where she belongs.

Fitz refolds the letter, returns it to the envelope, and slides it back into his nightstand drawer. He closes the drawer tightly until tomorrow when he will read it again. He looks down at the evidence from his dream and wipes the tears from his face. He sighs again as he crawls from bed and walks to the bathroom to take another cold shower.

 **XXX**

When Fitz finally makes it downstairs he is barefoot and his hair is still damp from his shower. He walks into the kitchen where he sees his daughter sitting on her stool at the table and talking to her favorite stuffed animal Olivia bought the last time Cena was sick.

"Mommy will be back soon", she tells the animal. "Cause she loves us so, so much. That's what daddy says all of the time. Okay, panda bear?"

Fitz inhales deeply, walks over to the stove, and starts their daily breakfast. He thanks god every day that Olivia taught him the basics about cooking.

"Ready for panny cakes, Cee?" He asks in his best upbeat voice.

"Yes, daddy. I want panny cakes with a face."

"Okay, princess. Get your fruit container from the refrigerator."

"Yay."

Cena claps her hands, slides off her stool, and walks over to the refrigerator and opens the door. She looks into the refrigerator for a few moments and pouts when she does not immediately see her fruit container.

"Get your fruit and close the door, Cee", Fitz says as he flips the pancakes.

"It's not here, daddy. I can't see it."

Fitz walks over to the refrigerator and peers inside with his daughter. He prays silently they have fruit because he is not in the mood this morning for Cena's tears. As he looks around the refrigerator he is reminded he needs to go grocery shopping after work today.

"There it is, princess", pointing to the top shelf where plastic container with the purple lid, her favorite color, has been placed. "You have to remember to put it back in the same spot so you can always find it. Okay?"

"I can't reach up their, daddy", letting him know diplomatically he is the one who did not return the container to its proper place.

Fitz smiles at his smart and tactful baby girl. She is so much like her mother. He scoops her up and covers her face with kisses and she laughs hysterically.

"Stop, daddy, stop. Your face tickles."

"I love you so much, Cee." Fitz says, smiling at his daughter who is squirming in his arms trying desperately to evade his unshaven face. No matter what else is happening in his life, whatever is happening with him and Olivia, each day he is grateful for his little girl in.

"I love you too, daddy. Pucker", she says, grabbing the sides of his face. And she gives her father a big, sloppy kiss.

Fitz sets the plate of pancakes on the table in front of Cena and pours syrup over them. He opens the fruit container so she can get the sliced bananas, strawberries, and blueberries to make a happy face.

"Foam, daddy. I want foam", she says once she is satisfied with the fruit face she has created.

"It's called whipped cream, Cee, and you can't have it for breakfast. You'll have a tummy ache later."

Cena pouts and looks down at the happy face on her panny cake. Leaning against the sink and sipping his coffee, Fitz smiles as he admires his daughter's pouty face. Olivia always says he and Cee look alike when they pout.

"Eat up, Cee. We have to get ready for Gramp's birthday party this afternoon."

"Yay", Cee claps. "Cake."

 **XXX**

After breakfast Fitz cleans the kitchen then carries Cena upstairs to her bathroom to bathe her and shampoo her hair. Syrup covers her face and hands and it has also found its way into her mop of sandy brown, curly hair. He sighs silently, thinking about the battle to come.

"Daddy, I'm not going to cry today when you comb my hair. I'm a big girl now", Cee announces proudly as she splashes in the bathtub.

"You _are_ a big girl", he says, rinsing the conditioner from her hair.

Although Olivia taught him not to make Cena feel self-conscious about her thick, curly hair, he is still happy Cena did not cry when he combed her hair the way he saw Olivia do it so many times before she left.

 **XXX**

Fitz unbuckles the car seat and lifts his sleeping daughter from the seat and walks toward his parents' home to celebrate his father's 66th birthday. Cena always falls asleep during their car rides. As he approaches the front door he remembers the gift Cena helped him to select at the mall last week is in the trunk of the car, so he walks back to the car carrying his daughter who feels like dead weight today. After retrieving the gift bag from the trunk he walks back to the house, adjusting Cena on his shoulder. He presses the doorbell and after a few moments John, his oldest brother, opens the door.

"I see you knocked out another one", John says jokingly as he looks at Cena who begins to awaken when she hears her uncle's voice.

"Uncle John", she says half asleep and half excited, stretching out her arms for him to take her.

"Come here, Cee-Cee", John says, relieving Fitz of his daughter who seems to have gotten heavier since the last time her saw her.

John carries Cee-Cee, his nickname for his precocious niece, inside of the house and to the family room where everyone has already gathered. Fitz follows his brother into the family room where he sees his father sitting in his favorite chair and his mother sitting on the ottoman next to her husband. His younger brother Bennie is leaning against the fireplace mantle and John's very pregnant wife, Abby, is sitting on the sofa rubbing her belly, awaiting the drama to come.

"Give me my beautiful grandbaby, John", Maura Grant says, reaching for her granddaughter.

"Hello, everyone", Fitz says, looking around the room. He walks over to his father, shakes his hand, and wishes him a happy birthday. He kisses his mother on the cheek as his sister Nora walks into the room from the kitchen.

"How's it going, Bennie?"

"Everything is fine", he says flatly.

"Abby, you're looking well", giving his sister-in-law a polite smile that she does not return.

"Captain. We're so glad you decided to grace us with your presence for once", his sister says sarcastically.

"Don't start today, Nora", her mother admonishes while cooing at her granddaughter.

"Isn't _he_ the reason we're all here today under the guise of a birthday party for dad?"

" _Nora!"_ Gerry snaps at his snarky daughter.

Fitz looks around the room wondering what the hell is going on.

"Is there something I need to know?" He asks, standing across from his father and looking around the room.

"Abby dear, please take Cena out back so she can play with the other children", Maura directs.

John helps his wife from the sofa and Abby takes Cena to the backyard where the other children are playing.

"Sit down, Fitzgerald", his father says.

"I want to know what this is all about", growing a bit more anxious.

"We're concerned about you, Fitzgerald", his mother says.

" _What?"_ He asks incredulously. _"We?"_ He quickly scans the room again, staring at all of the nervous-looking people.

"We're concerned about you _and_ Cee-Cee." John says.

Fitz glares at his brother, not believing he is in on this too - whatever this is. Now he is fuming.

"Fitz", John says, walking toward his brother. "It's been almost two months. You don't even know if she is still –"

"Don't you fucking say it, John." Fitz glares at his older brother with nostrils flaring.

"Well if she isn't then she has abandoned her family. You and that beautiful little girl out there deserve better", pointing in the direction where the children are playing outside.

"My marriage is none of your _damn_ business, John."

Fitz glares at everyone in the room and his eyes linger on his younger brother for a moment who has yet to utter a word.

"Honey …" His mother begins, only to be interrupted by her husband.

"You need to face for once that she isn't any good for you – any good for Cena. You can no longer be in denial about what's going on here", his father says.

Fitz rubs his forehead then palms his face. He was not expecting an intervention meeting when he agreed to come to his father's birthday party.

"This situation isn't good for you and it certainly isn't good for Cena. She doesn't even know who her mother is", his father barks.

" _That's a damn lie!"_ Fitz yells. _"I show her pictures of Olivia every day. We discuss her all the time. I won't ever let Cee forget her mother."_

"Fitz, Cena needs more than pictures. She needs a mother. You need more - deserve more." His mother looks at him sympathetically.

"Son, you're not seeing how this is affecting Cee – affecting you."

"She was never the kind of wife you needed, Fitzgerald. She was always working and spending more time with those community people than she did with her own child. Dropping Cena off here all day and not picking her up until late in the evenings has been confusing for Cena. And I know she rarely cooked any meals. If Cena didn't have lunch and dinner here ... Well, it was all very selfish if you ask me." His mother says, taking Abby's place on the sofa.

"We want to help you and Cee-Cee before things get worse", John says.

"Fitzgerald", his father says, now standing from his seat. "You need help. And while your mother and I have been more than willing to watch Cena whenever you needed us, this is not a long-term solution. You need a _real_ wife and Cena needs a _real_ mother."

Fitz feels like his head is going to explode as he listens to all of the competing voices in the room talking at him, and he shakes his head in frustration. He can no longer tolerate his family interfering in his life, no matter how good their intentions are, and no matter how helpful his parents have been. So he collects his thoughts and tries to calm down before speaking.

"Dad, mom, I love and respect you very much. And I appreciate all you have done for me and Cee. I appreciate that you watch her while I work, when I have to go out of town, or when I have a dinner meeting. I do. I really appreciate all of it. But doing those things does not give you the right to interfere in my marriage."

"Is that what you call it?" Bennie finally speaks up.

Fitz turns and glares at his pompous brother who is still leaning against the fireplace mantle.

"What kind of marriage is it when a wife leaves her family – leaves her little girl? What kind of woman does that?" Bennie asks with disdain.

"You still haven't gotten over –"

" _Go to hell, Fitz!"_ Bennie yells from across the room.

" _I'll see you when I get there"_ , Fitz snarls.

" _That's enough!"_ Their father yells.

"I'm getting my daughter and we're getting the hell out of here." Fitz begins to walk from the room and toward the backyard where Cena is playing with the other children.

" _That's right, run!"_ Nora yells as she walks toward her brother. "That's what you always do. I don't blame Olivia for leaving. Everything always has to be your way. Right, _Captain_?"

Fitz and his sister glare at each other before he turns and starts to walk from the room to get his daughter. The doorbell rings and John goes to answer the door.

"Fitzgerald, wait. Don't get Cena. There is someone here we want you to meet. Someone we think would be good for you and for Cena", his mother says, looking at her son with genuine concern. "Cena needs a mother, son. She needs someone to teach her things – to teach how to be a young lady – how to take care of a home."

John returns to the family room with an attractive brunette and Fitz looks at the woman in astonishment, then he looks back at his family. He cannot believe what is happening. He walks to the backyard and grabs Cena from where she is playing with the other children.

"Daddy, daddy. Timmy –"

Abby snaps a picture of father and daughter and slides the phone back into her pocket.

"Come on, Cee. We have to go", scooping her up from the play area. Fitz walks back into the house carrying his daughter, where he sees his family and the brunette are still standing.

"Daddy, I didn't get Gramps cake", Cena says, unaware of the turn of events.

"Don't do this, Fitzgerald", his mother pleads. "Let Cena stay and have cake with the other children."

"I'll bring her home later", John intercedes. Always trying to be the voice of reason.

"Yay", Cee squeals, clapping her hands in excitement. "Uncle John bring me home later, daddy."

Fitz looks at his little girl's happy face, then around the room at everyone who is staring at him. He agrees reluctantly to allow John to bring Cena home after the party. Cena has been through so much lately and he does not want to ruin the day she has been waiting for all week just because the adults in her life have all gone crazy. Tears well up in his eyes as he looks at his little girl's happy face. He needs to get out of there right away.

"Don't bring her home too late", he says, handing his little girl over to his big brother.

Cena takes her father's face between her chubby hands and looks into his sad eyes.

"Pucker, daddy", she says, pursing her lips. She always seems to know when he is in distress.

The brunette watches the scene unfold between father and daughter and is touched by the love they obviously have for one another. Fitz gives his little girl a kiss and leaves the house quickly. Now he is angry because it is not Cena's responsibility to take care of him, to try to make him feel better. And he is even angrier with Olivia because she is not here to help him to take care of their daughter.

Fitz goes back home and collapses onto the sofa. It is all becoming too much for him to handle. He cannot take care of Cena the way she needs to be taken care of. He travels too much for his job and has to leave her with his parents more often than he likes. Maybe they are right. Maybe it is time to move on, to leave Olivia in the past. Maybe it is time to give Cena the mother she needs. Maybe it is time to give his daughter a normal life.

"Goddamn you, Olivia!" He screams before falling asleep on the sofa.


	2. Chapter 2 Welcome Home, Captain

**AN: Thanks for the reviews, follows, and favorites. I enjoyed reading them all, especially the various conclusions offered after reading the first chapter.** **The next few chapters will use flashbacks to show how they came together and what their lives were like before Olivia left. Then we will get back to present day so we can find out where Olivia is, why she left, and a whole bunch of other stuff. BTW, Olitz is always my endgame.**

 **Reader575,** _ **Home for the Holidays**_ **had an impact, hunh? AmandaJ, did you hack my computer? Cleo, the brunette won't be back and I don't know who Lillian is.** **Here we go. Tell me what you think.**

 **Chapter 2 Welcome Home, Captain**

 **Flashback – Six Years Ago**

Olivia walks over to the huge buffet table which is a veritable cornucopia of traditional barbecue favorites, all which have been prepared solely by her friend's mother to welcome home the son who has recently retired from the Navy after serving his country for15 years. There is a variety of grilled meats and vegetables, an assortment of salads, dips, fruits, nuts, cheeses and crackers spread across the table.

Her friend Ben has always been proud of his older brother, always bragging about him getting selected for the Naval Academy then commissioned in the Navy and climbing the ranks to Captain. Although she has heard so much about Ben's brother, Olivia has never met Fitz. So she decides to introduce herself when she sees he is alone for the first time since she arrived.

"Welcome home Captain Grant", looking up at the handsome man who is loading his plate with lots and lots of potato salad. Fitz turns and smiles at the woman.

"I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage, ma'am. And you are?"

"Olivia – Pope", she says, extending her hand.

Fitz sets his plate and beer onto the table and shakes her hand.

"So you're Bennie's girlfriend?" He asks because he saw how his brother reacted when Olivia arrived at the party.

"No, not at all", waving her hand dismissively and shaking her head. "Ben and I are just friends – been friends since high school."

"Does he know that?"

"Of course", wondering why he would ask such a question.

"Well Captain Grant, I just wanted to welcome you home and thank you for serving our country – for keeping us safe."

"Nice meeting you, Olivia", giving her a million dollar smile. "And call me Fitz, all of my friends do."

As the afternoon transitions into evening and the sun begins to set, the music and voices in the backyard get louder and Fitz is feeling more energized. He has not been home in years and he is happy to see all of his family and friends.

"Well, well, well. Mom has really outdone herself today", his older brother John says, sitting on the bench next to the man of the hour.

"She really has. I really missed all of this – the family gatherings."

John nods as he leans back against the bench and sips his beer.

"So, are you seeing anyone? Did you leave a special girl back in California?"

"No one special", Fitz says, surveying the outdoor space.

"What about you? Are you seeing anyone special?"

"Not yet. I think I'm getting tired of the bachelor life though."

"You? I don't believe it", Fitz looks at his older brother in surprise.

"After a while you want someone who is going to be there for you – be there for the long haul. Someone who is willing to bring you chicken soup when you're sick. I'm getting tired of the one-night stands and meaningless relationships. And it doesn't help any that mom keeps reminding me she wants grand kids."

Fitz nods.

"So what do you know about Olivia?" Nodding in Olivia's direction.

"Nice girl. She and Bennie are friends – been friends since high school."

Fitz sips his beer as he continues to eye Olivia who is laughing it up with the crowd standing around the pool.

"Anything going on with her and Bennie?"

"You know Bennie. If he liked a girl she would never know it. Not like us", John chuckles and elbows Fitz. "We always go after what we want."

"So they're not a thing?" Fitz presses.

"Hey, hey", John turns and looks at his brother. "Are you interested in Olivia?"

"I'm not sure. There's something about her that intrigues me. But if Bennie –"

"Go for it. If Bennie hasn't staked his claim –"

"You're a Neanderthal, John."

"Olivia is a few years younger than you, Fitz. Don't take advantage of her. She and Bennie might not be a thing but she is a nice girl."

Fitz nods and continues to watch the woman who has caught his attention.

Olivia is having a good time with her friends. She is glad she let Ben convince her to forego working again tonight and come to his brother's Welcome Home Party. As she sips her wine she has the feeling someone is watching her, so she turns her head slowly until she locks eyes with those crystal blues she saw earlier. He nods and lifts his beer bottle to her. She smiles nervously and rubs the back of her neck before turning back to her friends.

After another hour or so the crowd begins to dwindle and Olivia decides to call it a night so she walks over to the Grants to say her good-byes.

"Mr., Mrs. Grant, thank you for allowing Ben to invite me today. I had a wonderful time. Everything was terrific."

"Olivia, you know you are always welcome in our home. You and Bennie have been friends forever."

"Thank you, Mrs. Grant. That's so kind of you. Well, I'm going to head out now."

"Fitzgerald", his father calls to his son who is standing nearby talking to an old friend. "Come walk Olivia to her car. She's ready to leave."

Olivia and Fitz look at each other and smile nervously.

"Thank you for coming today", Fitz says as they walk toward her car.

"It was a good party", trying to remain cool. For some reason she feels anxious whenever she talks to him.

"Well, this is me", stopping in front of the compact vehicle.

"May I call you sometime, Olivia?"

He smiles and she thinks she is going to pass out. He looks at her with those piercing blue eyes that sparkle even in the night and her heart begins to beat a mile a minute. She holds out her hand and he looks at her curiously.

"Your phone, Captain. You'll need my number if you're _really_ going to call me."

The next morning the Grant men load up John's SUV to head up to the mountains for their annual weeklong fishing trip. Although a bit hung over from last night's festivities, they are all really excited that for the first time in several years all four men can share in the family tradition.

 **XXX**

Olivia sits in her office drafting the proposal for her latest project. She looks over at her phone sitting on the desk and thinks three days have passed since she gave Fitz her phone number and he has not called her. She shrugs it off, chalking it up to him being one of those guys who likes to collect women's phone numbers. Besides, he probably has a girlfriend back wherever he came from. After all, he has travelled the world and has been with all kinds of beautiful women, why would he be interested in her? She pushes Captain Grant from her mind and refocuses on writing the proposal.

After she finishes the first draft Olivia shuts down her computer and turns off the lights in her office. It has been a long day and she is ready to go home, take a hot shower, and heat a cardboard box of something in the microwave for dinner. As she closes the office door her phone begins to vibrate at the bottom of her purse. She fights through all of the stuff in the purse trying to retrieve the phone.

"Hello", she says, not realizing she has the phone upside-down. "Hello?"

"Olivia? Are you there?"

Finally realizing she is holding the phone upside-down she turns it around and shakes her head, thinking she must really be tired.

"Yes, I'm here. Hi."

"Hi", he says smiling. "Is this not a good time?"

"No, not at all" sitting on the chair in the hall outside of her office.

"I'm calling", he says like a cornball.

"You're calling", smiling at his corniness.

"My family - my brothers, father, and I are away on our annual fishing trip. It's all week. We've been gone for the past three days", he says quickly. For some reason he feels the need to explain where he has been for the past three days.

"I see", setting her purse on the floor and leaning back in the chair.

"Did Bennie not tell you?"

"Ben doesn't share his personal schedule with me."

He smiles and nods his head.

"Well the reception up here is terrible. We had to drive down the road to buy batteries from the local store because John forgot to bring extras. I was able to get a signal outside of the store so I called you."

"I see", not knowing what else to say.

"I have to find a place to stay now that I'm back home. I can't stay at my parents' house forever."

"OK."

"And I was wondering if you would go with me to look at the places the real estate agent sent me."

She frowns, unsure of what he wants from her.

"I don't understand."

"I want your opinion."

"You want _my_ opinion?"

"Yes", wiping the sweat from his forehead. Although it is early evening, it is still hot up in the mountains.

He begins to think perhaps this was not such a good idea because she does not sound too interested in trudging around town on her day off from work to look at apartments with him. But he has been wracking his brain all week trying to figure out what to say when he called her and this is the best he could come up with.

"OK", she says slowly. "When?"

A huge smile spread across his face.

"Saturday. But I'll call you in a few days when I get back home."

She nods.

"I'm going to lose this connection so I'll talk to you soon, Olivia."

"Bye, Fitz."

After disconnecting the call she looks at her phone, not quite sure what to think about Captain Grant. Fitz is doing a fist pump when Bennie walks up.

"You look like you just won the lottery, bro", Bennie says to his brother who is obviously excited about something.

"I might have, brother. I just might have."

Fitz drapes an arm around his younger brother's neck and they walk back to the truck.

 **XXX**

Fitz and Olivia spent all Saturday morning touring the seven apartments the real estate agent recommended based on his criteria. They both had forgotten how harrowing apartment hunting can be. After they toured the last apartment on his list they were able to narrow their search to three apartments. Fitz suggested they _debrief_ over lunch to discuss the pros and cons of the three apartments under consideration.

"That was terrific. I didn't realize how hungry I was", Olivia says, leaning back in the booth in the restaurant.

"Thank you for coming with me today, Olivia. You're making this process so much easier."

"No problem. It was kind of fun actually. But now you have to decide, Fitz. Which of the three apartments do you like best?"

"Which one do you like best?" He retorts quickly, looking at her from across the table.

Olivia scrolls through her phone reading the notes she made on the three apartments they are considering. Fitz smiles at how seriously she seems to be taking this task and slides in the booth next to her to look at her notes. He is sitting so close that his shoulder is rubbing against hers and his thigh is resting on hers.

"Well, each has their pros and cons, of course. But you said living near a park is important since you enjoy the outdoors. So that eliminates apartment number two."

He nods, looking at the phone screen intently.

"And you said you definitely need two bedrooms, one for when guests stay over. And you need a separate office space. So that eliminates apartment number three. I don't know why your agent even put that one on your list."

He smiles as she concentrates on her notes.

"I guess that means it's apartment number one then", looking at her notes. "Do you like it?"

"Fitz, you're the one who has to like it. You have to live there, not me."

"Well I want you to be comfortable when you come over to visit."

She looks at him for a moment then back at the phone screen.

"So, do you like it?"

"I do like it. Actually, it's not too far from where I live."

"Then that seals the deal. I'll text Joan now to let her know our decision."

Olivia slidesaway from him slightly as he texts Joan, his real estate agent.

"Well that's done", setting his phone down and not bothering to return to his side of the table.

"You made a good choice, Fitz. That apartment has almost everything you wanted."

"Now we have to go furniture shopping."

Olivia looks at him in surprise.

"I'm going to need furniture, Olivia."

"Maybe you want to take your mother, or Nora, or your girlfriend with you to shop for furniture."

"First, I love my mother but we definitely do not have the same taste in furniture. Second, Nora is a pain in the –"

"Fitz …" She admonishes.

"And, third, I don't have a girlfriend." He knows she is fishing for information.

"Not even back in California?"

"Not even back in California", grinning as he looks into her eyes.

She wonders how someone like him, someone so handsome and accomplished does not have a girlfriend. She nods and lifts her water glass to her mouth because she needs to do something with her hands. She needs to escape his piercing eyes.

"Have dinner with me tonight, Olivia." He says with intensity.

His closeness is making Olivia feel uncomfortable and she is not ready to spend more time with him today. She has already spent the entire morning and part of the afternoon with him. She needs space. She needs breathing room.

"I'm sorry Fitz, I can't tonight. I have plans this evening."

She sees the look of disappointment wash over his face and she feels badly.

"But let me know when you're ready to shop for furniture."

He nods, wondering if she has a boyfriend. He will have to ask Bennie.

 **One Week Later**

Fitz has packed the few things he brought to his parents' house when he moved back home. He is setting down his bags at the front door when it swings open and Bennie walks into the house wearing his scrubs.

"So are you moving in or moving out?" Bennie asks jokingly.

"I'm moving into my apartment today. I still need to get furniture but it will work for now. I borrowed John's sleeping bag until I get a bed."

"That's terrific", Ben says, walking into the kitchen to get a bottle of water. "I know mom is going to miss having you around."

"I need my privacy, Bennie. You know how it is."

Bennie nods and sets the bottle on the counter then resumes rummaging through the refrigerator for something to eat. Since a kid he could always count on his mother to have snacks in the refrigerator. From across the kitchen Fitz watches his brother scavenge for food.

"So, have you seen your friend lately – the one who was at the party?" Fitz asks as Bennie continues looking into the refrigerator.

"Which one? Several of my friends were at the party."

"Olivia", Fitz says and Bennie tenses immediately and lets the cool air calm his rapidly reddening face.

"Why do you ask?" Bennie says tightly, finally regaining his composure sufficiently to turn around and face his brother.

"I was just wondering. Do you know if she is seeing anyone?" Fitz asks as Bennie fumbles with the food he placed on the counter. He has officially lost his appetite.

"Why don't you ask her?"

"I'm asking you."

The brothers stare at each other.

"No, I don't think she is. She works a lot. She runs her own nonprofit."

"I see", Fitz says, slapping Bennie on the back. "I gotta get going man. I'll invite everyone over to my place once I get everything set up."

Bennie nods as his brother walks from the kitchen. He feels like punching something.

 **XXX**

Fitz called her a couple of days ago telling her he moved into his apartment. He wanted to know if she would go shopping with him after work on Wednesday. She really does not know what to think about spending so much time with him. Is he simply looking for a friend? Does he just want a point of view from a woman who is not his mother or sister? She does not know what to think, but she agreed to go shopping with him anyway.

 **Two Months Later**

Olivia sits in her office grinning from ear to ear as she looks at the official notice informing her she was awarded the grant to fund her latest project. She reaches for her ringing phone and taps the phone icon as she smiles at the letter.

"Hello", she says in a sing-song voice, still looking at the papers she is holding in her hands.

"Well someone sounds like she is in a good mood today."

"Hi", smiling brightly, not sure if she is smiling because her grant was approved or because she is talking to him.

"Hi. So are you going to tell me why you're so happy, why you're smiling?" He leans back in his chair and plants a foot on the edge of his desk.

"How do you know I'm smiling?" Leaning back in her chair.

"Because I can hear it in your voice. So again, what or _who_ has you smiling?" He loosens his tie and begins to roll up his shirt sleeves.

"I just found out I got the funding to help seniors to repair their wells", she blurts out excitedly, kicking off her shoes and resting her stocking feet on the edge of the wastebasket.

"Wow, that's terrific, Olivia. You should feel really proud."

"I am. It's really exciting." She can hardly contain herself.

"We have to celebrate."

"That's not necessary, Fitz."

Mona, Olivia's assistant, stands in the doorway and announces she is leaving for the day. Olivia turns around with the biggest smile on her face and holding the phone to her ear.

"Oh, I'm sorry Olivia. I didn't realize you were on the phone."

"Hold on, Fitz."

"Thank you, Mona for everything today. I'll see you tomorrow."

Mona waves good night and walks down the hall carrying her Betty Boop lunch bag. She smiles thinking Olivia seems to have finally found a man.

"Okay, I'm back now. You were saying?"

"I was saying you just had a major accomplishment and _we_ should celebrate, unless …"

"Unless?" Wondering why he didn't finish his thought.

"Unless you'd rather celebrate with your boyfriend." There, he finally got it out. He needs to know if she is seeing someone.

"I'd rather not celebrate with my boyfriend", realizing he is trying to find out if she has a boyfriend.

His heart drops to the pit of his stomach.

"So you have a boyfriend?"

She is smiling because all of the lightness has left his voice.

"No, I don't have a boyfriend", rubbing her foot up and down her calf.

He smiles brightly.

"So I'll pick you up tonight at seven. Text me your address."

"I'll see you at seven, Captain Grant.

 **XXX**

Olivia has not been on a date since, well she cannot remember the last time she had dinner with a man with whom she was not discussing business. But is this a date or is this just two _friends_ going out to celebrate her being awarded the grant. Maybe this is his way of thanking her for helping him to get settled into his home. Whatever the case, Olivia decides to get really dressed up so she pulls the red Bodycon dress out of the closet. She bought the dress on sale last year and has not had occasion to wear it until tonight.

Fitz arrives at Olivia's apartment 10 minutes early, just as she finished applying her make-up.

"Wow", he exclaims, looking at the vision standing before him.

He knows Olivia is an attractive woman but he has never seen her look like this; bone-straight hair, make-up tastefully applied, and wearing a tight dress. He smiles as he openly appraises her body.

"You look terrific."

"Close your mouth, Captain and let's go."

"No."

" _No?"_

"Don't you want to put on your shoes first?" And they burst out laughing.

 **XXX**

Fitz and Olivia drive to the restaurant making small talk and cracking lame jokes they both think are funny. They are feeling free and relaxed.

"This is a nice car, Fitz", she says as they ride through the city.

"It's a rental. We have to go car shopping next week."

She looks over at him in disbelief and suddenly she is no longer in a good mood, nor is she hungry.

As the waiter escorts them to their table Olivia begins to regret agreeing to have dinner with him. And she regrets wearing her special dress.

"So tell me about this grant", he says, cutting into his steak.

"It's no big deal", pushing around the vegetables on her plate with the fork.

" _No big deal?"_ He stops cutting his steak and looks up at her. "A few hours ago you were bursting at the seams. What happened? What's the matter?" He sets the knife and fork onto the sides of his plate.

"Nothing. It's nothing", smiling weakly.

"Olivia, did I say something to offend you?" He furrows his brow.

"No, of course not. No worries."

"If I said something wrong please let me know", looking at her seriously.

"It's nothing, Fitz. I'm just not feeling well", rubbing her temple with her index finger. "My head is beginning to pound."

"Can I get you something – have the waiter bring you an aspirin?"

"No, that won't be necessary. I'll be fine after I lay down for a while."

Now Fitz is sure she is upset with him about something.

"OK. I'll take you home."

"No, finish your dinner", she says quickly, flashing another fake smile. "I'll be fine until you're done. I'll just have the waiter wrap mine."

"Olivia, I'm not going to sit here and eat if you're not feeling well. Let's go." Fitz places money on the table to pay for their meal and escorts Olivia from the restaurant.

 **XXX**

As he walks Olivia to her apartment Fitz wonders what caused her mood to change so quickly. She seemed upbeat when they were riding to the restaurant, but her mood seemed to have changed by the time they were seated at their table.

"I'm sorry you're not feeling well", he says sincerely. "Can I get you anything before I leave?"

"No, that won't be necessary. I have medicine inside."

"Okay. Then I'll call you in a few days so we can go car shopping. I have to return the rental next week."

"Don't."

" _Excuse me?"_ Looking at her in disbelief.

"Fitz, I can't be your shopping buddy or your personal shopper or whatever it is you're looking for. Good night."

Olivia turns to unlock her door and he swings her around and gives her the biggest kiss that takes her breath away. And she looks at him in surprise.

"I don't want a shopping buddy or a personal shopper or any of those things. I want you, Olivia."

Her mouth hangs open as she looks at him stunned.

"I just made up all of that stuff so I could find ways to spend time with you. I like you, Olivia – a lot."

Her mouth is still hanging open as she listens to his confession. So he presses his luck and goes in for another kiss, and she responds, gliding her fingers through the hairs at the nape of his neck. After the searing kiss, he rests his forehead on hers and smiles.

"So, does this mean you'll go car shopping with?" He gives her that stupid smirk she is beginning to find adorable.

 **XXX**

When he is not traveling for business and she is not working late hours, Fitz and Olivia spend most of their free time together getting to know each other. And each is liking what they are discovering about the other.

Olivia has learned that Fitz is a true patriot. He was inspired to serve his country after the planes flew into the World Trade Center. Fitz was a senior in high school at the time. And everything changed for him on September 11, 2001 as he sat in his History class watching one then another plane fly into the iconic twin towers. He sat stunned as he watched, along with his classmates, the senseless terroristic act happening on American soil.

School was dismissed early that day and everyone rushed home to be with their families. Throughout the day and into the evening, the Grants sat in front of the TV in the family room watching over and over the news footage of the planes flying into the symbolic towers. They watched the first responders run toward the tragedy. They watched ash-covered citizens run away from the destruction. It was all so unbelievable, and it all incensed Fitz. The more he watched the news, the angrier he got. He was angry that his country had been violated in such a horrific way. He was angry that his country no longer felt safe and he wanted to do his part to make his country he loves safe again.

Although he had applied for early admission to Harvard and was accepted, after the attack on his country Fitz decided to forego his plans to attend Harvard. Instead, he implored his father to use his friendship with their Congressman to get him into the US Naval Academy at Annapolis.

After Fitz graduated from the Naval Academy he was commissioned as a junior officer to serve five years in the Navy. Then he enrolled in the Navy Postgraduate School in Monterey, California where he got his law degree and lived for the past eight years.

Fitz practiced law in the Navy by helping the enlisted women and men and their families to resolve disputes of all types with major corporations. He became known as The Negotiator because he was a shark who destroyed his opponents and won cases for his clients. He was the go-to guy for the enlisted men and women.

After 15 years in the Navy Fitz was ready to resume civilian life and start his own arbitration firm. His experience fighting against major corporations on behalf of the enlisted gave him insight into the business opportunity to help the other side, the corporations. He and his colleagues were beating corporations all of the time at the arbitration table and he realized quickly there is a market for arbitrating disputes on behalf of big businesses. He knew he could help corporations win at the arbitration table. And if he did his job well some cases would never make it to arbitration, which would save companies and the courts lots and lots of money.

With the reputation of being The Negotiator and the contacts he made while in the Navy, Fitz did not have any problems setting up his business and attracting clients when he left the military.

Fitz has learned that Olivia is an only child and her parents, who are currently in Africa, became missionaries for their church after they retired. Olivia was a Communications major who is passionate about helping to solve the world's water crisis. A few years ago she started a nonprofit organization to help low-income senior citizens to repair their defective wells. She thought it was disgraceful senior citizens did not have access to clean water.

As they stroll through the park Olivia stops to feed the ducks that are swimming on the pond.

"Can you imagine not having clean water to drink, Fitz?"

"I can't, but I saw it a lot when I was in the Navy. Liv, when you have travelled to as many underdeveloped countries as I have you see a whole lot."

We're not living in third world country, Fitz", she says emphatically.

He nods, watching the ducks swim by.

"Well I don't know if you've been following the water issue in Michigan, but we have a major problem with our water supply here in the US. Our crumbling infrastructure and poor decisions by government officials have caused the water in Flint, Michigan to be undrinkable. People – children have been poisoned with lead because they have been drinking contaminated water. And that's just wrong."

"Wow, you're really passionate about this?" Marveling at her enthusiasm.

"That's why I started my own nonprofit. I wanted to make things happen on my terms. I don't make a lot of money but I have always been able to take care of myself – to pay my bills. I certainly won't get rich running a nonprofit, but I'm not in it for the money. My reward is providing services to the community - helping people to improve the quality of their lives. And what's more critical to a quality life than having access to clean water?"

"I like a woman who likes to make things happen", he says, throwing a handful of bird seeds into the duck pond.

 **XXX**

When Fitz returned from his trip to Seattle he called Olivia from the airport and asked her to meet him at his apartment after work so they could hang out together. He has really missed being with her while he was away.

Olivia arrived at his place shortly after he got home and he wanted to take a quick shower before going out. For the past 40 minutes Olivia has been sitting on the sofa waiting for Fitz to finish his quick shower. She flips through another magazine when she hears his heavy footsteps entering the room.

"Fitz, your apartment is really beginning to come together nicely", looking around the open concept floor plan. Even with the furniture it's still pretty roomy."

"Thanks to you. So, what do you want to do tonight? Where do you want to go?" Grabbing his keys from the table.

"Fitz, we go out all the time. How about we just stay in tonight?" She says, walking toward the kitchen.

"OK, whatever you want", setting his keys back onto the table. "Do you want to order take-out?"

"Are you kidding? Tonight we're going to cook in this beautiful kitchen – get it all messy", rubbing her hands together.

Olivia starts pulling out the pots and pans she selected while on one of their shopping trips.

"I'm sure you're a terrific cook since your mother is such a wonderful cook."

"I can't cook", he says, not at all embarrassed.

She stops moving about the kitchen and stares at him in disbelief.

"What do you mean you can't cook? Your mother is a fantastic cook. Didn't she teach you?"

"Nope."

"What do you mean _nope_?" Olivia cannot believe what she is hearing. "How could your mother not teach you how to do something so basic as to cook? Do your brothers know how to cook – your father?"

"Nope. My mother is a traditionalist. She believes the kitchen is the woman's domain."

"Well that's just ridiculous. What century is she from? There are plenty of great male chefs. Have you ever watched Iron Chef or Marcus Samuelsson on TV?"

"Nope."

She rubs her forehead because she is tired of him saying _nope_.

"Well you're going to learn how to cook, Fitz – at least the basics. I won't have you not knowing how to cook for yourself. Get in here and wash your hands. That's rule number one."

"So bossy. Are you sure you weren't in the Navy?"

 **XXX**

Now that Fitz has had his first cooking lesson and the kitchen is cleaned and restored to its usual state, they sit on the sofa watching the Food Network.

"So what do you love to do the most in this whole wide world, and don't say helping others? I'm talking about something not related to work – something else that brings you joy."

"Well that's easy", smiling brightly. "It's on my bucket list actually."

"You have a bucket list?" He looks at her in surprise.

"Of course I have a bucket list. Don't you?"

"No."

"Well Fitz you need a bucket list. You need to write down all of the things you want to do before you die and start doing them."

"So what's number one on your bucket list?"

Her eyes dazzle with a far-off look as she tells him about her number one adventure.

"Wow, that sounds pretty terrific."

She smiles and nods, also thinking it is pretty terrific.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:** Thanks for reading and reviewing. This story is a slow build so if you like a faster pace this might not be for you. Please know that it will all come together. Pay attention to the dialog because that's where the bread crumbs are left. Maria I can't give you a hint about where Olivia is because the story will be over, for the most part, if I did. Sorry.

Guest, John is 38. Fitz is 35. Olivia and Bennie are 28. Nora is 22. Chapters 2 and 3 take place over a three-month period. There will be time jumps in upcoming chapters to get us back to present day.

BTW, a couple of reviewers have said this story is similar to two others on this site. I am unaware of those stories, however, I'm sure the similarities will be minimal. However, I think there is sufficient room in the Scandalverse for similar stories where the plots and outcomes are different. Hope you choose to hang in there. Tell me what you think. Here we go.

 **Chapter 3. A Lesson in Intimacy**

Trying desperately not to drop the cake she spent all afternoon making, Olivia balances the baked dessert in one hand and inserts the key Fitz gave her for emergencies into the lock. She pushes the door with her foot and it swings open wide. The chattering in the room comes to an abrupt stop and four pairs of eyes stare at her. Bennie is red-faced, squeezing his beer bottle almost to the point of shattering. Nora smiles deviously, glancing from Olivia to Bennie. Mr. and Mrs. Grant stare at Olivia with their mouths hanging open.

"Flies mom and dad – flies", Nora says.

Her mother looks at her daughter angrily, more than a little weary of the young woman's immature remarks.

"Liv, let me take that cake off your hands", Nora says, jumping from her seat and walking across the room to relieve Olivia of the dessert.

"Thanks, Nora", setting her purse onto the table near the door.

"Hi everyone. Mrs., Mr. Grant", glancing around the room quickly. "Hey, Ben. Sorry I'm late but I just finished baking the cake. Can you believe Fitz just wanted to serve store bought?"

John walks into the living room from the kitchen with a bottle of beer in his hand and stops in his tracks when he sees Olivia.

"Olivia?" He says in surprise.

"Hey, John", Olivia says cheerily. "I better get in the kitchen and help Fitz finish. I did all of the prep work last night so all he needed to do –"

The eyes watch how familiar Olivia seems to be with Fitz' apartment.

"Fitz isn't here Olivia", John says, somewhat shocked.

" _Isn't here?"_

"He went to the store –"

"To get more beer", Fitz says, holding up the beer as he walks through the door.

"I told you yesterday we were going to need more beer."

"So you did", walking over and kissing Olivia on the lips.

All of the eyes in the room are about to pop out of their heads as they watch the two lock lips. For once Bennie wishes the hospital would call him in for an emergency. Nora smirks mischievously at the couple who seems to be oblivious to their slack-jawed guests.

"Okay, now that Fitz is back we can eat", pulling out of Fitz' arms and walking into the kitchen.

The diners eat in relative silence, not sure of what to make of Fitz and Olivia. Are they a couple? If so, why didn't anyone know?

 **XXX**

It has been three months since Fitz moved back from California and John is disappointed he has not seen his brother as often as he would like. So John takes steps to correct the imbalance by arranging for him and his brother to go out, have a few drinks, and catch up.

"You're a hard man to track down these days, Fitz." John looks at his brother then sips his beer.

"Yeah, I guess. I've been pretty busy lately. The business is really picking up."

John nods and takes another sip of beer.

"So how's Olivia? Are you two now a _thing_?"

"I think we're becoming a thing", smiling proudly.

"Well you know you surprised the shit out of everyone when she showed up at your house-warming party. When she came in using a key …" He shakes his head.

"Why were they surprised? I told you I was interested in her."

"Well no one else in the family knew and _I_ didn't even know things had gotten serious with the two of you. Bennie damn sure didn't know."

"I don't have to get the family's approval about who I choose to date", getting annoyed.

"It's just –"

"What?" Fitz looks at his brother, wanting him to say more.

"Well, it's just everybody always thought Bennie and Olivia would be the two who got together. Instead, you swoop into town and –"

"Hey, hey. There was nothing going on between Olivia and Bennie. If there was I would never have pursued her. She says they are just friends. Hell, I don't even think she knows he likes her. Besides, you told me to go for it."

"It's just –"

"It just what, John?" Now Fitz is really annoyed.

"Bennie looked hurt when you and Olivia were sucking on each other's face."

"What am I supposed to do, John? Am I supposed to stop seeing Olivia? Am I supposed to miss out on being with whom perhaps might be the love of my life because Bennie has a crush on Olivia and she doesn't know a _damn_ thing about it? Because he's too shy or whatever the fuck to ever to tell a girl he likes her? He's in med school for Christ sakes." Fitz runs his hand through his hair in frustration.

"The love of your life, hunh?" John looks at his brother and grins, then sips his beer again.

When Fitz gets home from his dinner with John he is incensed. He needs to put this Bennie-Olivia thing to rest. He needs to talk to Olivia about her and Bennie, then he needs to tell his brother to get over the crush he has on her and to move on.

 **The Next Day**

It is barely sunrise when Fitz grabs the phone from his nightstand and calls Olivia asking her to meet him today for lunch at Remy's. He and Olivia have been hanging out a lot, an awful lot really, for the past three months and they have become really close. He wants to make them official but first he needs to address this Bennie matter with her.

Fitz has been sitting in Remy's for the past 20 minutes waiting for Olivia to arrive. He drank two colas and rehearsed several times what he wants to say to her. When he looks up from his phone he sees Olivia hurrying into the restaurant.

"I am so sorry I'm late", she says somewhat out of breath. "My meeting ran longer than I expected." She slides into her seat across from Fitz, unaware he is upset.

"Tell me about your _relationship_ with Bennie", he says tersely, tightening his jaw.

"Excuse me?" Looking at his tense face and wondering where this question is coming from.

"You heard me, Olivia. Answer the question. Were you and Bennie ever a thing?"

"First", raising her index finger. "You need to calm down and change the tone you're using with me. I am not one of _those_ plaintiffs you interrogate at arbitration", glaring at him.

"Liv", he says slowly, trying to tamp down his anger. "I'm just trying to get to the bottom of this before …"

" _Get to the bottom of what and before what?"_ Now she is annoyed because she rushed over to the restaurant after a meeting that went beyond the scheduled time only to be confronted with a series of vague questions.

"Did you and my brother ever date or _anything_?"

She closes her eyes and inhales deeply before responding. She is getting a little tired of the innuendo about her and Ben.

"No, we never dated or _anything_. I told you, Ben and I have been _friends_ since high school – nothing more. Is that why you wanted me to meet you for lunch?" Now she is angry.

"Well it seems like you're the only one who doesn't know that he likes you – has liked you for a while apparently."

" _Well I don't know anything about it. And I've never had those kinds of feelings for Ben and Ben has never said anything to me. And who this everybody you're talking about?"_

He grins at her, which only serves to annoy her all the more.

"Listen, maybe we should just end whatever this is between us", wagging her hand back and forth. "I don't want to cause a rift between you and your family."

He is grinning like a Cheshire cat because he thinks she looks so sexy when she is upset.

"What are you grinning about?" She asks angrily.

"You look so sexy when you're angry."

"Shut up", laughing reluctantly as she tosses her balled up napkin across the table at him.

"But seriously, Fitz. If we are going to be friends then I don't want this thing with Ben to become a problem."

Fitz cringes slightly when she uses the _friend_ word. He definitely does not want to end up in the friend category like his brother.

"I'll handle my brother – my family. Do you think you can get away this weekend?"

"Why?"

"I want to take you somewhere – to show you something."

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Pivot - shift so quickly?"

"You said you were never interested in my brother and I said I would take care of it. Now let's move on.

 **XXX**

The drive up the canyon was close to majestic. The scenery of wildlife and colorful plant life is overwhelming to her senses. The further Fitz drives up the winding road the giddier she becomes. She is smiling so hard her cheeks hurt but she does not care. When Fitz stops the car, he jumps out and opens her door. Then he pops the trunk and pulls out a couple of blankets and a picnic basket. Olivia is oblivious to his actions because she is enthralled by the sight of the towering cliffs and the sound of the roaring water and the occasional chirping bird. She loves the stillness in the air.

"Come on", grabbing her hand. "I have the perfect spot for us."

"Yay", she exclaims.

Fitz lays a blanket on the ground and sets the picnic basket atop it.

"All right Ms. Pope, you may now sit down."

"This is such a beautiful view, Fitz. I can't wait", rubbing her hands together excitedly.

Fitz uncorks the wine then starts pulling out foodstuff from the basket.

"You've thought of everything Captain Grant."

"I have", settling on the blanket next to her.

"So how did this get to be the number one item on your bucket list?" Glancing at his watch.

"Ever since I was a kid I was always fascinated by sunsets. With the mind of a child I thought it actually went to sleep at night and woke up again in the morning – like me."

He chuckles at her childlike demeanor.

"But of course when I got older I learned the sun does not go anywhere or move. It actually stays in its position at the center of our solar system. It doesn't rise and set. But it appears to do so because the Earth rotates and the western horizon rises up to cover it. Twelve hours or so later, the eastern horizon lowers and reveals it.

"Wow, I didn't know you were an astronomer."

She nudges him slightly.

"Because the atmosphere varies around the world, sunsets look different from different locations. The colors are more brilliant in some areas than in others. And I want to see the most beautiful sunsets around the world. That's why it's number one on my bucket list."

"Well this location wasn't on your list but I wanted you to see it from here."

"How did you find this place, Fitz? It's so peaceful up here. I just love it."

"When my family came up here on our fishing trip I noticed the sunset one evening and thought it looked pretty amazing."

She smiles, nodding her head.

"Do you want children some day?" Pulling the blanket around them as they sit shoulder to shoulder waiting for 7:34 pm, waiting for sunset.

"I do. I've always loved children. Don't tell anyone this", looking around like she is about to reveal a secret. "But I really do like all of that housewife stuff. I love the idea of having a couple of babies, cooking, cleaning – maintaining a home for my family."

" _Really?"_ He asks in surprise, looking at her profile. "I would think that a modern woman like you would not want to do those kinds of household chores."

"Don't get me wrong Fitz, I have absolutely no interest in being a full-time housewife. Never have and never will. But I do enjoy doing those domestic things, sometimes. But I need balance in my life. If I were ever to get married I would need to work outside of the home doing what I enjoy equally as much as I enjoy making a home for my family. I have worked too hard to build my business to just walk away from it. I would never do that. I love serving the community too much."

"And I would never want you to do that", kissing her on the cheek. "Be my girlfriend, Olivia", looking at her intently with those eyes.

" _Your girlfriend?"_

"Yes, my girlfriend. I want you – us to be in a relationship together. In case you don't know, I really, really like you – a lot", giving her that smile.

She takes a deep breath and assesses his face for a moment before responding. And he holds his breath as she begins to speak.

"Fitz, before I can think about being in a _serious_ relationship with you – being your girlfriend - I think we have to discuss our beliefs, values, and priorities about things that are important to us. Because it would be pointless to get into a relationship if we don't share some of the same beliefs.

"Okay", exhaling slowly through his nostrils.

"First, my faith is very important to me – always has been since I was a child. Although as a child my parents required me to attend church, but as a teenager the choice became mine. And now that I am an adult I still choose to practice my faith."

"My parents are missionaries for our church. After I went away to college they decided to dedicate their entire lives to helping those who attend our church in Senegal. They have always gotten so much joy out of helping others. I guess I inherited that gene." She gives him a slight smile.

He smiles too.

"Fitz, I would never try to impose my beliefs on you. I just need you to understand what's important to me and what I won't compromise."

He nods for her to continue.

"Money and material things aren't that important to me. I'm not foolish, I know I need money to take care of my essential needs, but I don't get caught up with the need to have the biggest or shiniest anything. I even drive an eight-year-old car if you haven't noticed. But it gets me where I need to go."

He nods, thinking about when he walked her to her car the night of his Welcome Home Party.

"Liv, I would never ask you to compromise your beliefs and values. They are what make you who you are – what I like about you. But we are more alike than you think. We share many of the same values."

She looks at him unsure about what he said because she thinks the divide between them might be too great to have a serious relationship.

"Not true. You're a Republican and I'm not. Your parents almost had a stroke when I casually mentioned I wasn't a Republican."

"First, you won't be dating my parents – you'll be dating me. Second, while I am a Republican, I'm a moderate, not as conservative in my views as my parents."

She nods, still not convinced their political ideologies will not be a problem in the future.

"And, I'm a patriot and so are you."

Once again she looks at him confused.

"Liv, we both love our country. We both have a desire to serve – to give something back. I dedicated 15 years of my life to serving my country, and you started a nonprofit to do just that – to give back to the community – to serve and help people who are unable to help themselves. I really admire that."

"We both have a strong work ethic. We're not afraid of hard work and long hours. We do what it takes to get the job done. Find a way or make one." He smiles at one of his favorite idioms.

She nods, thinking about what he said.

"Fitz, I don't want to stereotype you or our military people, but I have some concerns since you were in the Navy for so long."

Now it is his turn to look at her curiously.

"Some believe military people are too rigid and formal – unwilling to change. I couldn't deal with that."

He nods, wanting her to express all of her concerns.

"Then there is the belief that military people are autocratic – that they have a do-it-because-I-say-so attitude. I couldn't deal with that either. I won't. I've been making decisions about my life for quite some time and I'm not interested in being told what to do. I don't need nor do I want another father. If you're looking for that kind of woman then I'm not the one for you."

He nods again, processing everything she just said.

"You are the woman for me, Liv", he says in earnest. "And in time I hope that you will learn I'm none of those things – none of those stereotypes. And I respect you too much to ever try to change you – to control you. I love your independence. As I said, I admire your work – how you sacrifice yourself for others – what you do for others."

"Fitz, there are going to be times when my work and my political beliefs are going conflict with yours. Can you handle that?"

"Liv, I think we just have to respect each other, understand we are independent people who had a life before we got together, and will have to compromise when our needs and wants conflict. But most importantly, we have to communicate – talk to each other about whatever is on our mind. Okay?"

She looks at him for a long moment before allowing the smile to spread across her face.

"So, will you be my girlfriend?" He looks at her seriously.

"All right – okay, I'll be your girlfriend. "Look!" She squeals, pointing to the orange ball being hidden by the horizon.

"This is such a beautiful sunset, Fitz. Thank you for bringing me here. I just loved it."

 **XXX**

The Grant family have come to terms with the fact that Fitz and Olivia are dating, well everyone except Bennie, who has remained silent on the matter and family gatherings are somewhat awkward when Olivia attends with Fitz. Bennie usually finds an excuse to be absent. Tonight the Grants are having another family dinner and he planned for him and Olivia to ride together but said him she would meet him there because her meeting was probably going to run late.

"So will Olivia be joining us tonight, Fitzgerald or is she working again?" His mother asks.

"Olivia has a meeting so she'll be joining us later, mom."

"She sure works a lot", Gerry says.

"Well she has her own business dad and it takes a lot of work to get it going. I know what that's like."

"But that's different", Gerry says.

"Isn't it a nonprofit dear?" His mother asks.

"Yes it is, mom", sipping his scotch.

"Is a nonprofit considered a _real_ business?"

Before Fitz can answer his father chimes in.

"Aren't nonprofits funded by the government? Is this just another way for taxpayers to get stuck picking up the tab for those who won't work?"

"What are you talking about, dad?"

"Does the government pay her salary? Does she make any money doing it – enough to support herself or is she looking for you to support her?"

"First of all, Olivia has supported herself long before I knew her and she does not need nor has she ever asked for any assistance from me. Second, a nonprofit is a business. The difference between a for-profit and a nonprofit business is the nonprofit uses its surplus revenues to further achieve its mission, rather than distributing its surplus income."

"So does she ever make any _real_ money?" His mother asks.

"Why all the questions about Olivia's business?" He looks between his mother and father.

"Well, if she is going to run around doing community work and not get paid much for doing it then she might not be the kind of woman you want to get too close too. She'll never be able to contribute her share to the household."

"Unless", Maura interjects, "she plans on becoming a housewife and that would be contribution enough. Maintaining a house, raising children, cooking, cleaning – it's a lot of work – a full-time job actually."

"Aren't we getting a little ahead of ourselves here? It sounds like you have us married already."

"Who's getting married?" Bennie asks, walking into the family room.

"Hey Bennie", Fitz says, walking over to his brother and giving him a hug.

"Who's getting married?" Bennie repeats.

"Nobody's getting married. Mom and dad are asking me a lot of questions about Olivia's business as if we're planning to get married or something."

"Are you?" Bennie asks pointedly.

"No. We haven't even discussed it. But I wouldn't rule it out."

Bennie nods and walks to the kitchen to get a beer. In the meantime Fitz gets a text from Olivia saying her meeting is running later than she expected and she will not be able to join him for dinner with his family.

 **XXX**

After leaving his parents' home, Fitz goes to Olivia's apartment because he really missed seeing her tonight.

"Everyone missed you at dinner tonight", he says.

"I'm really sorry, babe but my meeting with Councilwoman Briggs ran over. I couldn't just leave."

He nods.

"She seems to really like you a lot."

"Well she provides me a lot of insight into local politics. She's been on City Council for quite some time."

"I see."

"She's been a terrific mentor to me."

"I think she views you more as than a mentee."

"What do you mean?" Looking up from the papers on the small coffee table.

"I think she views you more as daughter."

"Well she doesn't have any children of her own, Fitz."

"Did I tell you I really missed seeing you earlier?"

"Aww, babe", setting down the papers she was looking at and sliding onto his lap. "I missed you too." She wraps her arms around his neck and pecks him on the lips. He deepens the kiss.

"May I stay with you tonight?" He looks at her intently with those piercing blue eyes and she tenses. She knew this moment was coming, she just did not expect it tonight. It is the natural next step in a relationship, in their relationship. But she is not sure if they are ready for this, if she is ready to take their relationship to the next level. She is definitely attracted to him physically, but she still has reservations about their different perspectives on political and social issues. She does not want sex to cloud her judgment and her thought process. She wants to appear cool so she inhales deeply to steady her nerves.

"Fitz –"

"Olivia, you know how I feel about you", rubbing his hand up and down her arm.

"I like you too, Fitz. I just don't want us to rush into anything."

"I promise to take my time", giving her that smile that weakens her every time. "Do you trust me?" Intertwining their fingers.

She studies his face for a moment before nodding.

"Say it", he insists.

She takes a deep breath before responding.

"Yes. Yes I trust you."

He smiles and slides her onto the sofa. Then he walks across the small living and opens the curtains, letting the moonlight stream in. There's a new moon tonight. He lowers the volume of the music playing on the entertainment system and she watches his movements with curiosity.

He lights the scented candles and turns off the lights and she folds her arms across he chest, not quite sure of what else to do.

He grabs a couple of pillows from the sofa and tosses them onto the floor. Then he extends his hand, and she eyes him suspiciously.

"You trust me, right?"

She looks up at him, nods, and reaches for his hand that guides her to sit on a pillow. He kneels in front of her and removes her shoes and trouser socks, and she arches a brow. He sits on his pillow across from her and removes his shoes and socks. This is not what she expected.

"Follow what I do, okay?" He says softly, eyes glowing in the dark. He sees that she is nervous so he quickly adds he will not hurt her.

He sits cross-legged on his pillow and she does the same. He looks deep into her eyes and she returns his gaze. He begins taking deep, cleansing breaths, sucking in air through his nostrils and slowly exhaling through his mouth. He repeats the movement several times and nods for her to do the same. And she does but her eyes dart nervously around the room. Staring into his eyes and breathing deeply feels uncomfortable to her. He gently turns her head so they are looking into each other's eyes again. The more cleansing breaths she takes the more relaxed she becomes. She is becoming aware of her body and the energy flowing through it and she smiles. And he smiles too.

The supply of fresh oxygen flowing through her body makes every cell feels absolutely amazing. She feels alive and giddy and every nerve in her body is tingling. She is also a little frightened because the feeling is so intense. She feels herself being drawn into him, like they are melding, like her heart is being drawn to him.

After a few moments of breathing in sync, he pulls her pillow toward him and guides her to sit in his lap and straddle him. And she does. She drapes her arms over his shoulders and he wraps his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. And they sit connected, chest to chest, gazing into each other's eyes, and breathing in each other.

He rubs the tip of his nose against hers and she smiles. He brushes his lips across hers and she begins to return the kiss but he halts her movements and she looks perplexed.

"Just receive. Okay?" He says softly and she nods.

He brushes his lips slowly back and forth across hers again, enjoying the softness and plumpness. He traces her lips with his tongue and he smiles because he tastes her wine. His tongue seeks entry and she allows him in. And he spends an eternity traversing the landscape of her mouth, exploring the softness with his tongue – exploring every aspect because there is no hurry. She closes her eyes and moans softly, surrendering to his wonderful mouth. He returns to her full lips, nibbling softly. He traces his tongue inside of her bottom lip and she shivers in ecstasy. The feeling is intense, more intense than she can ever recall experiencing. She rests her forehead head against his and breathes heavily.

"Wow", she says breathlessly, not knowing what she just experienced but she liked it.

"Wow", looking into her eyes and smiling adoringly.

Her breathing is shallow so he places his hand over her heart to calm her and to share his love. He slides her off his lap and walks her to the bedroom and undresses her ever so slowly. He kisses the exposed skin revealed each time a piece of clothing is shed.

"Sleep time, now", he says.

"What?"

"Olivia, I want more than your body. I want us to have something deeper and more meaningful than sex."

She looks at him in wonderment.

"Don't get me wrong. I want to make love to you – have lots and lots of sex with you, but not tonight."

 **XXX**

Olivia is scheduled to meet with the contractor today at noon to discuss the timeline for repairing the seniors' nonfunctioning wells. Unfortunately, most of these people have been without a working well for months, some much longer. She shakes her head as she sits in her office thinking about the humiliation and degradation they must feel not having access to water, and not having the money to fix the problem. In most cases the wells are not functioning because the pump is defective. In other cases the problem is more complicated. She plans to repair the defective pumps first for the half dozen families who have been without water for the longest. Then she will use the remaining funds for the families whose wells require more extensive work.

"Olivia", Mona calls to her as she taps on the doorframe with her red ink pen.

"Yes Mona, what is it?" Still looking at the work agreement the contractor sent over a few weeks ago.

"Charlie is here. He's waiting for you in the conference room."

"Thanks, Mona. I'm on my way."

Olivia slides her feet into her gun metal-colored pumps, grabs her mug, laptop, and the contract from the desk and walks to the small conference room.

"Charlie", she says cheerfully and smiling brightly. "It's so good to see you again. How have you been?"

"I've been doing just fine. And you?"

"I've been fine as well", setting everything onto the table.

"I can see", appraising her appearance. "There's something different about you since I last saw you, Olivia."

She looks at him strangely as she sits in one of the swivel chairs.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know", scrunching his face and tapping the side of his face with an index finger. "I can't put my finger on it, but something is different about you."

"Sit down Charlie and let's take care of business. We have a lot of people who need our help."

"Okay, but I'll figure out what's different about you by the time I leave here today."

Charlie sits in the chair next to Olivia and opens his brief case, pulling out a copy of the work agreement he sent Olivia a few weeks ago.

"So have you had a chance to go over the agreement, Olivia?"

"I have."

"And do you have any questions. It's your typical, straightforward work contract."

"I do have a question actually."

Charlie looks at Olivia somewhat surprised.

"Well, everything looks good except you did not include a date for completing all of the work."

Since she is not a lawyer, Olivia showed Fitz the contract when she received it a few weeks ago. She wanted to know if there were any clauses she should be wary of. And of course there were several minor points he discovered but one major point that could be a deal breaker. Fitz modified the contract and suggested Olivia not sign it unless the contractor agreed to the changes. And if he is unwilling to agree to the changes then she should walk away from the deal and find a new contractor.

"Oh don't worry about that, Olivia", waving his hand in the air. "You know me. You know I'll get the job done."

"Charlie, these seniors have been without functioning wells for months – if not longer. They need their wells up and running so they can resume a healthy lifestyle. Most of them have lived in their homes for 30 or more years. It's a shame at this stage in their lives they have to deal with something like this. Besides, I have a commitment to the city. If I don't have this work done on time then this could jeopardize any future grants I receive."

"Olivia, I got a couple of other jobs going on right now and they won't be wrapping up anytime soon."

"So are you telling me you can't give me a completion for this project?"

"Olivia, my other jobs are big. They have to come first. I'll get to your job when I can. What does it matter anyway? Those people have been without water this long, they can go a little longer."

" _No they can't go a little longer, Charlie",_ she says angrily. "I guess I'll have to find another contractor."

" _What?"_ Charlie exclaims.

"Charlie, I am here to help people. And you can't help me help them so I'll have to find someone who can."

"Olivia, the only reason I agreed to take on this project is because I like you. There's no money here to be made for me. The job is too small."

She looks at him stunned by what he said.

"This meeting is over, Charlie", standing from her seat and walking toward the door.

"So that's how it's gonna be?" He glares at her.

"That's how it is. Good-bye, Charlie". She holds the door open waiting for him to leave.

Charlie gathers all of his papers from the table and stuffs them into his briefcase. He snatches his jacket from the back of the chair, almost toppling it, and storms toward the door. He stops abruptly, turns, and looks Olivia up and down.

"I knew I would figure out what is different about you", he says with venom in his voice.

With her hand clutching the door knob, Olivia arches a brow and looks at Charlie.

"You're _fucking_ somebody now, aren't you?" He looks at her for a moment before walking down the hall.

Olivia lets out the breath she was holding and shakes her head, thinking she has to find a new contractor. She gathers all of her things from the table and walks from the conference room, tossing Charlie's contract into the wastebasket on her way out. She passes Mona's office on the way back to her office.

"So how did it go? I saw Charlie leave."

"We have to find a new contractor."

Mona simply nods a few times as Olivia walks back to her office.

As Olivia is setting all of her things onto her desk she smiles because she hears her favorite ringtone.

"Hi", sitting down into her chair.

"Hi. What's the matter?"

"Why do you think something is wrong?"

"Because I know you. What's wrong?"

"I have to find a new contractor", she whines.

"He didn't accept the changes."

"No."

"That's fine. The way the contract is written, it only benefits him."

"I know, but I want to get those wells fixed like yesterday."

"You'll find somebody reputable to do it on your terms."

"I know, but it's just going to take so long. I'm really bummed about the whole thing."

"Well maybe I can cheer you up."

"How?" Still whining.

"How about we go away next weekend – make it a long four-day weekend?"

" _Go away?_ I can't think about going away right now, Fitz. I have to find another contractor - and soon. I'm sorry - I can't."

"If I get you a contractor that will agree to your terms then will you go away with me?" Leaning back in his chair and planting his foot on the edge of the desk.

"I don't know, Fitz. This project is too important. The families need their wells fixed and the city is going to want a progress report soon. They're going to want to know how I'm spending their money."

"Consider it handled. Now will you go away with me?"

"I need to meet this person, Fitz."

"OK."

"And I need at least three references from people he has done work for."

"Anything else", he smiles.

"Yes", tucking a leg under her and twisting in the swivel chair.

"What?"

"I need to know where we're going", smiling for the first time.

"Now that's a secret", leaning forward in his chair and clicking the BUY button on the airline website to purchase their first-class tickets. ****

 **One Week Later**

After they check into the resort and settle into their room Olivia quickly hustles Fitz over to Mallory Square for the Key West Sunset Celebration, the a nightly festival to celebrate the magnificent Key West sunset. Tonight, two hours before the sun sets, Olivia and Fitz will join locals and tourists from around the world at Mallory Square to enjoy local magicians, jugglers, clowns, psychics, musicians, artists, and food vendors that combine for an incredible cultural experience.

"I can't believe we are actually at one of the places on my bucket list", Olivia says excitedly as they walk through the plaza holding hands. "How did you know Key West was on my bucket list?"

"I sometimes listen when you talk", he smiles and Olivia punches him lightly on the shoulder. "Seriously, when you told me watching sunsets in various places around the world is what brings you joy I wanted to help bring some joy to your life."

"Aww, you're so sweet."

Olivia looks at her watch and squeals.

"Come on, Fitz", tugging on his hand. "We have to get down to the dock so we can get a good spot."

"Okay, okay", shaking his head, allowing her to pull him along.

Finally at the water's edge, Fitz stands behind Olivia with his arms wrapped around her waist, waiting for the show to begin.

"It's so beautiful, Fitz. Absolutely beautiful", she says in awe.

"It is", kissing the side of her neck.

"I just love it", bringing her hand to her mouth.

"I love _you_ ", he whispers in her ear as the glowing pink, red, and orange sun is covered by the Gulf of Mexico horizon. And she smiles, continuing to gaze at the disappearing sun.

 **XXX**

The only sounds that can be heard amidst the crashing waves are those of two people engaged in passionate lovemaking. The crisp white sheet flows over Olivia's buttocks and down her legs as she lay on top of Fitz exploring his mouth with her tongue. He cups her ass and rubs her up and down his hardness and sucks on her neck, not caring he is leaving evidence of their passion. She gasps at the pleasurable pain.

"You're mine", he says. "All of you."

The warm breeze from the Gulf flows through the opened balcony doors and caresses their exposed skin. He flips her onto her back because he wants to devour all of her. His mouth caresses her heated skin, licking down her neck to her breasts that he loves so much. She gasps as he licks and sucks, running her fingers through the hairs at the nape of his neck. He cups her right breast and runs his tongue around the firm, brown nipple.

"Harder", she breathes out, letting her legs fall open.

He kisses across her chest, turning his attention to the other breast and she grabs his ass. He kicks the sheets tangled around his legs and trails his mouth down her stomach and she inhales deeply in anticipation.

"Tell me what you want", he says huskily.

She squirms.

"Say it", stroking her heat.

"I want you."

"What part of me?" Running his tongue in her navel as he continues to stroke her.

"I want you. I want your mouth."

And he slides to the floor and pulls her to the bottom of the bed and spread her wide.

"So beautiful. So good."

He licks long and slow and she screams in joy.

"Oh my god, Fitz. Please don't stop."

He darts his tongue in and out and she meets each thrust with vigor. He sucks her nub and her juices flow freely. He slides back up her trembling body and kisses her deeply.

"I love you so much", kissing her and stroking her sensitive nub with the tip.

She looks into his dark eyes and smiles and pulls him into her. He slides in slowly and they close their eyes because the feeling is amazing. He buries his face in her neck and pumps slowly, savoring the sensation of her slick walls.

"You feel so good, baby", picking up the pace.

And she lifts her bottom from the bed and he goes deeper.

"Deeper. Harder." She says through moans.

He thrusts deeper and harder and she squeezes him tightly when he hits her spot. He smiles as her trembling legs fall from around his waist. He kisses her hard and pumps hard and releases even harder.

"So amazing", he breathes out through his haze, and she giggles because she is vibrating all over.

"I'm going to miss you", wrapping his arm tightly around her. "I wish you could come to San Diego with me."

"I have work, Fitz. Lots of it", draping her leg across his stomach.

"You work too hard", kissing her forehead.

"I love what I do, Fitz. I don't think of it as work", kissing him on the chin. "Besides, you put in a lot of hours too."

"I do, but that's different."

She furrows her brow, not quite sure what to make of his comment.


	4. Chapter 4 Meet Me at Sparky's

**A/N: I don't own anything Scandal related. Here we go.**

 **Chapter 4. Meet Me at Sparky's**

When Fitz arrives at his parents' home he does not walk up the steps and through the front door as he has done countless times over the course of his life. Instead, he walks around the back of the house and down the hill 200 yards where, unbeknownst to his parents, he and his brothers played many times as kids.

As he stands facing The Pit, the name the kids gave the dried-up water well that stands at the base of the hill, Fitz shakes his head when he thinks about the silly, immature act of 20 years ago. He will never forget that day as long as he lives. Although the well is now covered by a round metal sheet that permanently seals it from ever being a danger to anyone again, the sight of it still sends chills down his spine.

"Do you remember the first time we ever came to this place?" Fitz asks when he hears Bennie walking toward him.

"I do." Bennie says, stopping for a moment and fixing his eyes on his brother's back.

"I was 16 and you were –"

"Nine." Walking over to the brother he has idolized his entire life.

Still looking at The Pit, Fitz nods and stuffs his hands into his pants pockets.

"Mom always told us never to come down here but we didn't listen. Well _I_ didn't listen. And back then you followed me everywhere I went. Wanted to do everything I did."

Fitz smiles at the memory of his little brother always wanting to tag along with him.

"Well I was older and I should have known better. I should have been looking out for you. But you know me, I was stubborn and a little too cocky back then."

"A little?" Bennie chuckles mirthlessly. "Mom finally got dad to cover it up after that day", Bennie says, now standing next to his brother who continues to stare at the well. "She had been trying to get him to do it for years before ..."

Fitz nods.

"I haven't been here since …" Fitz shakes his head at the memory.

"A lot has changed since that day", Bennie says.

Fitz nods repeatedly as he stares at the stone structure.

"You wanted to see me?" Bennie asks, standing shoulder to shoulder with his brother.

"We need to talk Bennie", finally turning to face his brother. The brother he loves. The brother who will always hold a special place in his heart.

Fitz has been dreading this moment for quite some time, well ever since he told Olivia he would handle Bennie and the rest of his family. But he did not handle them, in fact he did nothing. He has avoided having this conversation with his brother, using contrived excuses to dodge the inevitable. And now that the moment has come he does not really know what to say. He is a trained lawyer, trained to use his language skills to persuade and convince others to bend to his will, but in this moment he feels completely inadequate. How does he talk to his baby brother about both of them having feelings for the same woman? This is the question Fitz has been grappling with for weeks.

"Because of you I am everything that I am today, Bennie. I owe everything to you. I owe you my life. If you hadn't run and gotten mom …" Fitz shakes his head at the thought of how differently things could have turned out.

The brothers remain silent as they reflect on that tragic day.

"Why didn't you ever say anything to her about how you felt before I came back?"

Bennie exhales deeply before responding.

"I didn't want to chance losing her friendship. I guess I didn't want to scare her away."

"That's no way for you to live, Bennie. She didn't even know."

"I know, but I have always been willing to take any part of her I can get."

Fitz frowns as he stares at the metal sheet covering The Pit.

"What do you want me to do, Bennie? Do you want me to stop seeing her? Is that what you want?"

"Yes."

Fitz closes his eyes tightly because in an instant the simple, monosyllabic word his brother spoke had the power to crush him, the power to break him. As the three-letter word reverberates in his ears, his heart sinks to the level of the 100-foot-deep well.

"Don't do this Bennie, please." Fitz looks at his brother pleadingly. "I love her, Bennie."

"So do I", Bennie says stoically.

"You don't love her. You think you do, but you don't."

" _I loved her before you even knew her, Fitz."_

Fitz runs his hand through his hair and turns from his brother and looks up at the sun. He immediately thinks about the many sunsets he and Olivia have shared and a tear trickles down his cheek.

"She'll find someone else, Bennie. If not me then there will be someone else."

"That's okay. I can handle that. What I can't handle is looking at the two of you together at every family dinner and every holiday and always being reminded of my inadequacies. She and I can go back to the way things were before you came back. We can still be friends. But I can't be friends with her right now - not knowing …"

"Bennie –", Fitz says empathetically, turning to look at his brother.

" _Don't you fucking pity me, Fitz. You and John always get whatever you want. Everything comes so easy for the two of you. For once I'm going to get what I want. You owe me this, Fitz!"_

Fitz stares at his brother's angry face for a long time and nods slowly and repeatedly. He no longer recognizes the man standing before him, the brother who saved his life. He wonders what happened to his little brother while he was away for all of those years.

"Fine. Consider my debt paid in full." Fitz says as he walks away from his brother and the water well that almost consumed him 20 years ago.

 **XXX**

Two weeks have passed since Fitz met with Bennie at the water well and he has been avoiding Olivia ever since, and it hurts him deeply because he knows he is hurting her. He knows she suspects something is wrong because they have gone from spending all of their time together when he is not traveling to only having brief, innocuous conversations over the phone. He could hear the pain in her voice when he would say he had to end their calls after only a few brief minutes. After a while she stopped calling. And he misses her. He misses seeing her. He misses talking to her. He misses making love to her. He misses watching sunsets with her.

Fitz knows the way he has been behaving lately is unfair to her and he knows he has to stop it. He has to end the pain he is causing her and the pain he is causing himself. He has to move on and allow her to move on. He owes Bennie.

As he watches her walk toward his table he smiles instinctually because that is what she does to him. Although she looks absolutely beautiful he recognizes the sadness in her eyes because they are a reflection of his. He stands when she reaches the table and gives her a weak smile that she does not return. He does not attempt to greet her with his usual kiss because he knows he would not be able to stop kissing her. So instead he simply pulls out the chair so she can sit. And for a few moments they simply stare at each other from across the table.

"Hi", he says hoarsely.

"Hello", she replies flatly. And her response hurts but he understands.

Olivia wears a blank expression on her face and tries desperately not to cry as she studies the face of the man she thought she knew, the face of the man who broke her heart. She has not seen him for two weeks and whenever she called he was always short with her. He is being mean to her and she does not know why. She does not know what she did wrong. So no, she will not give him the satisfaction of letting him see her fall apart.

"Thank you for coming."

She nods as the waiter comes over to take their drink order. He orders a scotch on the rocks and she does not want anything.

"How are you?" He asks, nervously pushing the napkin back and forth on the table.

"I'm sure you did not ask me here just to find out how I am doing."

He nods as the waiter returns with the drink and sets it in front of him. He wraps his hand around the cool glass and stares at the brown liquid because it's too painful to look at her sad face.

"Olivia …" He begins and she tenses.

He looks at her face and wonders what the hell he is doing. What purpose will it serve to end things with her? Who benefits? He owes Bennie but does he have to pay with his happiness? As lawyer Fitz is all about winning, but in this situation no one wins. He loses. Olivia loses. Bennie loses because he will never have the kind of relationship with Olivia he wants. He cannot do it. He cannot let her go. He will not let her go. So he chooses.

"Olivia", he looks into the eyes he has missed so much. "I love you and I am so sorry."

She tilts her head and narrows her eyes because she is angry and confused.

"I've been distant – intentionally."

She looks at him with a blank expression because she needs him to state more than the obvious. And he does. For the next hour he tells her how Bennie saved his life 20 years ago. He tells her how he feels he owes Bennie. He tells her about the pact he made with his brother and the price Bennie wants him to pay. And he tells her the price is too high. He tells her he does not want to lose her.

The tears stream down her face because she now has an answer. She now knows he was not rejecting her but he was trying to pay off a long overdue debt to Ben. She wipes the tears from her face with the linen table napkin.

"I need a glass of wine, Fitz"

He grins and flags the waiter. The first glass of red wine served to calm her nerves. The second glass served to summon the courage to say what is on her mind.

"Do I not have a voice in this?"

"What?" Looking at her confused.

"You and Ben have made an agreement – a decision about _my_ life. You two decided to tear my life apart without any input from me or consideration for my feelings."

"Liv."

"Do you and Ben think you can just pass me back and forth between the two of you like I'm a piece of property?"

"Liv, I didn't think."

"No, Fitz you didn't think about my feelings. You just tossed me aside without an explanation and that hurt."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know what to do. I owe Bennie. I'm sorry. Can you forgive me?" He asks with urgency.

She sips her wine before responding.

"Fitz, when you asked me to be your girlfriend you said communication would be important for us to work out our differences."

He nods.

"But you didn't talk to me. Actually you stopped talking to me. You decided how to handle this situation without consulting me and that's just unacceptable."

"You're right. I should have discussed it with you. We should have talked it through together. I'm sorry and I promise it will never happen again. Can you forgive me?"

She looks at him as she swirls the wine in her glass. She loves him and she has missed him but there is something about him that is nagging at her but she cannot put her finger on it. So she dismisses the feeling and lets her heart rule her head. She nods.

"Say it, please. I need to hear you say you forgive me."

"I forgive you. You're forgiven." She smiles and he slides his hand across the table and caresses hers. And they grin at each other for a few moments.

"I need to talk to Ben", she says.

"No. I'll talk to him again", he says somewhat uncomfortably.

"I need to do this, Fitz. Maybe I should have talked to him sooner – when you first told me."

"Liv, you're under no obligation to reciprocate feelings for someone because they like you."

"I know, but no matter what Ben is still my friend. We've been friends for a long time, Fitz. I think talking to him is the least I can do."

"Fine, we'll do it together."

"No, I should do this alone."

Fitz looks at her intently then smiles.

"What are you smiling about?"

"Come with me to DC. I have a few meetings on Thursday but after that we can do whatever you want – spend some time taking in the sights. I've missed you and I don't want to be without you while I'm gone."

"OK."

"OK? You mean you'll come?"

The wine has her feeling real good and agreeable so she simply nods.

"Would you like another glass of wine?" He asks, grinning at her mischievously.

 **XXX**

Olivia is packing her brief case preparing to leave the office for the day when Mona walks by her office.

"Mona, I'll be leaving a little earlier than usual on Wednesday. Fitz and I are going to DC for a few days."

"So Mr. Wonderful is back? I'm happy for you Olivia."

Olivia smiles and looks around checking if she is forgetting anything.

"And Olivia, you should try to meet with Congressman Guildor while you're down there."

"Already have a meeting scheduled with him. Good-night, Mona."

"Have a good trip, Olivia."

 **XXX**

While Fitz is in meetings with his clients Olivia meets with the congressman from their state. Olivia knows funding for social service programs is getting more and more difficult to obtain so it is important for her to maintain close relationships with elected officials at all levels of government – federal, state, and local. Councilwoman Briggs taught her to always have multiple streams for funding her programs so when one source dries up another is always available. Since Olivia has worked with Congressman Guildor on a few projects back home, she thinks he will be open to extending his constituent services to include some of her programs. As Olivia's meeting with the congressman begins to wind down, she receives a text message from Fitz saying he is running late and to meet him at Komi Restaurant in DuPont Circle. Before leaving for the restaurant she and Congressman Guildor arrange to meet again to discuss her programs in more detail when he returns home.

Olivia takes a taxi to the restaurant and is seated immediately because Fitz called earlier to make the reservation. As Olivia waits for Fitz, she reviews the notes from her meeting with the congressman.

"Well, well, well. Look at who I run into all this way from home."

When Olivia hears the familiar voice she looks up at the man standing next to her table.

"Hello Charlie", picking up her water glass and taking a sip.

"I see you're _still_ looking good, Olivia."

Olivia rolls her eyes and sets down the glass.

"May I join you?" Not waiting for a response Charlie reaches for the chair across from her.

"No, Charlie. I'm waiting for –"

"Sorry I'm late sweetheart", Fitz says as he hurries over to the table and pecks Olivia on the lips. He sits in the chair Charlie pulled away from the table.

Charlie's eyes almost bulge out of his head when he sees Olivia's lips press against the stranger's lips.

" _Good-bye, Olivia"_ , he says with finality while completely ignoring Fitz.

"Do you know him?" Fitz asks as he settles into his seat.

"Charlie the Contractor", she says and they both burst out laughing.

 **XXX**

A few days after returning from Washington, DC Olivia called Ben and asked him to meet her at one of the gang's old hang-out places. She did not know exactly what she was going to say to him but she knew she had to be the one to end the dissension between the two brothers. As she sits in her office thinking about the strain Ben's attraction to her is having on her and Fitz' relationship she reflects on her friendship with Ben over the past 15 years. She smiles as she recalls the first time they met.

The Popes moved to their new town because Calvin Pope got a job promotion which required the family to move to another state. Olivia was 13 years old at the time and anxious about starting a new school in the middle of the school year. She was nervous on her first day at Sewell Middle and High School because she did not know anyone and she was not the most outgoing person. And the suburban school being a huge maze did not help matters any. The whole experience was quite nerve-wracking for her. Fortunately Sewell had a Buddy Program where new students are paired with a current student who is in the same grade. The Buddy Program was implemented to help new students get acclimated to their new school environment.

Benjamin Grant, who prefers to be called Ben even though his family calls him Bennie, was assigned to be Olivia's buddy on her first day at Sewell. Ben introduced Olivia to all of his friends, showed her around the campus, and took her to Sparky's Malt Shoppe for the first time. Soon they became good friends and he would hang out at her house a lot and sometimes she would go over to the Grant's home. When they graduated high school both went away to different out-of-state universities and talked on the phone periodically. After graduating from college they both returned home to pursue their careers. Ben enrolled in medical school and Olivia worked for various social service agencies as a copywriter before starting her own nonprofit organization.

As Olivia reflects on her friendship with Ben, she cannot recall ever thinking that Ben was attracted to her. He never said anything to her and she knows she did nothing to make him believe she considered him to be anything other than a friend.

 **XXX**

Olivia sits in the red leather tufted booth at Sparky's Malt Shoppe, the popular hang-out for Sewell students and looks around thinking the place has not changed much over the years. She is somewhat anxious as she waits for Ben to arrive because she still does not know what she is going to say to him. What does she say to her friend, the brother of her boyfriend, who has a crush on her? While she does not know exactly what she is going to say, she knows she will not patronize him by saying he is handsome and someday he will find someone who deserves him. No, she will not say anything like that and nor will she feel guilty.

Olivia waves Ben over to the table when she sees him walking through the door. In that moment she realizes for the first time how much he looks like John with his dark hair and brown eyes. He smiles brightly when he reaches the table.

"I hope you still like chocolate malts because that's what I ordered for you", she says playfully as he slides into the booth.

"Thanks Liv", he says as the waitress sets the tall, frosty glass in front of him." I haven't had chocolate malt in years."

"How many malt shakes do you think we drank in all the years we were at Sewell?"

"Way more than can ever be healthy, especially now knowing what I know as a doctor."

They both chuckle.

"But …" she begins.

"It has milk in it", he continues, smiling broadly.

"And that makes it healthy", she finishes.

They laugh out loud at what they used to say to justify consuming way too many shakes. Olivia's laughter trails off as she looks at Ben.

"Why did you never say anything to me Ben – tell me about your feelings for me?"

Ben face reddens from embarrassment and anger.

"He had no right to tell you", pushing his malt shake aside.

"Ben, this is not about Fitz."

She watches as he clenches his jaw.

"I honestly never knew you had those kinds of feelings for me. You never said anything."

"Would it have mattered? Would you have given me a chance?" Looking at her intently.

"I honestly don't know Ben because you never gave _me_ a chance."

He gives her a puzzled look.

"Ben, _you_ decided to remain silent - to keep your feelings secret from me. How could I ever consider giving you a chance if you never let me know how you felt? You took the choice from me. And that's on you - no one else."

Olivia is trying to be kind but she also needs to be firm and leave no doubt in Ben's mind her position on the matter. Ben looks at her as though a lightbulb was just flicked on in his head.

"I'm sorry Olivia if I have put you in an uncomfortable position. That was never my intention. And you're right, this is all on me. I can't be jealous of something I never had."

"Ben, you can't try to control Fitz because you saved his life. That just isn't right."

Now Ben is really angry because his brother told her everything.

"Ben, I would like for us to remain friends, but only if _you_ want that."

"I guess it doesn't matter what I want because it seems like we'll be seeing a lot of each regardless."

 **17 Months Later**

For the past 45 minutes Fitz has been waiting at Olivia's apartment for her to come home from work. He stopped at her favorite restaurant and bought everything on the menu she likes, to go. He set the dining table, lit candles, and turned on soft music. As he surveys his handiwork, Olivia opens the door.

"So what's the celebration?" Looking around and assessing the room."

"You work too hard and I wanted to do something special for you tonight", smiling then pecking her on the lips.

"Aww, that's so sweet of you babe. Pucker again." And this time he kisses her passionately until she pulls away.

"Something smells really good, Fitz. Did you cook? She eyes whim suspiciously.

"No. Now let's eat" he says, taking her hand and guiding her to the table.

After dinner they sit on the sofa cuddling and enjoying the soft music flowing through the speakers.

"That was good, babe", she says smiling. "You have to do that more often. I really didn't want anything from a cardboard box tonight but I knew I was too tired to cook."

"I have Remy's on speed dial", smiling and rubbing his hand up and down her arm.

Olivia shakes her head and chuckles.

"Your dad told me to tell you 'hello'", Fitz says casually.

"What are you talking about?" Looking up at him like he has lost his mind. "My parents are still in Senegal – will be there for another eight months."

"That's true, but I spoke with them today."

"Today? Is everything okay? Are they all right?" Jumping up from the sofa.

"Calm down, Liv. Everything is fine, your parents are fine", trying to hold back his laughter.

"Then why are you talking to my parents?" She demands as her heart races in her chest.

He stands from the sofa and tries to stop her pacing.

"Liv, everything is fine. I promise."

"Something must be wrong Fitz", she says through the tears. "I don't know what I'm going to do without them."

"Liv –"

"What happened, Fitz? Tell me what happened", she yells, close to hysterics.

" _Liv_ , _stop it!_ " Grabbing her shoulders.

" _Stop it? What do you mean stop it? Something has happened –"_

" _Nothing has happened to your parents. I asked your father for your hand in marriage"_ , he screams.

" _What?"_ Looking at him astonished.

"Will you marry me? Will you be my wife?" He asks nervously.

Olivia freezes and stares at him wide eyed, unable to breathe.

"Breathe baby, breathe."

When Olivia regains her composure, she swats Fitz on the shoulder.

" _No I won't marry you"_ , she screams, pushing him away. "You scared me. I thought …"

He embraces her tightly, not allowing her to pull away.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. You just jumped to conclusions."

"Marry me", he says with such intensity she is taken aback.

" _Marry you? What do you mean marry you?"_

"I'm proposing to you, Olivia. I want you to be my wife. I want to be your husband. I want us to spend the rest of our lives together."

Still in shock, she looks at him a moment before responding.

"What did my father say?" She asks seriously and he looks at her dumbfounded.

 **XXX**

Now that Olivia is over the shock of Fitz' proposal she is ready to once again discuss their differences and how the y might impact their marriage.

"But Fitz, sometimes we see the world so differently."

"But we share the most important values and beliefs. We already talked about that."

"I know, but your parents –"

"You won't be marrying my parents. You'll be marrying me."

"Fitz, your parents are staunch Republicans. It would be hell having to debate them all the time. Your father is very opinionated and you know I can't just keep quiet."

"I love you more than anything, Liv. Don't let my parents' political beliefs come between us. I swear I won't."

"Fitz, your mother resents that I have my own business – that I have a career – that I work a lot of hours. What century is she from anyway?"

"Then we won't tell her", he smiles playfully.

"Be serious Fitz", nudging him with her shoulder.

"Olivia, I want you to have a career if that's what makes you happy. You love your work and I wouldn't expect you to give up your business just because we got married."

"I don't know, Fitz. If we did this I wouldn't want us to end in divorce."

"Liv, you have always been my endgame. Do you love me – want to be with me?"

She looks at him.

"Fitz, you know I have strong opinions and beliefs about social issues and I must have someone who is okay with that. I need someone who will respect my choices and beliefs.

"Liv, we both want the same basic things: someone who respects them, and someone whom we can trust and confide in. We both want children. We both are driven and passionate about our work. While our political beliefs are somewhat different –"

" _Somewhat?"_ Olivia arches an eyebrow and looks at him incredulously.

"Liv, I am not going to lie, I do have some strong views about some political and social matters, but that won't be a problem for us. Look at James Carville and Mary Matalin. He's a Democrat and she's a Republican. And they have kids and have been married for a long time."

She looks at him skeptically.

"If we do this then we will have to agree to have a sense of humor about our differences and agree to disagree."

"All right."

"And we have to agree that we won't try to change each other, change who we are at our core."

"All right."

"And we have to agree to always try to openly communicate our wants and needs." She says, looking at him pointedly.

"All right", he says. "And …" He puts on his most serious face.

"What?" Arching her eyebrow again and waiting for him to finish.

"We have to agree to have lots of sex."

" _What do you mean?"_ Her mouth is hanging open.

"If you hadn't noticed, Liv. I like sex – lots of it."

"Well what does that mean – a few times a week?"

"Every day – a couple of times a day."

" _Are you crazy? I can't agree to something like that. I get home late most nights and I am –"_

Fitz is laughing hysterically.

"I'm just kidding, Liv."

"Are you sure, Fitz? Because that could be a deal-breaker", she says seriously.

"I'm sure. But I will enjoy making love to my beautiful wife as often as I can."

She examines his face for a long while before answering.

"Okay – yes. I'll marry you", sticking out her left hand and waiting for him to put the ring on her finger.

 **XXX**

Fitz and Olivia walk hand in hand into the restaurant where his family is waiting. They are running a few minutes late because now that they are practically living together Olivia is finding that Fitz really does like having sex a lot.

"I know what has you grinning Captain", Nora says getting up to give Olivia a hug. Bennie and his parents roll their eyes.

"You have a dirty mind Nora", pecking his sister on the cheek.

"Hi, everyone", Olivia says, waving with her right hand as she holds on to Fitz' hand with her left hand.

"You look lovely Olivia", Maura Grant says smiling.

"Thank you, Mrs. Grant."

"Sit down. Sit down." Gerry Grant says, waving his large hands in the direction of the open seats.

Olivia slides into the booth next to Bennie and he shifts uncomfortably away from her. Fitz slides into the booth next to Olivia and drapes his arm over her shoulder and unknowingly brushes Bennie's shoulder slightly. After about an hour of lots of chatter, appetizers, and drinks the waiters bring out their entrees.

"So are you going to tell us why you invited us to this wonderful restaurant?" Gerry asks as he digs into his lobster. "Not that I'm complaining, especially since you're picking up the tab for all of this."

Olivia looks at Fitz and smiles.

"Don't you want dessert first, dad?"

"Of course I want dessert, but I also want to know why we are all here."

Olivia feels a sneeze coming on and grabs her napkin and brings it to her face.

"Oh my god, Olivia. You're engaged."

All eyes watch Olivia as she finishes sneezing into the linen napkin.

" _Let me see. Let me see."_ Nora demands as she reaches across John to grab Olivia's left hand.

Olivia is grinning broadly, proudly displaying her fiancée's good taste in engagement rings.

"You did well, Captain. I'm proud of you. Congratulations."

"Thanks, sis."

"Wow Fitz, that's a good looking ring. Congratulations, brother and welcome to the family Liv."

"Thank you, John."

"Fitzgerald, you sure know how to surprise everyone. Congratulations son. And I echo John, welcome to the family Olivia", says Gerry.

"Yes, Olivia – Fitzgerald. Congratulations", Maura says, glancing quickly at Bennie.

"Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Grant. I am so happy to be joining the family."

"Well no more of that Mr. and Mrs. Grant business. You're going to be Mrs. Grant too, so it's now Gerry and Maura."

"Thank you", Olivia says, smiling brightly.

John looks at Bennie encouraging him to congratulate the newly engaged couple. After a moment Bennie lifts his glass and offers a toast.

"Congratulations to the best brother a guy could ever have. No offense, John."

"None taken", John says, raising his hands in surrender.

"And to his beautiful fiancée. Congratulations Olivia. I hope you and my brother will have many happy and wonderful years together."

"Aww, Ben. Thank you", pecking him on the cheek. "That was so sweet."

"Thank you, Bennie" Fitz says then orders champagne to celebrate the occasion.

 **XXX**

Nora is excited that Olivia is going to be her sister-in-law. She always wanted a sister when she was growing up as the only girl in a house with three raucous brothers. Although Olivia is several years older than Nora, she looks forward to hanging out with Olivia to discuss girl stuff and to go shopping.

Since Fitz and Olivia announced their engagement a few weeks ago, Nora has begun to volunteer at Olivia's nonprofit a few days a week. Olivia is enjoying the extra the help and getting the inside scoop on the Grants.

"Liv, I want you to meet some of my friends. Now that you and the Captain are engaged you should know some of my friends since they hang around my parents' house a lot."

"Okay. I don't think I know any of your friends. Were they at Fitz' Welcome Home Party?"

"A few were there and you wouldn't know them because they're a couple of years younger than you and Bennie. The two groups didn't hang out together."

"I see." Still focused on the latest report on the water crisis.

"So you'll join us for lunch on Thursday at Remy's?"

"Sure, sure. I'll be there."

"And Liv …"

"Hmmm?" Liv says, not looking up from the report she is reading.

"I love my brother but he can be pretty bossy at times."

"Really? I've never seen that side of Fitz", finally looking up from the report.

"Well he can be just like our father sometimes. Just don't let him push you around like dad does mom."

Olivia looks at Nora not quite sure what to make of this bit of information.

 **XXX**

"I have had my eyes on Captain Grant for quite some time", Allison remarks while twisting her blond hair where the dark roots are beginning to show. "It's such a shame he's now off the market."

"Such a shame. He's the best looking of all the Grant men – not that they all aren't lookers", Bethany corrects quickly.

"I wonder who the lucky girl is." Allison says.

"I wonder if she will fit in with our gang." Anne says. "It will be awkward if she doesn't since Nora wants us to be friends with her."

"Is she from around here?" Allison asks, sipping on her iced tea.

"I think so. She's friends with their little brother, Bennie."

"Bennie is hardly little any more. Have you seen him lately? I think he might be the second best looking of the Grant brothers."

Nora joins her friends at the table and interrupts their talking.

"So what did I miss? What did I interrupt?"

"Nothing", Allison says. "Just a little girl talk", smiling deviously.

"Well I'm a girl so spill it, Beth. What did I miss?"

"Well …" Bethany begins, anxious to share the gossip. "Allison was just telling us how she always had the hots for Fitz and is bummed that he is off the market."

"Really?" Nora says looking at a red-faced Allison. "I never knew you had a thing for my brother."

"It's not the kind a thing a girl goes blabbing all over town."

"Well set your sights on someone else because he is head over heels in love with Olivia, who should be here any minute", looking at the time on her phone.

After a few minutes Olivia walks up to the table and Nora jumps up to give her future sister-in-law a hug.

"Liv, I'm so glad you could make it. Everyone this is Olivia, Fitz' fiancée'."

Olivia smiles at all of the stunned faces.

 **XXX**

As Olivia sits in her office, she smiles when she reads Fitz' text saying he is grilling steaks and vegetables for dinner tonight. She cannot believe how much his cooking skills have improved. As Olivia enters the apartment she sets her purse onto the table near the door and walks into the kitchen where Fitz has apparently been busy preparing their dinner. She wraps her arms around his waist and kisses down his neck. He smiles as he concentrates on seasoning the meat laid out on the counter. Olivia peeks around him and smiles.

"Those are really big steaks, babe."

"Do you have an appetite?"

"I didn't eat anything after you told me we were having steak for dinner."

"Good. Everything should be ready in about a half hour."

"I had lunch with Nora and some of her friends today", she says, watching him now slice vegetables to grill.

"That's nice. Did you have fun?" He asks, focused on slicing the vegetables.

Olivia grabs a slice of red pepper from the cutting board.

"It felt a bit awkward."

"Why?" Looking up from the cutting board.

"Do you know Allison – Nora's friend?"

He frowns, thinking about the question.

"I don't think so but I've been gone for a while. Why?"

"I think she has a thing for you, babe."

" _What?"_

"I think so. Bethany let something slip and Allison almost chewed off her head. I felt badly for poor Bethany."

"Well I don't know Allison and I only have a _thing_ for you. Now pucker."

"Does your family know you are now a chef? You're getting pretty good at this cooking thing." Ignoring his request.

"No, they don't know that you've domesticated me. And don't tell them."

"Well you needed to know how to cook. I won't be around all the time to prepare your meals, Fitz."

"I said pucker", wiping his hands on the towel before turning around and wrapping his arms around her waist. "You're staying tonight, right?"

"I guess so since I won't be able to move after eating half a cow", glancing over at the steaks on the counter.

 **XXX**

After dinner Fitz and Olivia sit on the balcony unable to move after eating the huge steaks and grilled vegetables. Olivia smiles as she watches the sunset.

"What are you smiling about over there?" Fitz asks as he lays back on the chaise lounge.

"The sunset and us getting married", she says dreamily.

Fitz nods and looks over at the setting sun.

"I think we should have premarital counseling", she says walking over to the lounge chair and sitting on his lap.

"Premarital counseling? We already talked about our differences, Liv – our expectations and how we won't try to change each other. Besides, I already know everything I need to know about you. You're kind and giving. You want children. And you can bake."

She nudges him playfully.

"Be serious, Fitz."

"I am. Those things are important to me", he says grinning wide.

"Babe, I think it would be helpful if we talked to a professional – someone who can guide us through the things we need to be mindful of as a couple."

He thinks about this for a while. He is not sure counseling is necessary since they already made their agreements.

"Do you think counseling is really necessary? Do you really want to do it?"

"Yes and yes."

He is still hesitant to agree. He just does not think they need it.

"Why are you so seeing reluctant to see a counselor?"

"It just makes us seem broken before we even get started."

"That's just it Fitz, counseling will help us to highlight areas that may need attention so we don't get broken later."

He nods as he thinks about what she said.

"Okay. Who do we see? How do we even select a premarital counselor?"

"Well, my church provides this service. Rev. Walker is a licensed marriage counselor."

He nods, still processing everything she is saying.

"Besides, Rev. Walker requires premarital counseling before conducting a marriage ceremony."

"So are we getting married at your church?"

"Well, _yeah_. I've known Rev. Walker all of my life. Triumph Baptist is my family's church."

"Well my family has a church too. I'm sure my parents are going to want a say in where we get married."

She looks at him in disbelief.

"Fitz, you hardly ever go to church. I go all the time."

"My schedule doesn't allow it. Besides, it's my family's church."

"Fitz, where we get married is not about your family, it's about where we will have the greater spiritual connection. Church is not as important for you as it is for me."

"Why would you say that?" Now getting defensive.

"Fitz, why are you making this such a big issue?"

"I'm not. You just seemed to have figured everything out without discussing it with me."

"Well, that's what I'm doing now."

He sighs heavily.

"Babe", running her hands through his hair. "It seems like we are really going to need premarital counseling."

He looks at her with a tense face then they both laugh out loud.

"I guess we do. Now pucker."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** I don't own anything Scandal related. For those of you who have asked, Olivia's whereabouts and why she left will be revealed in Chapter 8. Here we go!

 **Chapter 5. Family Values**

Dressed in black yoga pants and an off-the-shoulder white cropped top, Olivia sits cross-legged on the sofa in Fitz' apartment concentrating intently as she taps lightly on the laptop keyboard. Since they got engaged last year Olivia spends most evenings at Fitz' place when he is not away on business. And when he is away she sometimes stays at his apartment because she misses him desperately and wants to feel as close to him as she possibly. She likes wearing his oversized tee shirts to bed and breathing in the scent of his pillows as she falls asleep at night.

As Olivia struggles to edit the latest version of the proposal for her newest program, she suddenly remembers she has not told Fitz about the upcoming gala that is hosted by the local chapter of the Council of Nonprofits. The gala is an annual event where nonprofits are recognized for the work they have done throughout the year to support local communities.

She sets the laptop onto the coffee table and walks quickly down the hall toward Fitz' office to tell him about the upcoming event. She knows he has a few important business meetings around the same time of the gala so she wants to check if he is available the night the event is scheduled. She really hopes he can go with her.

When she reaches the open office door she gasps and stops mid-stride when her heart is suddenly filled with an abundance of love when she sees him across the room working at the desk.

"Oh my god", she says softly, bringing her fingers slowly to her lips.

Her breathing is rapid and shallow as she stands in the doorway marveling at the man who seemingly is in deep thought. She has no idea why the unsolicited feelings have decided to make an appearance at this time. She was simply coming to tell him about the gala and now here she stands with her heart melting into a pool around her feet. She smiles as he rests his chin on his hand, focusing on whatever is on the laptop screen. His hair is a tousled mess, evidence he has been raking his fingers through it all afternoon.

"Liv?" He says slowly when he looks up and sees her standing in the doorway. "Is everything all right? Are you okay?" He asks with concern because of the expression displayed on her face.

She remains at the office entryway unable to move or speak. She is confused by what is happening because without notice or warning her heart has decided to hijack her senses. With mouth hanging open she continues to stare as though she is seeing him for the first time.

" _Olivia",_ he says firmly, trying to bring her out of the haze.

And before she could make a plan, before she could organize her thoughts, the unscripted and unpracticed words begin to tumble from her lips.

"I love you, Fitz", she says hurriedly. "I'm in love with you - head over heels kind of in love with you." She rushes the confession fearing if she does not say it now she will not have the courage to say it later.

Fitz furrows his brow and places his palms down on the smooth glass desktop as his mind tries to register what she said. As her words sink into his brain, he slowly starts to smile and his eyes dazzle brightly.

"I love everything about you, Fitz", taking a few steps into the room. "Seeing you sitting here – I don't know – just made me realize how completely and helplessly in love I am with you."

She shakes her head as if she is trying to remove the cobwebs from her brain. As if she is trying to dislodge in her brain whatever has been preventing her from surrendering her heart wholly to him.

"And to be honest", she says hesitantly. "It sometimes scares the daylights out of me. Maybe that's why I don't say it as much", she says softly, as if she is talking to herself.

Seeing the internal battle in her eyes, Fitz remains fixed in his seat, allowing her the space to give voice to her feelings.

Olivia's heart hammers in her chest as she steps out onto the waters to bear her innermost fears to the man she loves more than anything. At first the words coming from her mouth sounded foreign to her ears, as though the voice belonged to another. And that frightened her for a moment, but now she cannot stop the words from flowing.

"Maybe I don't say it enough because it all feels like a dream", shrugging her shoulders helplessly. "Maybe I don't say it enough because I'm afraid that one day I might wake up and discover that none of this is real. Maybe I don't say it enough because I'm afraid of jinxing what we have – not that I'm superstitious or anything", she smiles nervously.

Twisting the platinum, two-carat, square-cut engagement ring on her finger she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath because she feels like she is rambling.

"Maybe I don't say it enough because I'm not sure if you love me as deeply as I love you."

Eyes brimming with tears, she smiles nervously as she gazes into his eyes that say seem to say _I understand you. I accept you_.

"I. . Fitzgerald. Thomas. Grant. The. Third – with all of my heart - with everything that is in me. I love you. And on most days - if I am to be honest - the feeling is utterly overwhelming. On most days I feel like a schoolgirl who just wants to stand in the middle of the schoolyard and shout my love for you so everyone will know. To let everyone know I am hopelessly and unashamedly in love with the captain of the football team."

"Livvie …" He says softly, his eyes filling with tears.

She sits on his lap and wraps her arms around his neck and they gaze into each other's eyes for a few moments, both fully aware they have crossed over into another realm of their relationship. She brushes her lips across his and he closes his eyes because his heart is as full with love as hers. She runs her tongue across his lips and his mouth opens instinctually and her warm tongue enters. She makes love to his mouth slowly and sensually as he moans in pleasure.

She cups his face and kisses him slowly and deeply. She kisses and licks down his chin and to the side of his neck where she bites him tenderly. She knows the red marks will peek from under his shirt collar for days to come but she does not care. He belongs to her. She pulls his tee shirt over his head and tosses it across the room. Her wet lips trail down his chest where she takes a firm nipple into her mouth and suckles, and he begins to twitch. She slides from his lap and kisses down his taut abdomen, darting her tongue in and out of his navel.

"Lift up", she says breathlessly. And he does, allowing her to slide down his pants and boxers. She pushes the clothing down his legs and they puddle onto the floor.

"Livvie", he moans in anticipation.

She spread his thighs and kisses down the inside then works her way over to the other trembling thigh. She gently scrapes her manicured nails up and down his tight balls and his head falls back against the smooth leather chair. His glistening dick is at full attention, beckoning her to take it into her mouth. And she does.

"Oh god", he moans out loud, gripping the arms of the chair tightly.

And she goes to work pleasuring the man she loves more than anything, pumping and sucking him with intensity. Running his hand through her hair he begins to pump and thrust slowly and methodically into her warm, wet mouth. And she takes all of him.

"Take off your clothes", he whispers.

And she continues to pleasure him while removing the yoga pants and cropped top.

"I need to be in you, Livvie", he moans as he continues to thrust. "Get on the desk."

She pushes aside the items on the desk and lay spread eagle on the cool glass top and looks at him with unabashed desire. He climbs onto the desk and wonders briefly if the desk will hold them both. She pulls her knees up close to her chest and he smiles because he loves this position. He slides into her wetness and they both gasp. He kisses her passionately and pumps slowly.

"Oh god, Fitz", she moans. "It feels so good, so good." Her face contorts with pleasure as his length massages her nub and the head teases the spot.

"Deeper", she demands, banging her hand on the desk. "Deeper."

And he leans forward, pressing her nub harder and thrusting deeper.

"Oh my god. Oh my god", she screams out in pleasure as the sensation overtakes her. She lets her trembling legs drop to the glass desktop as she continues to twitch around his throbbing dick.

He kisses her while she is still reeling from the sensation and begins to thrust harder in search of his release. He massages her breasts as he thrusts and thrusts and thrusts and the feeling is absolutely wonderful.

"You feel so good, baby."

He rides her rhythmically, causing the pencil holder and papers on the desk to tumble to the floor. The familiar sensation is building in his groin and he pumps harder and harder.

"Livvie, Livvie. Livvie", squeezing her tightly as he cums hard, spilling his juices deep inside of her.

Both are panting heavily as they try to recover from their impromptu lovemaking. After a few minutes of gasping for air they regain their senses. Olivia begins to move as she wonders out loud about the desk's ability to support them for much longer. He halts her movements by planting kisses all over her face and she laughs out loud because she feels lighter and freer. He caresses her face and looks deeply into her sparkling eyes and she weeps from the intensity of his gaze.

"I. Love. You. More. I will always love you more – more than you will ever know. Never forget that – no matter what. Okay?"

She nods and her heart melts all over again.

 **XXX**

Tonight at 7:00 Olivia and Fitz are scheduled to meet with Rev. Walker in his office at Triumph Tabernacle Church to discuss the pre-marital counseling process. Olivia is excited about the counseling, especially since the man who has been a big part of her life ever since her family moved to town will be guiding them through the sessions. Fitz on the other hand is still a bit skeptical about whether they really need counseling. He thinks their differences are minor and will not be a problem in their marriage. However, he agrees to the counseling to satisfy his fiancée. Shortly before 7:00 the couple walk hand in hand to Rev. Walker's office.

"So you really think we need to do this?" Fitz looks at her nervously as they stand outside of the office door. All day he has been feeling anxious about their consultation meeting.

"We need it, babe. Just relax, it won't be so bad", she says while straightening his tie.

He nods slowly and she pecks him on the cheek and motions for him to knock on the door. Rev. Walker opens the door wearing his rectangular, black-framed eyeglasses, and a huge smile.

"Olivia - Fitz. I'm so happy you made it", the man says jovially. "Come on in and have a seat." Rev. Walker steps aside and motions for the couple to enter the office.

"Hello Rev. Walker", Olivia says smiling brightly.

"Olivia, you look more and more like your mother each time I see you."

"Thank you Reverend Walker."

"I just need to see you around _here_ a little more often." He peers over his eyeglasses and gives her the you-need-to-come-to-church-more-often look.

"I know, I know", she says smiling and looking over at Fitz. "Rev. Walker, this is Fitz - my fiancé."

The two men exchange smiles and shake hands.

"It's good to finally meet you, Fitz."

"And you as well, Reverend."

Olivia and Fitz sit in the two chairs facing Rev. Walker's desk as he walks around the large desk and sits into his chair.

"I can't believe our little Livia is getting married. It seems like it was just yesterday that Calvin and Gwendolyn brought you to Triumph Tabernacle for the first time."

"That was a long time ago, Rev. Walker", Olivia says reminiscently.

"Yes it was. They are doing wonderful work in Senegal - spreading the Word and educating the children."

"They love what they do very much."

"And you are so much like them. Starting the Pope Foundation to help the underprivileged is God's work, Olivia – God's work."

The Reverend smiles at Olivia before turning his attention to Fitz.

"So Fitz I assume is short for Fitzgerald?"

"Yes sir."

"So tell me about yourself. Help me to understand who Fitzgerald Grant is."

The leather chair squeaks as Rev. Walker leans back and listens to Fitz share why he joined the Navy and became a lawyer and started his own business."

"It sounds like you're a focused and goal-driven man, Fitz. You and Olivia certainly have that in common."

The couple smile.

"So Fitz, tell me why do you want to marry Olivia?" The Reverend asks as he twirls his eyeglasses in his right hand.

"Because I love Olivia, Rev. Walker - with all of my heart." Fitz turns and smiles at a grinning Olivia.

The Reverend nods as he listens to Fitz profess his love for Olivia.

"And Olivia, tell me why do you want to marry, Fitz?"

"Because I love him", she responds quickly. "With all of my heart." She has not been able to stop smiling since she confessed her feelings to him.

"I see. I see." The Reverend says, leaning forward in his chair and resting his arms on top of the desk. "So have you two set a date yet?"

"Yes", Olivia says eagerly. "May of next year", smiling at Fitz as he squeezes her hand.

Rev. Walker nods and swipes the calendar app on his tablet.

"This is August, so May is nine months from now. Right now I have the second and third weeks of May open", he says looking up from the tablet. The perceptive man leans back in his chair when he sees the expression on Fitz' face. "I'm sorry, I just assumed you would be getting married here."

"Yes we are", Olivia says quickly and Fitz remains silent.

Rev. Walker looks back and forth at the couple and realizes this is a topic that they need to discuss further.

"Well perhaps the two of you should some spend more time discussing the matter. But needless to say I would be more than willing – well in fact - it would be an honor to marry little Livia in our church. But you two get back to me when you can. I'll hold those weeks open until I hear from you."

"Thank you Reverend", Fitz says.

"Now about the counseling. I believe pre-marital counseling is essential for a long and happy marriage. While counseling does not guarantee a marriage will be successful, it will, however, provide you with the tools necessary to help you during the difficult times."

Olivia and Fitz listen intently to Rev. Walker.

"So how many sessions will we need, Reverend?" Fitz asks.

"While the number of sessions required varies from couple to couple, you should plan on about five one-hour sessions – one a month."

Fitz nods and turns to Olivia.

"You have my schedule, babe. Why don't you sync up your schedule with mine and make the five appointments with Rev. Walker?"

"Okay", she says quickly.

"Here are a couple of pamphlets I would like for you to look over and discuss before our first session", handing each of them a pamphlet. "It lists the top topics and related questions couples need to explore before walking down the aisle."

Olivia and Fitz nod as they reach for the pamphlets.

"Pay particular attention to the topics on _Commitment_ and _Mutual_ _Expectations_. I always like to discuss those two basic topics at our first session."

"Thank you, Rev. Walker", Fitz says as he folds the pamphlet and stuffs it inside of his jacket pocket. It was good meeting you", Fitz says as he reaches across the desk to shake the man's hand again.

"And thank you again Rev. Walker for agreeing to counsel us and perform our ceremony." Olivia says smiling brightly, unaware of the look of look of annoyance on Fitz' face.

"I always like to do all I can to help couples to get off to a good start, Olivia. But you and Fitz still have some talking to do about who will officiate your wedding."

We look forward to working with you Reverend", Fitz says.

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Fitz. And Olivia, I _will_ see you on Tuesday night for Bible study."

"Yes, I'll be there."

"You're welcome to join us too, Fitz."

"Thank you Reverend, but unfortunately I have another engagement on Tuesday evening."

 **XXX**

As Olivia sits in her office at the Pope Foundation, she is finding it difficult to synchronize the schedules of three busy people. For a week-and-a-half she has been playing secretary, trying to find dates and times over the next five months that will work for her, Fitz, and Rev. Walker. Finally settling on dates for the five sessions, Olivia leans back in her chair and lets out a sigh of relief. Then she emails Fitz and Rev. Walker the schedule and prays she does not have to make any changes.

 **XXX**

Gerry Grant believes in God and family and country, in that order. Like his father and his father's father Gerry is a traditionalist in that he believes strongly in family values. Gerry believes the family is the cornerstone of American society and culture and puts a premium on the needs of the family above those of the individuals in the family. He believes the family should be close and come together as a unit to socialize as often as possible. He believes in the traditional marriage where the man is the breadwinner and the wife stays at home to raise the children and maintain the home. He has little tolerance for non-traditional lifestyles and is very vocal about his beliefs to anyone who dares to listen. For the past 40 years Gerry has led his family in accordance with those beliefs.

As Fitz walks up the steps that lead to his parents' home he dreads the barrage of questions he anticipates from his parents about Olivia's whereabouts. After all, this is the first Sunday of the month when all of the Grants are expected to come together after church for brunch. Gerry opens the door shortly after Fitz rings the bell and the two men greet each other with a handshake and a hug. As Fitz walks to the kitchen where his mother is preparing the usual spread for their brunch Gerry peeks out the door and looks up and down the street.

"Good morning Fitzgerald", his mother says brightly as she peels the potatoes for the home-fried potatoes the Grant men love so much.

"Good morning mom", walking over to the sink where his mother is standing and pecks her on the cheek.

"Is Olivia with you?" She asks, looking over her son's shoulder.

"No, but she'll be here later", walking over to the counter and pouring himself a cup of coffee.

"Don't tell me she's working again", Gerry says as he enters the kitchen.

"No, she's not working today dad. She's at church."

"Church? That's lovely. Is she Protestant?" His mother asks while slicing the onions.

"No mom, she's not."

"You two have a lot of differences, son. Do you think there are too many differences for you to overcome?" Gerry asks.

"We're fine, dad."

"Well, is she still planning to work when you start having children? I don't know how she can have a family and take care of a home working the kinds of hours she does", his mother says she slices through another onion.

"Mom, women work outside of the home and have children all the time. I expect Olivia to continue her career when we start our family."

"I hear all of that talk these days about women having it all and leaning in. Well they can't have it all if you ask me. At some point a woman has to choose whether she wants to have a family or wants to have a career. I certainly did", she says softly.

"And I worked my ass off so your mother didn't have to work – so she could stay at home with you kids and take care of this house", Gerry says proudly.

"These onions are really getting to me today", Maura says, wiping her eyes with the kitchen towel. "I'm going to put some drops in my eyes", walking quickly out of the kitchen.

"So is Olivia one of _those_ feminists?" He drinks some water as if the word 'feminists' has left a bad taste in his mouth.

"Well if you mean does she believe women and men should have the same opportunities and be compensated equally for doing the same kind of work, then yes dad, she is a feminist."

"It seems like everybody these days is all about themselves – about what makes them happy or fulfilled, rather than the marriage – the family. Women nowadays see marriage and children as restrictions - infringing on their freedom. I think it's all hogwash - a bunch of nonsense."

"Olivia is far from selfish, dad."

"Well if she plans on working who is going to raise the children and take care of your home? She can't expect you to do those kinds of things, not with the kind of work you do. Besides, Grant men don't do that sort of thing."

Fitz shakes his head as he swallows the hot coffee. Since he was a kid he learned not to bother trying to debate his father on certain issues.

"Children need their parents Fitzgerald, not some nanny or one of those prisons they try to pass off as a daycare. That's why I never permitted your mother to work. Children need to always know they are loved."

The doorbell rings before Fitz can respond.

 **XXX**

It has been over two weeks since Olivia and Fitz had their consultation session with Rev. Walker and tonight they have started reading the pamphlets that have been sitting on the coffee table in Fitz' apartment since the consultation. Olivia reclines against the arm of the sofa, resting her legs across Fitz' lap, as they prepare for their first session next week.

"Babe, there's a lot of interesting information in this pamphlet that I never thought about." Olivia says, focusing on the text in the pamphlet.

"Like what?" He asks, not looking up from the pamphlet he is also reading.

"Well, there's a topic on living arrangements and questions about where we will live after we're married and after we have children. And, I already know you want a few kids Fitz."

"Four or five", he reminds her.

"But we never discussed how soon we want to start a family, how far apart we want them to be, or our philosophies on raising our children."

"We'll figure all of that stuff out later, Liv."

Flipping to the next page of the pamphlet Olivia reads the section on money."

"Hmm", she says.

"What?"

"Well, I'm reading the topic on money. There are some interesting questions here, babe. We haven't had any discussion about how we are going to manage our money. You make so much more than me but I want to contribute my fair share to our household expenses."

"I don't care about that. Whatever I have is yours, Liv."

"But I need to contribute, Fitz."

"Do whatever you want Liv", focusing intently on the pamphlet.

"Oh my goodness", she squeals.

"What now?" Still reading his pamphlet.

"There's a topic on parents and in-laws. There are some interesting questions about the amount of time we each should spend with our parents and our expectations for joining each other on visits to our parents. There is even a question on how we plan to spend the holidays. These are some _interesting_ questions, babe."

"What makes them so interesting?" He asks.

"Fitz, your family spends a lot of time together – _and I mean a lot._ " She says absently while continuing to read. "You know we won't be able to spend as much time with them once we're married – especially after the children come."

"Why not?" Finally looking up at his fiancé. "I thought you liked my family."

"I do, but …"

"But what?"

"Sometimes it's – well it can be too much", she stammers.

"Too much? What do you mean too much?" He asks incredulously.

"All of the get-togethers, holidays, the brunches …"

"My family has always done those kinds of things, Olivia."

She looks over at him and sees he is getting upset.

"I'm just saying ..." sliding closer to her obviously irritated fiancé and lifting his hand to her lips. "It would be nice if we could just spend some time alone. And, once we have children it would be nice to celebrate the holidays in our own home. That's all I'm saying."

"You just aren't used to interacting with a traditional family."

"What do you mean by that?" She asks as she slides back to her spot at the other end of the sofa. He has apparently touched a nerve.

"Well Liv, you being an only child and the type of parents you have –"

"What do you mean the _type_ of parents I have? You act like there is something wrong with my parents." She glares at him.

"I'm not saying that at all. It's just their lifestyle is a bit unconventional, not like my parents at all."

"Well that's a good thing", she says, getting up from the sofa and walking toward the bedroom.

"Where are you going? We haven't finished our homework."

"I'm going to my _unconventional_ bed", she says as she storms from the room in a huff.

He looks at her in shock as she retreats to the bedroom..

 **XXX**

Olivia and Fitz are rushing to meet with Rev. Walker tonight for their first official counseling session. They both were busy today with work and almost forgot about their appointment. Now as they sit in the familiar chairs in front of Rev. Walker's desk, they silently reflect on their homework assignment when the Reverend begins to speak.

"When we had our consultation session last month I asked each of you why you wanted to get married, and you both said you wanted to get married because you love each other."

Fitz reaches for Olivia's hand and she smiles eagerly at Fitz then looks back at Rev. Walker.

"It's a wonderful thing when two people find each other and want to share a life together. The feeling is absolutely amazing. They walk around feeling giddy and thinking about and wanting to be with each other all of the time. They spend countless hours on the phone talking about everything and nothing at all. Sometimes it's enough just to hear the sound of the other person's breath on the other end of the phone. They block everyone else out of their lives and friends and family will probably find them excruciatingly annoying."

The couple look at each other and smile.

"This is called the romantic or honeymoon phase of a relationship. And, fortunately or unfortunately it doesn't last forever."

The two look at the man quizzically and wonder how he could say they won't be in love the longer they are in a relationship.

"Once you move beyond the period of romantic love, then you will be really ready for real love, the kind of love that transforms each of you into being the best person you can be. If you don't do that then you will suffer."

"What you mean, Reverend?" Fitz asks curiously.

"I'm not saying you won't love each other the longer you are together, not at all. But I am saying that reality will begin to set in. And the reality is we are all flawed people. And during the honeymoon period of a relationship you are more willing to overlook the flaws you see in each other. But the more years you are together the more stress you will have to deal with. And how you deal with the day-to-day challenges of life will determine if you will make it together as a couple."

Fitz and Olivia nod.

"How you deal with the effects your careers will have on your marriage. How you deal with extended family and in-law matters. How you deal with determining when to start a family, how many children to have, and who will assume primary responsibility for raising the children can cause stress in a marriage and test your love for each other."

Olivia and Fitz are in deep thought as they listen to the Reverend. While they some of these topics in the pamphlet, they didn't appreciate the effects these issues could potentially have on their marriage until Rev. Walker provided his wonderful context.

"So Fitz – Olivia, love is necessary but it is by no means enough to have a long-lasting marriage."

"Then what is, Rev. Walker?" Olivia asks anxiously.

"Commitment. Romantic love is fluid – it comes and goes. But commitment – well that lasts a life time. You two must be committed to each other during the good times and the bad times."

The couple seem to be soaking in everything Rev. Walker is saying.

"You have to commit to the relationship and not your personal agendas. You have to find ways to compromise or at least have the conversation that allows the two of you to see things eye to eye."

Olivia and Fitz are processing everything the man is saying.

"Please don't think I'm preaching gloom and doom – not at all. But I am here to make you aware of the kinds of things that if not attended to can doom your marriage. It's been my experience over the past 40 years that the couples whose marriages last learn how to communicate and compromise."

Rev. Walker leans back in his chair and studies the couple's faces closely. He has seen the expression they are wearing countless times over the years after couples realize love is not enough to sustain a marriage.

"Any questions?" Rev. Walker asks as he twirls his eyeglasses in his hand.

"I think you've given us a great deal to think about Rev. Walker", Fitz says solemnly.

"Yes, we have a lot to discuss", Olivia says.

"Fine. For our next session read and discuss the topic on _Gender Expectations_."

 **XXX**

Over the past few months life has gotten busier for Olivia and Fitz. The activities for both of their businesses have increased significantly. Olivia has been awarded another grant to help the community and Fitz is getting more clients than he can realistically handle without a formal staff. Also, the wedding is in seven months and there is just so much to do. While they have hired a wedding planner to organize the event, Olivia still has not found a gown she likes. She is feeling stressed because time is running out. And, she and Fitz are finding it increasingly difficult to keep their appointments with Rev. Walker. They have already rescheduled their second session twice because of her and Fitz' hectic schedules.

"Life seems to be getting busier for you two", Rev. Walker says leaning back in the squeaky chair.

Olivia begins to apologize for having to reschedule their session two times. Rev. Walkers waves away her apology, acknowledging they are two busy people, which makes it all the more important for them to have a shared understanding about expectations in the marriage.

"You two must realize we are living in different times where the traditional marriage might not work for a progressive, 21st century woman and a traditional or non-traditional man."

Fitz furrows his brow and gives the man a puzzled look.

"Fitz, today's woman has much more social freedom and more career opportunities than women of previous generations. Many women today hold secondary degrees and are financially independent than ever before in history. Some women are even the sole breadwinner or make more than their husbands."

Fitz nods.

"Fitz, many of today's women do not _need_ a man to take care of them. They have so many more options today. They can choose to remain single. They can choose to marry. Or they can choose to do a myriad of things in between. So when a woman marries a man she does so because she _chooses_ to do so. She sees marriage as a choice, not a chance because she doesn't have other options."

Fitz listens closely to the Reverend.

"And as for children, the stigma for an unmarried woman having children is all but gone. Not that I'm condoning it – mind you", he makes the obligatory statement. "If a woman chooses not to marry but wants children, there are many options these days she can explore to become a mother."

"It sounds like what you're say Reverend is that we men are becoming extinct."

"No, what I'm saying is we men have to find new ways of being with women today. The equality of women and men is now recognized to a greater extent, which means there needs to be an adjustment in the traditional roles of husband and wife. When this adjustment does not take place, tension and conflict can occur in the marriage."

Fitz and Olivia listen intently.

"Happy and successful marriages will have to be aware of the rights and needs of today's woman. Husbands must be prepared to take their full share of household duties and of the care of children."

Olivia nods in agreement as Fitz shifts in his seat.

"And Olivia, while Fitz needs to be cognizant of your needs as a modern woman, you must also be aware of his needs as your husband and make sure you don't neglect them."

Now it is time for Olivia to furrow her brow and look at the Reverend quizzically.

"Olivia, the fast-moving modern world that we live in today has ensured that women are working longer hours, juggling more responsibilities, and progressively less able to place their men as their top priority."

Fitz looks at Olivia out of the corner of his eye.

"In fact, when the children start to come most women place their children at the top of their priorities – which may seem like the best thing to do - but the man can grow to resent this."

Olivia listens intently.

"In the meantime, the husband gets or feels neglected. So Olivia, you must remember that just as the modern woman wants to be understood, so does today's man."

Olivia appears to be in deep thought as she nods.

"But above all, you two will have to relate to each other as equal partners. And each of you must take responsibility for building a relationship that is satisfying for both of you. You must remember that there can be no authentic or enduring love without constant effort and readiness for sacrifice by both of you."

Fitz and Olivia nod simultaneously. They are getting much more out of these sessions than they expected. When they get home they vow to make these sessions a priority and to do everything within their power not to reschedule them.

Over the next several sessions with Rev. Walker they discuss topics like personal and professional goals, intimacy, and conflict resolution. By the end of the fifth session the Reverend has guided the couple in exploring some of the most important topics they will face during their marriage. They now have the tools to work through any issues that might come up during the course of their marriage. They just need to remember to use the tools when they are faced with difficulties.

"Rev. Walker I was skeptical about the need for premarital counseling when Olivia suggested it, but I think these sessions have been very beneficial. I have a lot more understanding of the things that are important to Olivia – and the things that are important in a marriage. Thank you for helping us to understand how to deal with the kinds of issues we might encounter later."

"You're quite welcome, Fitz. That's the purpose of these sessions - to raise awareness about things you might not have thought about or were too uncomfortable discussing on your own."

"We have learned a lot more about each other Rev. Walker", Olivia says as Fitz intertwines his hand with hers. "Thank you so much for being patient with us."

"It was my pleasure. And always remember, I am here for both of you if you ever need me."

"And thank you for agreeing to marry us", Olivia smiles happily as she looks up at her husband-to-be.

 **XXX**

It is May and the wedding is scheduled to take place in three days. The wedding planner has done a fantastic job organizing the event and everything is going according to plan. Olivia and Fitz agreed to keep the wedding small, only inviting his family, her parents, Councilwoman Briggs, and Mona and her husband Tom.

Olivia's parents arrive today from Senegal and she is so excited because she wanted her mother to be with her tomorrow for the final fitting of her wedding gown. There are many things Olivia does not mind doing alone, after all, her parents raised her to be independent. But when it comes to preparing for the final days before her wedding, she wants her mother to be here with her and Gwendolyn Pope wants to be there for her daughter.

Olivia insisted her parents stay with her at the small apartment while they are in town for the wedding. When she and Fitz return from their two-week long honeymoon her parents will continue to stay at her apartment until they decide to return to Senegal. They promised Olivia they would stay in town until she and Fitz returned from their honeymoon.

As Olivia finishes preparing the apartment for her parent's visit Fitz drives to the airport to escort them to the restaurant where the Popes and Grants will meet for the first time.

 **XXX**

All of the Grants are waiting at Remy's for Fitz to arrive with Olivia's parents. Gerry and Maura are a bit anxious because they do not know what to expect. They hope they will all get along since the two sets of parents are going to be linked together forever, well, at least for however long the marriage lasts.

"Mother of god", Gerry says with widen eyes when he sees his son walking toward their table with whom he assumes are Olivia's parents. His mouth hangs open and he slowly sets his glass of scotch down as he watches the trio approach the table. Maura wonders what has unnerved her husband so she follows his line-of-sight with her eyes.

"Is that …? Are they?" Her small hand grabs her husband's wrist.

"I'm afraid so", lifting his glass and taking a huge gulp.

Gwendolyn Pope sails through the restaurant following the hostess and Fitz. Calvin Pope is bringing up the rear. Gwendolyn, Gwennie, as her husband of 32 years refers to his wife affectionately, is wearing a traditional, bright orange Senegalese boubou (robe) and a matching headdress. She is adorned with huge silver earrings and an array of gold, silver, and leather bracelets line her right arm and jingle whenever she moves. Calvin is also dressed in a traditional Senegalese red boubou with a matching kufi. On his right index finger he wears a huge, round onyx ring set in silver.

"Dad - mom, please meet Olivia's parents, Calvin and Gwendolyn Pope", Fitz says cheerfully when they all reach the table.

The two sets of parents smile, shake hands, and exchange polite greetings. Gwendolyn slides in the booth next to John and Fitz and her husband slide in after her. Fitz introduces the Popes to his brother John, his sister Nora, and begins to introduce Bennie.

"Oh we know Ben", Gwendolyn says, waving her hand in the air dismissively, causing the bracelets to jingle. "Ben was a staple around our home when he and Livia were in school. How are you these days, Ben?"

Hello Mrs. Pope - Mr. Pope. It's good to see you too." Ben says from across the table.

"Livia says you're in medical school, Ben."

"Yes sir. Actually I begin my surgery residency in North Carolina in six months."

"Cardiology right?" Calvin asks stroking his chin with the finger that holds the large ring.

"Yes sir."

"Then two more years."

"Yes sir."

"That's terrific, Ben. So did you introduce your brother to Livia?" Gwendolyn asks innocently.

"No, ma'am. They kind of met on their own", shifting uncomfortably in his chair.

"Mrs. Pope, I just love your outfit. It's absolutely beautiful - you're beautiful. I see where Olivia gets her good looks." Nora says sincerely while also trying to save her older brother from further embarrassment.

"Hey, I had a hand in our Livia's good looks too", Calvin quips.

"Pay him no mind, Nora. My husband is such a jokester", swatting Calvin lightly on the arm. But thank you dear for the compliment. This is the kind of dress most Senegalese women wear every day."

"Wow."

"Would you like something to drink Mrs. Pope?" Fitz asks.

"I'll just have sparkling water. Thank you, Fitzgerald."

"And you sir?"

"Just water for me too. We don't drink alcohol."

Gerry wants to roll his eyes as he raises his glass of scotch to his lips.

"Where is our Livia? I thought she would be here by now." Calvin looks squarely at Fitz for an answer and Fitz looks at the text message from Olivia.

"She just texted me, she's on her way."

Calvin nods.

"Gwendolyn, Olivia says you and Calvin are missionaries. That sounds very interesting."

"And rewarding, Maura. When Calvin and I were planning our retirement we knew we wanted to continue to support our church through our missionary work and we decided to move to Senegal, where our church has an annex, to teach the word of the Lord and educate the children."

"So how long do you plan on staying over there?" Gerry asks, looking at Calvin.

"Until we're no longer needed, Gerry."

"I admire that kind of dedication", John says, pushing his beer bottle back and forth on the table. "But it must've been difficult giving up the comforts you had here in the States?"

"John, Senegal is quite the metropolis. You would be surprised. We, however, live outside of the city in a small village. But to answer your question, no, we don't miss anything about living in the States. Quite frankly we found it liberating to rid ourselves of our possessions. Isn't that so, dear?"

"My wife is correct. We had no problems leaving behind all of the material trappings of the West for a more simple and peaceful life."

"Really?" Maura asks with intrigue.

"Frankly Maura, we planned our escape – had it all mapped out before we retired. We gave up the big house, the cars – all of the headaches."

"That was a pretty big house you guys had", Bennie says.

"The less you have, the less you have to worry about", Gwendolyn says. "After a while the house was just too big. When Livia went away to school we realized just how big it was – such a waste of space. I was happy to be rid of it. The cleaning –"

"I can certainly understand", Maura says softly.

"It's so – so freeing", says Calvin, spreading his large hands wide. The grass cutting, the fixing of this and the fixing of that", he shakes his head at the memories. "Who needs to do all of that work at our age?" Now looking across the table at Gerry.

"Well I love our home. I like the kids having a place to come – a place they can always call home", Gerry says.

"Well it looks like your _kids_ are all grown up, Gerry. One is actually getting married in three days and he better not _think_ about moving back home with mommy and daddy", Gwendolyn smiles and pats Fitz on the arm.

"I wouldn't dare", Fitz returns the smile.

"Good answer, Fitzgerald. Good answer", Calvin says smiling and patting his future son-in-law on the back.

"Well I like the idea of having a family home – a place where the family can always come together and celebrate", Gerry insists.

"You like it because I'm sure you don't have to maintain it", Gwendolyn says, waving her hand in the air and causing the bracelets to jingle again."

Gerry struggles not to roll his eyes.

"Were you concerned at all about leaving Olivia here alone?" Maura asks.

"Not at all, Maura", Gwendolyn answers, swatting away the question and causing her bracelets to jingle once again.

Gerry huffs at the annoying sound the bracelets are making.

"We raised our Livia to be independent. She is very self-reliant - always has been. She can take care of herself. We always thought it was important for Livia to know how to navigate this world without having to depend on her parents or a man. No offense, Fitzgerald."

"None taken." Fitz raises a hand in surrender.

Not liking what he is hearing, Gerry leans back in his seat and eyes the strange couple.

"We raised our daughter to believe in herself and in her abilities, to take pride in her fortitude and tenacity, not to shy away from challenges, and to take on new tasks. And if she happened to find a husband along the way, well that would be wonderful, but not a requirement for her existence", says Calvin.

"Besides, Olivia is never alone. Just because we don't have a home in the States does not mean we are not always available for her", Gwendolyn says as she lifts the water glass to her lips.

"That's right", says Calvin. "We use Skype talk to our daughter every week, and Fitzgerald now as well. That's how I got the opportunity to meet Fitzgerald face to face. You wouldn't think we'd let our precious child marry someone without meeting him first, would you?"

"My husband really grilled poor Fitzgerald something awful when he Skyped Calvin to ask for Livia's hand."

"That he did", Fitz says, remembering the day well because the conversation lasted for hours.

"I needed to look the man in the eyes who wanted to take away the most precious thing in this world from me and my wife. I needed to see in his face if he was committed to not just loving her, but respecting who she is as a woman."

"Looks like you passed the test Captain", Nora chimes in.

"I'm a lucky man to be marrying Olivia. She's a wonderful woman."

"Fitzgerald assured me that he would respect our daughter and the work she does and would never try to change who she is", Calvin says.

"She sure works a lot", Gerry announces.

"My daughter doesn't see what she does as work, Gerry. She sees it as a labor of love. She is a caring woman and is committed to helping those who are less fortunate than herself", Calvin defends his daughter.

"I don't know how she's going to be able to keep the kinds of hours she does now when they start a family", Maura says.

"That's why she will have a husband - to help with the children and around the house. I'm sure Fitzgerald wouldn't expect Livia to do it all by herself _and_ run her business too." Gwendolyn says.

Gerry shifts in his seat and flags the waiter to order another drink.

"Gwendolyn, those are some interesting bracelets you're wearing", Maura says, sensing her husband's discomfort.

"They were handcrafted by some very talented Senegalese artisans. This one is made from dyed goatskin." She says pointing her newly manicured index finger to the bracelet. "The artisans also use a lot of gold and silver and interesting jewelry making techniques dating back for centuries."

Maura nods as she admires the woman wearing the bracelets.

"So you had no fear of moving to a foreign country - of moving on?"

"Maura", Gwendolyn begins, eyeing the women closely. "Fear keeps us trapped in situations that no longer serve us. Letting go of what no longer works for us creates space in our lives for opportunities that completely align with who we are now. We have to be willing to face our fears, Maura."

Maura nods and sips her Chablis as the waiter sets another drink in front of Gerry.

"That's right, like the people who are too afraid or too lazy to work and who would rather sit back and let the government take care of them."

Maura looks at her husband in disbelief. In fact, everyone around the table looks at the outspoken man trying to understand how his remarks relate in any way to the current conversation. Fitz closes his eyes and inhales deeply because he knows where his father is headed with the commented he just made.

" _What?"_ Gerry says, looking around at all of the astonished faces "We've become a nation of takers. Every damn body is getting a government check or trying to get one and your daughter is helping them."

" _Dad, that's enough!"_ Fitz yells. "Olivia does no such thing. She helps people who are in need. She does terrific and much needed work for the community."

" _What. Did. You. Just. Say?"_ Calvin asks through clenched teeth as he glares at Gerry.

"You heard me. I'm tired of my tax dollars going to the entitled – the lazy. We can barely fund our national defense programs because everybody has their damn hand out for a check. Our country can't afford to take care of those who won't work for themselves."

"Dad please, not tonight." Fitz tries to calm the storm that is building.

"I'm a proud, life-long Republican and so is my family", Gerry brags. "We have certain beliefs."

" _And I'm not a_ _proud, life-long Republican, and neither is my daughter"_ , Calvin says now glaring at Fitz.

Fitz feels a headache building so he rubs his forehead as both fathers look at him. In fact, everyone at the table is now looking at him.

"Olivia and I have discussed our differing political and social views. We're good", he says curtly as he leans back in his seat, crosses his legs, and sips his scotch.

Now not sure that the apple does not fall too far from the tree, Calvin looks Fitz up and down for a long while before turning his attention back to Gerry.

"So Gerry, you would condemn the poor family who gets a few dollars in food stamps, or the young mother who needs assistance to raise healthy children, or the poor soul with a mental condition who gets a monthly disability check?"

"I condemn freeloaders", Gerry growls and takes another sip from his glass.

" _Dad please."_ Fitz tries again. _"Tonight is not the time for this."_

Nora and Bennie look left and right at the two fathers as though they are watching a tennis match.

" _So you want to muzzle me and not him?"_ Gerry points at Calvin whose right hand displaying the huge ring is now clenched into a tight fist.

Fitz cannot believe what is happening. The family meet and greet has gone to hell. The wedding is in three days and the two fathers are ready to rip each other to shreds. He looks to John for help but John simply shrugs because he knows his father cannot be harnessed once he has gotten himself worked up. And it does not seem like Mr. Pope is finished yet either. Calvin's body is as rigid as a board as he leans forward and rests his forearms on the table.

" _Well do you condemn the welfare subsidies the rich get for their private jets and yachts and their beach homes, Gerry? Do you condemn the welfare subsidies for America's biggest banks? The too-big-to-fail banks?"_

Calvin bangs his fist on the table causing the silverware to rattle and the water from the quaking glasses to splash onto the table. Patrons in the restaurant turn and look in the direction of the commotion. And John looks at the once playful and easygoing Calvin Pope while Fitz wonders what the hell is taking Olivia so long.

"Sure, some of the programs for the needy are occasionally misused", Calvin continues. "But _anyone_ with a _scintilla_ of sense knows that the abuse of subsidies is far greater in the corporate suite", he says clenching his teeth.

" _I don't have to listen to this nonsense. I'm not letting you marry into this kind of family"_ , Gerry growls, now glaring at Fitz.

" _And I wouldn't dare let my daughter marry into a selfish, greedy, backwoods family like this"_ , Calvin growls too.

The two men grimace at each other as Olivia runs up to the table and squeals excitedly when she sees her mother and father."

" _Mom. Dad."_

 **XXX**

"I don't know why they couldn't get married in our family church", Gerry whispers not so softly to his wife as they sit in Triumph Tabernacle waiting for the ceremony to begin.

"Don't get yourself all worked up, dear. What's done is done."

"Olivia has Fitzgerald by the balls."

" _Gerry, you're in a church",_ Maura admonishes her husband.

"It's not our church", shrugging off the reprimand. "Fitzgerald does whatever Olivia says. He needs to stand up and start acting like a real man and tell her how things are going to be."

Ignoring her husband's latest rant, Maura looks straight ahead, trying not to roll her eyes at her husband's ridiculous statement. The organist starts the processional music and Rev. Walker and Fitz take their places to right of the altar, facing the guests.

As Bennie escorts Nora down the aisle he prays the next six months go by quickly when he sees his brother standing at the altar ready to marry the woman he has loved silently for so many years. He and Nora take their positions at the altar.

John escorts Mona, the Matron of Honor, down the aisle and they take their positions at the altar. Fitz smiles at his Best Man.

When the organist starts to play the wedding march, the guests stand and turn to get a glimpse of the bride. When the doors open everyone gasps when they see Olivia standing with her father. Gwendolyn wipes the tears from her face when she sees her baby girl all grown up and ready to get married.

"She looks absolutely beautiful, Gwendolyn", says Councilwoman Briggs.

"She does, Marla. She does."

Fitz wipes the tear rolling down his cheek with the back of his hand and Calvin smiles proudly as he escorts his daughter down the aisle to her husband-to-be.

"Did he have to wear _that_?" Gerry whispers to his wife.

"Olivia looks absolutely beautiful", once again ignoring her husband's comment.

When father and daughter reach the altar, Fitz approaches the pair and Calvin gives him Olivia's hand. Calvin then kisses his daughter on the cheek and takes the seat next to his wife. He pulls a handkerchief from the pocket of his black boubou and wipes the tears from his face. Gwennie pats his arm while wiping away her own tears.

"You look beautiful", Fitz says to his wife-to-be.

"And you look handsome", she says softly, trying not to cry and ruin her makeup. "I love you", she mouths only for his ears and his heart sings as he smiles uncontrollably.

"And you may kiss your bride", Rev. Walker says proudly.

And Fitz does and almost everyone in the church cheer on the couple as they share an extended and passionate kiss. Nora rubs her Bennie's arm in consolation.

At the end of the ceremony Rev. Walker introduce Fitz and Olivia to the guests as husband and wife, as Mr. and Mrs. Grant.

 **XXX**

As Olivia and Fitz sit in their first-class seats on the flight to their honeymoon destination, they reflect on the drama surrounding their wedding. For awhile they thought they might have to ditch all of their wedding plans and elope to someplace peaceful and quiet. Their fathers were close to strangling each other and threatening not to attend the wedding. Neither wanted to compromise, budge, or move an inch from their position.

"I was scared for awhile, Fitz. I can't believe we finally got them both into the same room."

"You mean the same church. My father was complaining the whole time – up until we said our I dos."

"Well thank God for Rev. Walker and Minister Oswald."

"Minister Oswald is a good man. He's been the minister of our church since I was a kid", Fitz says.

"I'm so happy they convinced our fathers to attend our wedding. I would have been so disappointed …"

"Everything turned out fine, Liv."

"What are we going to do when we have kids – when they have to be baptized?"

"It's not their call", Fitz says, relaxing into his seat for the long flight.

"But they want to be involved in our lives, Fitz."

"Involved doesn't mean they get to control our lives. We're adults, Liv. Remember what we learned in counseling. We have to set boundaries for our families. Now get some rest." He pecks her on the cheek and squeezes her hand as he dozes off.

 **XXX**

Their legs are covered with sand as they sit on a beach in the Greek island of Santorini, allowing their bodies to drink in the rays from the waning sun.

"Babe, I have sand everywhere. And I mean _everywhere._ "

"Let me see", Fitz says playfully.

"Fitz, we're out in the open."

"So what, it's a private beach. No one can see you. Now let me see."

Not really sure how private the beach is, Olivia looks around checking if there is anyone else on the beach.

"Take it off, Liv. There's no one else around."

"Have you ever gone to a nudist beach?" She asks curiously.

"I have", he says nonchalantly.

" _Really?"_ Weren't you …"

"What?"

"Well, weren't you a bit embarrassed showing your _business_ to everyone?"

"My business?" He looks at her strangely, not sure what she is referring to.

" _Your business, Fitz."_ Nodding her head toward his private parts.

"You mean like this?" Pulling off his swim trunks and tossing them somewhere across the beach.

"Oh my god, Fitz", she says in surprise then looks around for beachcombers. She knows Fitz is comfortable walking around the apartment in the nude and he has even convinced her to do it once or twice, but doing it in public is something altogether different.

"Now take yours off", he says, reclining on the towel with his hands behind his head enjoying the sun warming his face.

Olivia scans the beach again and moves closer to her husband hoping his bended knees will provide her a bit of privacy.

"I'm waiting, Mrs. Grant", he says reclining with his thighs wide apart allowing the sun to tan every part of him.

"OK, OK", she says, not sure which piece she should remove first, the top or the bottom.

"Do you need some help over there, Mrs. Grant?" He asks teasingly.

Olivia quickly develops a strategy for removing her bikini. She decides to remove her bottoms first because she can sit on her knees and no one will be any the wiser. Then she will remove the top and quickly snuggle close to Fitz. She slowly slips out of her bottoms.

"Now take off your top", trying to suppress his laugh as he hides behind his mirrored aviator sunglasses.

Olivia unhooks the top and sand flows from the cups. Unlike her daring husband she neatly folds her bikini so she can find it when it is time for them to leave.

"There, I did it. It's done", she says triumphantly.

Fitz turns his head toward his wife and lifts the sunglasses from his eyes to see the proof. He nods a few times, lowers the sunglasses onto his face, and lies back onto the towel. Olivia looks at him incredulously.

"What now? What do I do now?" She asks anxiously, flailing her arms.

"It's the golden time of day, Liv. Lay down, relax, and wait for one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world", he smirks.


	6. Chapter 6 Inseperable

**A/N: Hope there is still interest in this story. Work has been busy and I have not had time to update. Thanks for all of the reviews, I really enjoy reading them. I also appreciate the favorites and follows. BTW, we won't find out where Olivia is and why she left until Chapters 9 and 10. So let's see what the newlyweds are up to in this chapter. Here we go!**

 **Chapter 6. Inseparable**

Olivia reclines in her chair at The Pope Foundation and rests her feet on the wastebasket, finally giving up on trying to focus on the document displayed on her laptop screen. She has reread the same sentence over and over because her mind keeps drifting to her handsome husband who is coming home tonight from his trip to South Dakota. She smiles broadly when she says the word 'husband'. Four months into their marriage and she is still in total bliss. Everything is perfect between her and Fitz and she cannot imagine life getting any better than it is right now.

Many have warned her that the first year of marriage may not always be easy and as wonderful as the honeymoon. In fact, they cautioned her to expect the first year to be downright challenging. But from where she sits, everything about being married to Fitz is perfect. They are ridiculously happy and inseparable. They want to spend all of their time together, whether they are simply sitting around the apartment discussing their day or walking through the nearby park to feed the ducks. It does not matter where they are or what they are doing as long as they are together.

Most nights they fall asleep entangled in each other's arms, and in the mornings when Fitz is home they have a leisurely breakfast together. Their careers are keeping them quite busy. Fitz travels often and Olivia frequently works late at the office. They both agreed, however, not to let their work interfere with them staying connected. Fitz promised to travel only when absolutely necessary and Olivia promised not to work late when he is in town. When Fitz is not traveling Olivia makes it a point to get home early from work to prepare dinner. Marriage is everything she imagined it would be and so much more.

Fitz hates that he has to spend so much time away from his new wife so at times he tries to convince her to join him on some of his business trips.

"Come on, Liv. Come with me this time. Your meeting has been cancelled and Mona can handle everything else at the office. Besides, you know how I hate going to these kinds of dinner meetings alone. Everyone usually has their spouse with them."

He gives her that look that she has not yet mastered resisting, and quite frankly she does not want to resist him, not this time.

"OK", she says simply.

"So you'll go with me?" He asks in surprise.

"Yes, yes, yes", she squeals happily.

 **XXX**

A week later Olivia and Fitz arrive at his client's mansion in Silicon Valley with little time to spare because Fitz likes to have lots of sex. After their third round of passionate lovemaking, Olivia convinced her husband they needed to get dressed for the dinner party if they were going to make it there at a decent hour.

As they stand outside of the home waiting for someone to open the door, Fitz sneaks another kiss from Olivia.

"I love you, Mrs. Grant", he says grinning happily.

Before Olivia can respond, a man they assume is the butler because of the clothes he is wearing, opens the door and escorts them into the home where the host, Oscar Treadwell, is interacting with a few guests.

"Fitzgerald, I am so happy you were able to make it", Oscars says in a booming voice as he extends a handshake.

"It's good to see you again, Oscar", Fitz says with a slight smile while shaking Oscar's hand.

"I assume this lovely young lady is your wife?" Oscar asks, smiling politely at Olivia.

Fitz introduces Olivia to his client, the software titan, and the other men who are standing with Oscar. And Oscar introduces Fitz and Olivia to his son Brendan, who holds on to Olivia's hand a little too long after kissing it. Olivia smiles graciously as Fitz eyes the young man.

"Olivia, you are married to a brilliant negotiator. The deal he worked out for our company's latest acquisition was nothing less than brilliant."

Olivia smiles proudly at her husband as the other men nod in agreement.

"Fitzgerald, let me take your lovely wife to meet my wife Amanda, she should be around her somewhere", Oscar says as he quickly scans the large room while hooking his arm through Olivia's arm.

Olivia glances around the well-appointed space as the man navigates them through the phalanx of guests who laugh loudly as they sip their drinks and graze on appetizers the waiters are serving.

"Your home is absolutely exquisite, Oscar."

"Thank you dear, but this is all my wife's doing. If I had my way I would still be writing software programs in the garage of our former ranch home in Encino."

Olivia smiles as she listens to the billionaire pine for the good ole days. Oscar's face brightens when he spots his wife chatting with a small group of women near the door that leads out to the gardens.

"Amanda dear, this is Olivia – Fitzgerald's wife. I thought I would save her the pain of listening to a bunch of stuff shirts discuss business so I brought her over to meet you and the girls."

"Oscar, how many times have I told you it is no longer politically correct to refer to grown women as 'girls'?"

"I'm sorry dear", Oscar feigns remorse. "Ladies, I meant no disrespect", bowing gallantly then pecking his wife on the cheek before rejoining the menfolk.

Olivia spends the next 15 minutes chatting with Amanda and the other ladies, all the while feeling like someone is watching her. She rubs the back of her neck nervously as she tries to stay engaged in the conversation. After a few minutes Amanda excuses herself and the small group of ladies slowly drift off to other groups standing around the room.

Olivia takes a self-guided tour of the public areas of the home's first floor, admiring the vast and eclectic collection of artwork of famous and not-so famous artists from around world. As she walks toward a hall, she catches the man across the room staring at her again. She wants to escape the uncomfortable glances from the man who is pretending to be engaged in the rousing discussion with Oscar and the other men so she walks outside to admire the gardens. She looks around at the opulence and thinks how the community she serves would benefit from a fraction of the money spent maintaining the beautiful gardens. She feels a little guilty about enjoying being in such a luxurious environment.

As she stands in the gazebo holding a glass of red wine, Olivia inhales deeply, filling her nostrils with the intoxicating aromas the foliage is generously releasing tonight. She gasps and stiffens when she feels the lips on the back of her neck.

"Shhh", the voice whispers gently.

"My husband is inside", she says harshly, trying to pull away.

"I'll be discrete", pressing against her back and running a hand slowly up and down the thigh exposed by the deep slit in her midi skirt.

"We shouldn't. Not here", she says unconvincingly.

"We should", he says seductively.

She leans into him slightly and closes her eyes as he trails wet kisses down her neck. She moans softly, squeezing the bowl of her wine glass to the point of shattering.

"But my husband -."

"He'll never know", glancing around the area before caressing her breast.

"Fitzgerald - Olivia", Amanda calls from the doorway. "Dinner will be served shortly."

The couple burst out laughing at their game playing.

"We'll finish this later when we get back to the hotel Mrs. Grant", giving her another kiss on the lips.

Olivia smiles expectantly as Fitz grabs her hand and walks them toward the house.

"By the way", stopping short of the door. "I told Brendan to keep his lips off of my wife."

Olivia looks at her husband in disbelief.

"Fitz, Brendan is all of _13_ ", emphasizing the boy's age to demonstrate the ridiculousness of his statement.

 **XXX**

Olivia has begun to learn what it means to be part of the sprawling, close-knit Grant family. Sometimes the Grants' togetherness can be a bit suffocating, while at other times she really enjoys hanging out with the family, especially on game night. Since the Grant children were young, Gerry has designated the third Friday of the month as the night when all available Grants come together at the family home for dinner and several rounds of board games. Gerry believes this tradition is one way to keep the family close. While game night is intended to be a fun and relaxing family event, it can also become quite competitive, especially because of Rule #1, which states the person who wins the most games gets to choose the games the family will play the next month.

Now that Fitz and Olivia are married they have continued the tradition in their own home. Tonight is their game night and since Olivia won the most games the last time they played, she has the privilege of selecting the game for tonight. And of course she selects Scrabble, her favorite board game. She loves the game so much she bought the super-sized, limited edition version where the board and all the pieces, including the hourglass, is exponentially larger than the regular size game. Fitz thinks it is really ridiculous how big everything is as he picks up the Hefty bag-size sack to retrieve his seven tiles.

Fitz usually hates playing Scrabble because he rarely wins, but tonight the tide has finally turned in his favor. He is way ahead of his wife in points and he only has three tiles left on his tray and sees where he can place them all on the board for the win. He smiles triumphantly because for once victory is well within his reach.

"I'm tired, Fitz. I'm going to bed."

"Why do you always do that?"

"Do what?" Not sure what he is talking about.

"Why do you always suddenly get tired when I'm winning?"

"That's not true", Olivia says as she stands from the floor.

"It is true - not that I win very often."

"Prove it", she demands, looking down at Fitz with a hand on her hip.

Sliding his phone from the coffee table, he smiles and stands from the floor. Olivia folds her arms across her chest and eyes him suspiciously.

"See", pushing his phone screen in her face. Her eyes grow wide and her mouth falls open.

"You didn't", she says in horror when she sees what is on the screen.

"I did", nodding with a smile of victory spread across his face. "Whenever I knew I was going to win I would videotape you and the board. Look – look at the date stamp for each video", pointing to the screen. "Listen to what you say each time."

Fitz presses the PLAY button and the first video starts.

' _I'm tired, Fitz. I'm going to bed.'_

Then he plays the next video.

' _I'm tired, Fitz. I'm going to bed.'_

"Is that not you?" He asks grinning, confident he has sufficient evidence to bust his competitive wife.

Stunned for a moment when she realizes her husband has been sneakily videotaping her, Olivia quickly regains her composure and pushes the phone away from her face.

"That proves nothing", gathering their leftover snacks from the coffee table and walking toward the kitchen.

"What do you mean it proves nothing?" He is hot on her heels, following her into the kitchen. "I have the proof right here", shaking his phone in the air.

"You have nothing but some videos that obviously have been Photoshopped." Olivia sets the dishes in the copper farmhouse sink and turns on the faucet.

" _Photoshopped?_ I don't even know how to do that. You're a sore loser, Liv."

"How can I be a sore loser when I haven't lost? The game isn't over."

"Well let's finish the game", he insists.

"I'm tired." She flips her hair and starts washing the dishes.

Fitz grabs his wife around the waist, pulls her close, and kisses down the side of her neck. He rests his chin on her shoulder and smiles.

"I never knew you were such a sore loser, babe. But I love you anyway", grinning at her serious profile.

"I'm not a sore loser, I'm just tired", she says, smiling to herself.

 **XXX**

When Fitz returns home from a business trip he likes to take Olivia out for a fun date. He usually plans the date before he returns home, which might include a movie, dinner, dancing, or any other activity he thinks Olivia might enjoy. This has become their routine for the 10 months that they have been married. However, now that they have begun to settle into what some would call a normal life, Olivia told Fitz not to feel guilty about traveling for business. She reassured him that she understands the traveling is only temporary, until the business is more established and he has a broader portfolio of clients. But, if Olivia were to be completely honest, she would admit that she sometimes enjoys when Fitz is out of town for a few nights because it allows her time to work late at The Pope Foundation and grow her own business.

Fitz got home really late last night from his trip to Chicago and he is exhausted. In fact, they both have had an incredibly busy and demanding work week and they are tired so they decided to forego their usual date night and just stay home to catch up on some household chores and relax. Olivia has to do the laundry because Fitz has a pile of clothes that need to be washed. She also has to sort his suits and shirts so she can drop them off at the dry cleaners tomorrow.

As Olivia walks toward the laundry room carrying the laundry basket on her hip she hears a raucous coming from the living room. She wonders what the noise is all about so she takes a detour through the living room to see what has her husband so excited. She stops in her tracks when she sees Fitz jumping up and down and emulating whatever is on the TV screen.

"How could I not know this about you?" She asks, looking at her animated husband.

"What?" Not bothering to turn around because he is fixated on the screen.

"How could I not know that you are a fan of wrestling?" She asks in disbelief.

"I don't know. I'm sure I told you. You must've forgotten." Fitz sits onto the sofa and dips a tortilla chip into the bowl of cheesy mixture.

"You never once mentioned it in all the time we were dating. I would have remembered something like that, Fitz" Olivia grimaces at the TV screen when a man slams another man's head into the turnbuckle.

" _Yes!"_ Fitz yells as he jumps up from the sofa again.

"You're kidding me, right?" She persists.

"What do you mean?" Still not turning away from the TV screen as he sips the beer.

"You do know it's all fake, don't you?"

Well she might as well have just told a five-year-old boy there is no Santa Claus, no Easter Bunny, and no Tooth Fairy. Fitz turns and glares at his wife while slowly setting the bottle onto the coffee table.

"No it's not. Why would you say such a thing?"

"Come on Fitz, everybody knows it's not real."

She does not realize she is trampling on a sacred family pastime and he will not tolerate it so he goes into lawyer mode.

"Who's everybody? Do you now know _everybody_ , Olivia?"

"Fitz, don't get so serious. It's just –"

"It's just what, Olivia? Answer my questions."

"I'm not going to argue with you about a silly –"

"Now my watching a sport I enjoy is silly?"

"Fitz, it's hardly a sport."

"Then what is it if it's not a sport?" He glares at her again.

"Just forget what I said. I'm going to do the laundry so you can have clean clothes for your trip next week."

As Olivia walks from the room she frowns when she notices the cheese dripping from the bowl and onto the glass coffee table and tortilla chip crumbs on the floor under the table. While loading the washer she thinks about the strange encounter she just had with her husband. She cannot understand how a graduate of the US Naval Academy, a Captain in the Navy with a law degree, and one of the best and highly sought after business negotiators could believe that such silliness is real. She shakes her head when she hears the whooping and yelling resume in the living room.

 **XXX**

A week later Fitz meets John for dinner and drinks because Olivia is working late again. As they sit in the booth reading the menu, the brothers discuss Olivia's questioning the legitimacy of one of the Grant men's favorite pastime.

"Some women just don't get it, bro. I wouldn't worry about it too much if I were you. We know it's not fake - that's all that matters", lifting the beer bottle to his lips.

"I just hate when she gets all judgmental. We've been going to wrestling matches since we were kids. Dad took us all the time."

"Has Liv ever been to a match?"

"No, she's never even watched one on TV. The reason she's never seen me watch it is because I travel all the damn time trying to get my business going. I know I told her it's one of my favorite sports. She just doesn't remember."

"You should take her to a match sometime. Let her get bitten by the bug."

Fitz nods and sips his scotch as he thinks about John's suggestion.

 **XXX**

Olivia sits with Mona in in her office at The Pope Foundation discussing the small tiff she and Fitz had last week about the authenticity of wrestling."

"Olivia, my husband watches that mess too", Mona waves her hand in the air dismissively.

" _Really?"_ Looking at Mona in shock.

"Lots of people watch it. Ted and I had a big fight early in our marriage because I said it was fake. Kind of what you did to Fitz."

"So how do you handle it – handle him watching it knowing that it's not real?"

"Girl, I let him have his fantasy. To keep the peace in my house I watch it with him sometimes, and even go to an occasional match with him."

" _What?"_

"Olivia, when you've been married as long as I've been married, you learn how to compromise. What's a couple of hours here and there if it makes him happy and it keeps us close?"

Olivia looks at her assistant thoughtfully and nods.

 **XXX**

Fitz is astonished as his seemingly out-of-control wife yells words he has never heard her use. Words he did not know were in her vocabulary.

"Bash his head in. Kick him in the nuts", Olivia shouts as she stands from her seat at the arena.

"She's a newbie, hunh?" The man sitting next to Fitz whispers into his ear.

Fitz smiles and nods.

"It only takes one time", looking over at his equally out-of-control wife.

"Break his neck", the woman yells.

Olivia's adrenaline is still pumping as she and Fitz leave the arena. She wipes the sweat from her brow and shakes her head.

"When is the next match, Fitz? We have to come back to see if Madman Mayhem regains his title."

 **XXX**

Olivia is running late for church because her husband was feeling particularly amorous this Sunday morning. Fitz is leaving this afternoon for a four-day business trip to Tampa and he wanted to spend some quality time with his wife over and over and over again before he leaves. After two years of marriage he still likes to show his love for his wife in one of the ways he enjoys most.

As Olivia slides into her seat next to her friend and mentor, Councilwoman Marla Briggs, Rev. Walker glances at her from the pulpit and the people in the row behind her huff because her big white hat is now obstructing their view.

"Running a little late this morning are we?" Marla whispers as she continues to look straight ahead at the choir.

"Fitz is leaving on a business trip this afternoon and I needed to help him pack", Olivia whispers.

"Mhmm", Marla says, clapping her hands to the choir's rousing rendition of _Glory Glory, Hallelujah_.

After church services are over, Olivia and Marla plan to have lunch at Restaurant 52, the Councilwoman's favorite dining establishment. As they make their way out of the church Rev. Walker calls to Olivia and she and the Councilwoman turn around at the same time.

"Olivia, I'm so glad you were able to join us this morning – although a bit late", looking over his glasses at her.

"Good morning, Rev. Walker. I hope you're doing well today."

"I am blessed and highly favored", Rev. Walker smiles serenely. "Your attendance has been spotty as of late, Olivia. Don't let married life prevent you from worshipping the Lord and fellowshipping."

"Not all Rev. Walker."

"And tell Fitz there is always a seat for him here too."

Olivia smiles politely.

"We'll see you next Sunday, Olivia. And Marla, I'll be calling you on Tuesday. You ladies have a blessed day."

"You knew he wasn't going to let you out of here without giving you the talk", Marla says as they strut down the hall.

"I know. I know."

 **XXX**

For the past 30 minutes Fitz has been pacing around the living and glancing at his watch every few minutes because he is waiting for Olivia to come out of the bathroom so they get going. He is growing more and more annoyed with each passing minute.

"Come on Liv", he yells down the hall in frustration. "All of the best spots are going to be taken by the time we get there."

"Coming", she says as she flushes the toilet in their master bedroom suite.

Olivia walks over to the sink and rinses her mouth for the third time this morning. She feels like crap and looks even worse she thinks as she stares into the mirror. She takes another swig of mouthwash then fixes her bun that has fallen out of place while she was hanging over the toilet.

" _Olivia!"_

" _Coming",_ she yells from the bathroom.

"You said that 15 minutes ago. There won't be any point –"

"You can stop yelling, Fitz - I'm right here. Sheesh, I didn't realize you were such a yeller before we got married. Do you have the picnic basket?"

"It's in the car. It's been in the car for like a half hour", he says annoyed.

"Get in the car, Fitz. I'm just going to run to the kitchen and get a bottle of seltzer water."

He rolls his eyes and looks at his watch as he goes out to the car.

 **XXX**

Olivia wears her wide-brim straw hat and large round sunglasses as they trudge across the grass with all of their gear to the area Fitz has deemed as the perfect spot to set up for the all-day concert.

"See, we got a good spot", Olivia says, carrying the tote bag with all the gear they are going to need for the all-day outdoor concert. "It's still early. Hardly anyone is here yet."

"That's the _point_ in getting here early", he remarks as he sets up their fortress.

Olivia looks at her husband thinking he spent too many years in the military, always so organized.

"Fitz, I think we brought too much stuff", looking around at their chairs, umbrellas, water cooler, blankets, and picnic basket. We're going to have to carry everything back to the car tonight when the concert is over and more people are going to be around then."

"John and Bennie will help us."

"You mean they're joining us?" She asks in surprise. "You didn't say anything about your brothers coming. So are Nora and your parents coming too?" She is now annoyed and being a smartass because she wants to spend time alone with her husband. Besides, she's not feeling that great and is not in the mood for his family.

"No, Nora and my parents aren't joining us, Miss Smarty-pants."

"Well I didn't pack enough food for John and Ben."

"They're bringing their own grub", looking around and assessing their layout. "Okay, we're all set up. Do you want something to eat – something to drink?"

"Just another seltzer babe", she says sitting in one of the lawn chairs."

"You've been drinking a lot of this stuff lately", he says, digging into the cooler for a bottle of seltzer. "We better buy some stock in this company", handing her the bottle.

She rolls her eyes behind the dark sunglasses as Ben and John walk up with all of their gear.

"John, Bennie – I'm glad you got here early. Liv was taking so long at home I thought we were going to be late."

"This is a great spot, Fitz. We'll have a good view of the stage from here", John says as he surveys the space.

"That's the point of getting here early", Fitz says, looking over at his wife.

Olivia rolls her eyes again behind her sunglasses.

"Liv, it's good to see you. You're looking wonderful as usual" John says as he walks over to his sister-in-law and gives her a hug and a peck on the cheek.

"It's good to see you too, John. Hey, Ben." Olivia says to her friend who is home for the weekend.

"How's it going, Olivia?" Ben asks unenthusiastically.

"Great. We have to catch up before you go back to North Carolina."

Ben nods and continues to unpack his and John's gear.

"It's going to be a hot one today", John says. "I hope you have lots of water."

"More like seltzer water", Fitz remarks. "Where's the beer?"

Ben tosses his brother a beer and opens one for himself while John rubs down with suntan lotion. He has always been the practical one.

"I feel like I'm going to get lucky today", rubbing the lotion on his long legs.

"What do you mean?" Fitz asks, sitting next to Olivia and draping an arm around her shoulders.

"I think I'm going to find my future wife here today", screwing the top back onto the bottle of suntan lotion. "The love of my life."

"Well, I already found the love of my life", Fitz says, kissing Olivia deeply.

As the concert-goers begin to fill in around them and various bands come and go off the stage, Fitz and his brothers chow down on the food like vultures. Olivia looks at them wolfing down food and beer and shakes her head in disgust.

"Eat something, babe", Fitz says, pushing a forkful of potato salad toward her face.

"I'm not hungry right now, Fitz", turning her head and pushing the mayonnaise-covered potatoes away from her face.

"I haven't seen you eat anything all day. You've only been drinking that seltzer."

"I'm just not –"

Fitz begins to whoop it up when one of his favorite bands begins to perform.

"I really missed these concerts. Being in the Navy all of those years I hardly got a chance to go to concerts like."

"Well you're the one who decided to join the Naval Academy and then put in eight more years", John says.

"I love our country John and I wanted to serve it the best way I knew how", Fitz says seriously.

"Calm down. You don't have to get all patriotic on me. You know you're more like dad than Bennie and me in that way. I guess it now makes sense that you are Fitzgerald Thomas Grant the Third."

"I'm so proud of you babe for serving our country – for keeping us safe. Now pucker." Olivia pecks Fitz on the lips which he quickly turns into a tongue fest, causing her straw hat to fall backward and onto the ground.

"Whoa, whoa", John says, standing from his lawn chair. "I've seen enough of you two. It's intermission so I'm going to find my wife. You coming Bennie?"

"Yeah, I guess so", following behind his oldest brother thinking he might get lucky and find his future wife too.

"I think we ran them off, babe", Olivia says, smiling at her husband.

"I don't care. I love you Liv and I don't care who knows it." Fitz picks up the hat and haphazardly plops it back onto her head.

She smiles and gives her husband another kiss, running her fingers through the hairs at the nape of his neck.

"I love when you do that", smiling as he stares into her eyes.

"Do what?"

"Run your fingers through my hair whenever we kiss and do the _nasty_ ", he smirks.

"I have no idea what you're talking about", she says seriously.

"Liv, you do it all the time."

She gives him a confused look because she really does not know what he is talking about."

"Watch", giving her another passionate kiss and her right hand instinctually flies to the hairs at the back of his neck.

"I see you two are still at it", John says as he stands in front of the lip-locked couple with Bennie standing off to the side. A tall, red-headed woman stands to the right of John carrying a large canvas tote bag on her shoulder. Fitz and Olivia look up at the trio.

"Abigail, this is my brother Fitz and his wife Liv. Fitz - Liv, this is Abigail – my future wife. "

Everyone except Abigail burst out laughing until Olivia begins to vomit the seltzer she has been drinking all day. And the laughter stops as quickly as it started.

"Liv. Livvie. Baby are you all right?" Fitz asks, stunned by his wife's sudden change in demeanor.

"Lay down on the blanket, Olivia", Abigail says quickly. "I'm a nurse. Get me some ice, Benjamin. It's hot out here."

Bennie rushes over to the cooler to get the ice while Fitz lays Olivia onto the blanket.

"Fitzgerald says you haven't eaten anything all day. Is that right, sweetie?" Abigail asks.

Olivia nods slowly. She is still feeling queasy and light-headed, and the blazing hot sun is not helping matters.

"Wrap that ice in a towel Jonathan and give it to me."

Abigail places the ice compress on the back of Olivia's neck as a crowd begins to gather around them.

"How are you feeling, sweetie? Any better?"

Olivia nods.

"I just want to go home, Fitz", Olivia whines.

"Maybe we should call the paramedics – take you to the hospital", he says anxiously.

"No, I just need to go home."

"You men pack up all of this stuff. And you gawkers back up and give her some breathing room. There's nothing to see here", Abigail shouts. Fitz, however, is hesitant to leave his wife.

"Go help your brothers, Fitzgerald. I'll take care of Olivia. She's going to be fine."

Fitz looks at Abigail, uncertain if he should leave his wife with the stranger.

"She'll be fine - I promise", softening her tone when she sees how worried the man appears to be.

As the men pack up the gear, Abigail continues to nurse Olivia.

"Sweetie", Abigail begins as she strokes Olivia's forehead with a cool towel. "Are you pregnant?" Looking at Olivia with her piercing green eyes.

Olivia nods and begins to cry.

"Does he know?"

Olivia shakes her head from side to side.

"You're going to be just fine. I'll go home with you to make sure you get settled in. Okay?"

Olivia nods and mouths 'thank you'.

"You men hurry and get those things packed up. We have to get Olivia out of this heat", Abigail barks out another command.

"That's my future wife", John mumbles under his breath and smiles proudly.

 **XXX**

When they all get back to the apartment Abigail and Fitz get Olivia undressed and tucked into bed. Although she is still a little weak, she no longer feels nauseous or light-headed.

"Fitzgerald, go make Olivia a cup of clear chicken broth. You do have broth don't you?" Abigail asks demandingly. Fitz looks at Olivia because he has no idea what foodstuff they have in the apartment.

"In the pantry babe, with the soups on the second shelf, to the right – next to the tomato sauce." Fitz nods and walks out the bedroom.

Abigail rolls her eyes because Olivia has to be so specific for her husband.

" _Fitzgerald"_ , Abigail calls after him. "Bring in some crackers, hot tea, and a bottle of seltzer or ginger ale."

Fitz' eyes grow wide at the order he was just given and he looks at Olivia because he does not know where any of those things are, except the seltzer, which is in the refrigerator. Olivia begins to speak but Abigail stops her.

"Have your brothers help you find everything, _Fitzgerald_ ", Abigail frowns and shakes her head.

Fitz nods and walks down the hall to fulfill the tyrant's orders.

"Men. Helpless. Useless – except for getting us knocked up", Abigail says half-jokingly and Olivia laughs.

"Sweetie, how far along are?"

"About two months - I think."

"Have you been to the doctor yet?"

Olivia shakes her head no and the tears start to flow.

"Aww, what's the matter sweetie?"

"I'm scared. I've never been pregnant before and I don't know anything about taking care of a baby."

"Aww, you'll be all right Olivia. There is so much information out there and you'll have a lot of support. And you can always call me. Okay?" She says soothingly.

"But Fitz doesn't know anything about taking care of babies either."

"Then he'll just have to learn", Abigail says tersely, not at all sympathetic to Fitzgerald's lack of baby knowledge.

"I'm going to the kitchen to see what's taking the Three Stooges so long. You try to get some rest until I come back. Okay?"

"OK", giving the bossy but comical woman a weak smile.

 **XXX**

After John, Bennie, and Abigail leave, Fitz walks down the hall to the bedroom to check on Olivia. He opens the door slowly, being careful not to wake his wife.

"Fitz?" Olivia groans, turning around in the bed to face him.

He rushes over and sits on the side of the bed next to his wife.

"How are you feeling?" Looking at her sympathetically and stroking the side of her face.

"Where is everyone?" She asks, sliding up in bed and reclining against the headboard.

"Everyone has left. Abby, or should I say _Abigail_ , said she will call you tomorrow. She's a strange one Liv. She insists everyone call her Abigail. And she calls everyone by their formal name – Jonathan, Benjamin, Fitzgerald", he says mocking the woman's voice.

"She's not so bad, babe. I kind of like her."

"So how are you feeling? Do you want to go to the hospital?" Looking at his wife nervously.

"No, I'm feeling better actually."

"Do you want more seltzer or ginger ale?"

"No, I can't drink any more of that stuff", she says, scrunching her face.

"So why do you think you got sick? You didn't eat anything today that could upset your stomach."

"Abigail is a nurse."

"Does she know why you got sick?"

"I think so", looking nervously into his eyes.

"What is it, Liv? You're scaring me."

"Well Fitz, I – Abigail thinks I might be pregnant", she says quickly.

Fitz looks at her somewhat confused because he is not quite sure what he is hearing.

"Fitz, did you hear me? Say something, Fitz."

Suddenly he jumps from the bed and starts jumping around the room.

"Woo, woo. I'm going to be a father. One down and four to go!"

 **XXX**

A few days later Olivia and Fitz sit in Dr. Perry's office waiting for the results of the pregnancy test. Although Fitz ran out to the pharmacy the same night she told him that she might be pregnant and bought five different pregnancy tests, which all came back positive of course, they still needed official confirmation from Dr. Perry.

"Well Olivia and Fitz", Dr. Perry begins, looking down at Olivia's chart. "It's seems like in seven months you're going to be first-time parents. Congratulations." He reaches across the desk and shakes Olivia's hand then Fitz' hand.

A huge grin spread across their faces.

"Do either of you have any questions?"

"Is Olivia okay?" Fitz asks nervously.

"Olivia is fine. The internal exam and the ultrasound indicate a normal pregnancy so far."

Olivia smiles brightly. Although she feels awful because of the morning sickness, she is so excited about becoming a mother.

"Is there anything that Olivia should not do? Does she need to stay in bed – stop working?"

Olivia looks at her husband like he has lost his mind. She cannot stay in bed and she certainly will not stop working. Dr. Perry smiles at Fitz because he will never tire of hearing the questions of first-time parents.

"Fitz, Olivia can continue all of her normal activities. However, she should get plenty of rest, eat a healthy diet, limit the stress as much as possible, and take her prenatal vitamins every day.

Fitz nods.

"Olivia, do you have any questions?"

"I am so excited Dr. Perry, but I wonder when the morning sickness will stop."

"Well, the duration of morning sickness varies from woman to woman and from pregnancy to pregnancy. Sometimes it subsides by the end of the first trimester, sometimes later, or it can last throughout the pregnancy."

Olivia frowns because she cannot imagine going seven more months feeling this way. It seems like any kind of unpleasant odor sends her to the nearest wastebasket.

"When you come back for your next appointment in two months give me an update on your morning sickness, if it still persists. But Olivia, you don't have to wait for your scheduled appointments to call me with your questions, that goes for you too Fitz. This is your first pregnancy and I'm sure you two will have lots of questions over the next seven months. Okay?"

The couple nod at the same time.

"Janice has a first-time pregnancy packet for you at the front desk. It contains a lot of information about what to expect physically and emotionally. You should read it together and call or email me with any questions. Okay?"

"Thank you Dr. Perry", Olivia says.

"Yes, thank you Dr. Perry", Fitz says smiling as he extends a handshake.

"Congratulations again. Stop at the front desk and make your next appointment and pick up your packet. The prescription for prenatal vitamins has already been sent to your pharmacy. And Olivia, remember it is very important that you take your vitamins every day."

"She certainly will", Fitz interjects.

 **XXX**

Olivia's morning sickness has finally ended and she is thrilled because she was tired of the seemingly unending bouts of vomiting and relegated to eating dry crackers and drinking ginger ale and seltzer water. Now she is feeling more energetic and really enjoying being pregnant. Everything is perfect. She and Fitz have started buying a few things for the baby, in gender neutral colors of course, because they do not want to know the sex of the baby until they actually deliver. Fitz has become even more protective of her, if that is at all possible. He rarely lets her lift anything around the apartment. He makes sure she has taken her vitamins and when he is not traveling for business he brings her a healthy lunch to the office.

Shortly after they found out they were pregnant, Fitz wanted to move out of their apartment immediately and buy a single family home in a safer community. Olivia was not sure if they really needed to move because their apartment is large enough for two adults and a baby and their neighborhood is definitely safe. But over the next two months they looked at more than a dozen beautiful houses, all located in the suburbs. However, none of the houses they toured seemed to satisfy Fitz' tastes until one day Joan showed them a 5200-square-foot, five bedroom, four-and-a-half bathrooms colonial on a cul-de-sac in a new community. The house was the builder's sample home and had most of the upgrades anyone could ever want: hardwood floors throughout, a study off the foyer, a living room, family room, and dining room. The kitchen is a chef's dream with granite countertops, espresso-colored cabinets, and high-end stainless steel appliances. Fitz fell in love with the house immediately. He liked everything about it; the location, the size, and the floor plan.

"Wow, Fitz. This house is absolutely beautiful, but it's so big. Do you think it's going to be too big for just three people?"

"Liv, we're going to have more children - four more if I recall. I don't want to have to find another house in a few years when we have more kids."

"How much does this house cost, Fitz? I'm sure it's pretty expensive."

"Don't worry about it - we can afford it."

She shakes her head because her husband is so excited.

"It's also a bit of a distance from my office, babe."

"Liv, I checked the crime reports and this is the safest neighborhood in the area. I travel a lot and I want my family to be safe."

"But Fitz, it's going to take a lot of work to maintain this big house", looking around at the high ceilings and wide rooms.

"You can do it, Liv. My mom did it for years - still doing it as a matter of fact." He grabs her hand and leads her to the massive deck out back.

"But Fitz your mother has never worked outside of the home. I have my business to run, and with the baby coming I just think it might be too much."

"Come on Liv, don't be a wet blanket, this house is perfect for us. Say yes, please."

He wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her close as they stand on the deck listening to the birds chirp in the background. She rolls her eyes because he is giving her that face she still finds so difficult to deny anything.

"Okay, but you're going to help with the upkeep, Fitz. I mean it."

"You know I don't know how to do any of that stuff. Come on, let's find Joan and tell her this house is ours", he says excitedly.

 **XXX**

Olivia and Fitz have been living in their big, beautiful new home for three months and she has grown to resent the monstrosity. She resents the daily 45-minute commute to and from work. She resents coming home to an empty house most nights because Fitz is usually out of town. She resents the never-ending task of cleaning. There is just so much more to do now than when they lived at the apartment. And being seven months pregnant and still working long hours do not help matters either. As Olivia stands in the luxurious spa-like bathroom she wonders how she is going to handle it all once the baby comes in two months. She has been feeling overwhelmed and anxious lately. She feels like she is being pulled under water, like she is drowning.

Looking into the full-length mirror she begins to cry because of the image reflected. Like the house, everything about her body is huge. Her breasts. Her hips. Her butt. Her face seems much fuller than it was just a week ago and she is beginning to have breakouts. She has never had a problem with acne, not even as a teenager. She no longer feels attractive and she is sure her husband no longer finds her attractive. She and Fitz have always had an active sex life but he has hardly touched her in the past month, not that she has any desire for sex. She sits on the stool in front of the mirror and wonders if Fitz is really away on business when he is gone for days at a time. She wonders if he is seeing someone else who is not fat and ugly. She wonders what she will do if he ever left her. These thoughts have been playing on a loop in her head for the past few weeks. Olivia wipes the tears from her face, grabs her robe from the floor, and pulls it around her body, trying to avoid the mirror as she walks into the bedroom. She crawls onto Fitz' side of the bed and buries her face into his pillows, inhaling his scent. She wonders why he has not called her all day. Once again she falls asleep wondering if her husband is going to come back home this time.

When Olivia awakes in the morning she is surprised to feel her sleeping husband's arm draped over her hip and his morning wood poking her on the butt. She lays perfectly still because she does not want to wake him, she does not want to have sex. And, she no longer wants her husband to see her naked. Fitz begins to stir and Olivia closes her eyes tight as he pulls her close and kisses down her back. She feels the mattress shift as he discards his underwear and tee shirt.

"Liv", he whispers, running his tongue around the rim of her ear. "Wake up, baby."

He pushes down her panties and begins to stroke her. She tries to keep her legs closed but he does not relent.

"I need you, baby. It's been so long. Open your legs." She opens her legs reluctantly and he slides in from behind because she is now seven months pregnant.

"Oh Livvie, you feel so good. Move with me baby. Move." And she obliges, moving with each stroke. And with each stroke she wants to scream.

He gently massages her breasts and pulls her closer as he pumps slowly, taking his time to enjoy the sensation. The feeling is almost unbearable and she fights back the nausea and bites down on the blanket to muffle her crying.

"Tell me you like it, Liv. Tell me it feels good."

She manages to croak out a yes because she wants to please her husband. She does not want him to seek his pleasure elsewhere. Finally he releases and collapses against her back and his softening penis feels disgusting so she closes her eyes and allows the tears to flow onto the pillow.

"Mmm baby, that was so good. I love you, Liv. I miss you so much when I'm gone", kissing her neck and rubbing her huge belly.

Fitz rolls onto his back and pulls Olivia close, unaware that his wife is ashamed of her body and disgusted by his touch. Unaware she thinks he might be cheating. Unaware that she is losing herself.

"You were knocked out when I got home. Did you have a rough day at the office yesterday?" He asks kindly as he strokes her hair.

"I did", she lies effortlessly. She has not been to the office since he left four days ago. She has been in bed the entire time with the drapes pulled closed, blocking out the sunlight.

"Well Liv, we need to start thinking about when you're going to stop working. Maybe it's about time for you to slow down."

"Don't start again, Fitz. Dr. Perry said I can work up to the end."

Fitz sighs and closes his eyes because he does not want to have another fight about an old topic. They lay in silence for awhile.

"Sweetheart, can you get me some breakfast? I'm starved. I haven't eaten anything since I left Seattle."

She nods and rolls out of his arms and makes her way to the bathroom to freshen up. She avoids the mirror.

 **XXX**

While Olivia is downstairs preparing breakfast Fitz takes a long shower, letting the hot water pulsate over his achy muscles. He smiles when he recalls the day Olivia finally agreed to buy the multi-setting shower head. Olivia did not think they needed the fancy shower head, but after several hours of debating the pros and cons of the gadget, Fitz was able to convince her how much fun they could have testing all of the different settings. As he rinses the conditioner from his hair he regrets they have not been testing the device too much lately. He regrets he is hardly home to enjoy the new house with his wife.

Fitz sits on the side of the bed and slides his phone from the nightstand to review his upcoming travel schedule. He frowns because he has two more out-of-town trips over the next three weeks. He is happy the business is growing but the flying back and forth across the country is beginning to take its toll on him physically. And, he does not think Olivia likes it so much either although she has not complained. He runs a hand through his damp hair when he thinks about the amount of time he is away from home, especially with Olivia being so far along in their pregnancy. That is why he took the red-eye flight last night from Seattle, to be home in case she needed him. That is why he has cleared his work schedule for the last month of their pregnancy, to be certain he is home when Olivia goes into labor.

Although Fitz enjoys the work he does and likes being his own boss, he really works hard so he can provide the best for their growing family. He loves his wife more than anything and does not want her and their children to ever want for anything. At some point he wants Olivia to stop working and stay at home to take care of their children and home.

 **XXX**

Abigail Whelan glances at her watch for the second time in the past 15 minutes as she waits at Restaurant 52 for Olivia to arrive for their lunch date. She has not seen her friend in several weeks and has begun to grow concerned about her well-being. She knows Olivia has been avoiding her, making all kinds of unconvincing excuses for why she is unable to get together. But today Abby was not going to let Olivia get away with avoiding her any longer. So she threatened to come over to Olivia's home and bang on the door if she canceled their lunch date today. As Abby looks up from her watch she smiles when she sees Olivia walking toward the table. Abby thinks her friend looks absolutely beautiful, the quintessential mother-to-be.

"Olivia, you look wonderful. Pregnancy certainly suits you", Abby says as she stands and gives her friend a hug.

"Thanks, Abby", Olivia smiles weakly as she slides into the booth.

"I will probably be a big fat, pimply-faced cow whenever Jonathan knocks me up."

Olivia has mastered the art of pretending, of displaying the face people expect a mother-to-be to wear. Everyone expects her to be glowing and happy all the damn time because she is bringing a bundle of joy into the world. But the fact of the matter is she is not happy and has not been happy for several weeks. She feels like she is unraveling and she does not understand why. Up until a few weeks ago everything in her life was wonderful. She has a handsome husband who everyone knows loves her deeply and she loves him just as deeply. They both have careers they love. They have a beautiful home, terrific friends and family, for the most part. And they are pregnant with their first of five children according to her husband. By all accounts this should be the happiest time of her life, but it is not.

After she got over the morning sickness at the end of the first trimester she really began to enjoy her pregnancy. She and Fitz started planning the nursery and shopping for baby clothes and furniture. They both liked how her body was changing, how she was becoming curvy. She had a voracious appetite and all sorts of cravings which her husband willing accommodated more than once by making 2:00 am runs to the local convenience store. And their sex life was the best it has ever been since they first met. Life was good.

But now that she is in the long stretch of her pregnancy something has changed. No, everything has changed. No one, including her husband, knows that she spends most of her days in bed with the covers pulled over her head. And when she has to go out in public, like today, it takes her three or more hours to get out of bed and dressed. And she has lost her desire for just about everything. For socializing. For food. For sex. This morning she felt obligated to fuck her husband, and after the torturous act was over she had to crawl out of bed and make him breakfast. And today she knows she has to meet Abby for lunch because her friend is beginning to get suspicious about of all the cancelled engagements. And, she knows Abby was not in the mood today for any more of her feeble excuses.

' _If I don't see you at 12:30 today at 52 I'm coming over to your house, Mrs. Grant.'_

So as she sits across from Abby, well-polished, she pretends to be the happy and glowing mother-to-be. However, Abby is smart and perceptive. While she has only known Olivia Grant for five months, she has learned how to interpret her friend's moods. And she knows something is not quite right with the smiling woman sitting across from her.

"Spill Olivia. What's going on with you? And don't tell me nothing", Abby says sternly.

Olivia begins to cry before the words finish rolling off of Abby's tongue.

"Aww sweetie, what's the matter?" Abby softens her tone and slides her hand across the table to still Olivia's shaking hand. "Is it the hormones again?"

"I don't know, Abbs. I just don't _feel_ like myself these days."

"You're pregnant, Olivia. It's going to be a while before you start to feel like your old self again and before your body gets back to normal. But you better get used to being pregnant because Jonathan tells me that Fitzgerald plans on knocking you up at least three or four more times." Abby says as she digs into the french fries Olivia has yet to touch.

After a moment of wondering if she should come clean with Abby, Olivia decides to open up and tell her friend everything that she has been experiencing over the past few weeks. She inhales deeply before starting but the tears begin to flow again. Realizing that something is seriously wrong with her friend, Abby stops dipping the french fries in the ketchup and looks at Olivia carefully.

"What's the matter, Olivia? What's going on?"

"That's just it, Abby. I don't know what's wrong. I feel like I've been walking around in a fog lately." Olivia glances nervously around the restaurant, hoping no one can see that her mask has slipped from her face. "For the past few weeks I've been feeling – well I've been feeling _blah_."

"Say more - tell me more", Abby says with concern.

"Well, before I turned seven months everything was fine." She shakes her head from side to side as if she is trying to dislodge whatever has her stuck. "Fitz and I have been shopping for the baby and getting the nursery ready, but now I no longer feel like myself. I feel like I've lost myself – like I'm losing my mind."

Olivia stops talking for a moment to see how Abby is processing what she just shared. Abby nods for her to continue.

"It's not just normal pregnancy stuff either, Abby", rubbing her stomach absently. Most days I can hardly get out of bed and I have no interest in doing anything. This morning I had to force myself to have sex with my husband and it felt horrible, and I love Fitz with all my heart."

Olivia grabs the linen napkin from the table and wipes the tears that are streaming down her face.

"After Fitz leaves for work in the mornings I crawl back into bed. All I want to do is pull the covers over my head and block out the world. Thank god for Mona, she's been handling everything at the office since whatever this is started." She glances at Abby again.

"And before Fitz comes home from work I order dinner and have it delivered to the house. Abby, I don't know what's happening to me, but I don't want to go on living like this."

Abigail's green eyes widen at her friend's confession and she moves over to Olivia's side of the booth and places a comforting arm around her shoulders. She knew something was wrong with Olivia but she had no idea things were this bad.

"Aww, sweetie. Have you told Fitzgerald about any of this?"

Olivia shakes her head no.

"He's so excited about the baby and has been traveling so much lately. I just don't want to bother him."

Abby rolls her eyes.

"Have you talked with your doctor about these symptoms?"

Olivia shakes her head no.

"I feel silly, Abby. I wouldn't know what to say to him."

"Are you eating?" Abby asks.

She looks at her plate of french fries and shakes her head from side to side.

"I don't have much of an appetite either, Abbs. And I know that can't be good for the baby." She wrings her hand in despair.

"You have to talk to your doctor, Olivia. You need to make an appointment with your doctor ASAP and tell him what's going on."

"I'm scared, Abby. I don't want anything to happen to this baby. Fitz will be so disappointed if something happened to the baby."

"Nothing is going to happen to your baby. In a few months you're going to deliver a beautiful baby boy or girl. And no matter what I think about helpless Fitzgerald, he is handsome and you two are going to have a beautiful baby."

"He's a good man, Abby."

"You need help, Olivia. You can't do everything now and definitely not after the baby comes. You have to teach him, Olivia."

"I taught him how to do some cooking when we we're dating, but Fitz is more of a traditionalist than I realized."

"Does he cook now?"

Olivia shakes her head no.

"Well he needs to become a non-traditionalist and start helping you around that big house he just had to have. Olivia, the man graduated from the US Naval Academy. He was a Captain in the Navy, commanding and organizing the peons for god's sake. You mean to tell me he doesn't know how to do anything around the house?"

"Not too much."

"Then you have to put your foot down, Olivia. You're not his mother or his maid. Those Grant men all like to be babied and that mother didn't do them any favors. She has ruined her sons for any woman. They are all smart and successful but they are useless around the house. They all think they should be taken care of. I see how that father sits around and is catered to by that woman. I told Jonathan I won't have any of it."

"What did he say?"

"He thinks I'm crazy and I want him to continue to think that", Abigail wiggles her eyebrows and smiles deviously.

Olivia bursts out laughing.

"But really Olivia, Fitzgerald is going to have to start doing more to help you. You're pregnant and he can't expect you to do everything and run your business too."

The waiter comes to their table to check if they need anything else.

"Yes, give my friend an order of the grilled chicken with the penne pasta", Abby says while grabbing the plate of french fries Olivia has not touched. "You have to eat and I mean real food, Olivia."

"Sounds like things have gotten really serious with you and John."

"He can be such an ass sometimes, but I think I love him. He thinks I'm crazy because I don't take any of his crap. I told him I'm not like his mother so don't expect all that coddling shit from me."

Olivia holds her belly with her left hand as she laughs and wipes the tears rolling down her face with the other hand.

"I don't think she likes me, by the way. Once John and I were over there visiting and the woman actually tried to put an apron on me so I could help her to bake John's favorite cookies. I told her I buy my cookies from the grocery store and walked out of that hot kitchen."

Olivia is in hysterics when the waiter returns and sets the entrée in front of her. Not realizing how hungry she was, she begins to devour the food.

"You're killing me, Abby."

"You know you're the only one I let call me Abby. I hate that nickname shit."

"Why is that?" Olivia asks while chewing a mouthful of pasta.

"Olivia, I grew up in a small town – very poor – dirt poor and nobody ever called anyone by their birth name. One day my mother took me to the dentist, which was a rarity, for a toothache and the receptionist called Abigail to come back to see the dentist and I didn't move. I just sat there like a clod. When the woman came over and asked me if I was Abigail I told her my name was Abby and everyone in the waiting room burst out laughing. One kid sitting there with his fat father said I was stupid because I didn't know my own name. Olivia, I was so embarrassed I just wanted to cry. But I wouldn't give those idiots in the waiting room the satisfaction of seeing me cry."

I'm sorry Abby. I'll call you Abigail from now on", she says, looking at her friend sadly.

"That's okay. I let you call me Abby because I like you", she says smiling softly at her friend. "You know I've only told that story to you and Jonathan. I love him but I still won't let him call me Abby."

Olivia shakes her head at the complicated woman.

"Now back to the Grants. That father, Gerry, well he rules that damn house. I told Jonathan I won't be calling him Big Gerry either."

"He can be a bit tough", Olivia says after chewing another mouthful of chicken.

"And what's up with you and Benjamin by the way?"

Olivia tenses slightly and looks blankly at the comical redhead.

"Don't give me that look. You know he has a thing for you." Abby dips more french fries into the ketchup.

"Nothing's up. Bennie and I have been friends since high school. We had the same circle of friends back then."

"Well you must be pregnant and blind because he definitely has a thing for you. Jonathan said Fitzgerald and Benjamin almost came to blows about it.

"I know nothing about that, Abbs."

"Mhmm", watching Olivia finish eating her lunch. "Well I'm glad you're now eating and smiling."

"Thank you, Abby. I really appreciate you listening to me. I'm feeling a little better now."

"Good, but I still want you to make an appointment with your doctor and I'll go with you. We have to get to the bottom of whatever is going on", Abby says firmly. Olivia nods, happy she now has someone to confide in.

 **XXX**

Olivia lay on the hospital bed connected to a series of monitors while sucking on ice chips and praying desperately that she can survive the next wave of contractions. A lone tear rolls down her face when the next contraction grips her uterus.

"Aww, what's the matter sweetheart?" Fitz asks, rubbing her arm tenderly.

Why did he ask such a stupid question that undoubtedly was guaranteed to send his wife into a rage?

" _What do you mean what's the matter?"_ She screams. _"My uterus feels like an army of boots are trampling all over it. The contractions hurt, Fitz! That's what's wrong."_ She spews as the next wave of contractions hit her.

"I know you're uncomfortable, sweetheart –"

" _Uncomfortable? Uncomfortable? I'm not uncomfortable. I'm in labor. I'm in distress. I'm in –"_

Suddenly the monitors begin to beep wildly and the room fills quickly with medical personnel. The couple look at each other nervously.

"Get her into the delivery room, STAT", Dr. Perry yells.

 **XXX**

"Isn't she just the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?" Olivia says looking down at their daughter who is nestled in the crook of her arm.

"She looks just like you, Liv."

"She does", Olivia agrees as she smiles at the sleeping baby. "But babe, she has your eyes and your hair color, and unfortunately your nose."

"Fitzgerald, she looks so much like Nora when she was born", Maura says.

"You mean I was beautiful from the beginning?" Nora jokes.

"Hold her, babe." Handing her husband their daughter.

Fitz' eyes brim with tears as he looks at the sleeping infant.

"She is absolutely beautiful. She's perfect", Fitz says while cradling his daughter.

"Well Fitzgerald, you and Olivia have done a fine job with this one. Four more to go", Gerry states and Abigail rolls her eyes at the ridiculous man.

"Well, we should leave the new parents alone so they can spend time with Cee –Cee", John says.

Everyone in the room turns and looks at John because of the nickname he just gave the three-hour-old baby. Abigail rolls her eyes again at the nickname.

"What?" John asks as everyone looks at him. "She looks like a Cee-Cee to me. I'm not going to call her Cena."

Fitz shakes his head.

"Olivia, I will stop by the house to make sure everything is ready for when your parents arrive later this evening. I'm sure Fitzgerald has not done a thing."

"Thank you Maura, but I already got everything ready for my parents' visit."

"Well I'm sure there is always something else that can be done."

Abigail rolls her eyes again and walks over to Olivia's bed.

"Olivia, Cena is absolutely beautiful. You and Fitzgerald did a terrific job."

"Thank you _Abigail_ ", Fitz says, looking up from the sleeping baby.

"I'll stop by tomorrow when I get off work to see you both."

"Thanks for everything, Abby", Olivia smiles at her friend with gratitude in her eyes.

"Come on Jonathan, let's go."

"Hey, why is it that Liv gets to call you Abby?"

"Because I like her. Now let's go."

 **XXX**

Olivia and Cena have been home from the hospital for three days and the new parents cannot get enough of holding their newborn and staring at her. After Cena finally fell asleep, Olivia and Fitz continue to stand at the side of the crib smiling as they watch in awe their baby.

"She is absolutely beautiful, Liv. Thank you", he says, kissing his wife on the temple.

"She is. I'm so happy she is here with us. I just want to hold her all of the time."

"She's my little Princess."

"Aww, babe. Are you getting emotional again?"

"I just want the best for her, Liv."

"She'll be fine, babe."

"I just want to do everything within my power to give her the kind of life she deserves."

"You're a good man Fitz, and you're going to be a terrific dad."

He nods, wrapping his arm around Olivia's waist and smiling at his sleeping daughter.

 **XXX**

Calvin and Gwendolyn Pope arrived three nights ago from Senegal and are staying with Olivia and Fitz for a month to help them with the baby and to spend more time spoiling their grandbaby. After a long night of helping Olivia to soothe a restless Cena, they relax at the kitchen island sipping their coffee.

"This is such a big house", Gwennie says, looking around the massive, state-of-the-art kitchen. "I don't know why they need so much house when it's just the three of them."

"It's much bigger than our former home", Calvin says, shaking his head in disapproval. "Our Livia was never so ostentatious. I hope she is staying true to her values and her faith."

Gwennie runs her hand across the island granite top and nods in agreement as Fitz and Olivia walk into the kitchen hand in hand.

"Good morning", the proud parents say in unison.

"Good morning and where is my grandbaby?" Gwennie asks.

"She's finally sleeping mom", Olivia says, taking a seat at the island.

Fitz walks over to the counter and pours a cup of coffee then sits next to his wife.

"I guess so since she was up a bit last night."

"She was?" Fitz asks in surprise.

"Yes babe she was and you slept through it all. It seems like she has her days and nights confused. She sleeps during the day and is awake at night. Was I like that?" Olivia looks at her parents.

"Yes", her parents say at once and chuckle at the memory.

"But some nights I would wake your father because I needed my sleep because I had to go to work in the morning."

"Well I had to work too", Calvin says, but we agreed to take turns getting up for your 2:00 AM feedings and diaper changes."

"So you two better cherish the times when Cena does sleep because it won't last for long."

"Babe", Fitz says. "Can you get me some breakfast? I'm starved."

"Sure", Olivia yawns as she walks toward the stove.

Gwennie and Calvin look at each other wondering why Fitzgerald cannot prepare his own breakfast.

"So Fitz, are you planning on taking some time off from work?" His mother-in-law asks.

"For what?" Looking at the woman curiously.

"Well, when we go back to Senegal Livia is going to need some help with the baby and everything", looking around the massive room.

"No, I hadn't planned on taking any time off. Liv will be home with Cena."

Olivia walks to the island and sets the plate of eggs, sausage and bacon, and home-fried potatoes in front of her husband.

"Thank you, sweetheart", he says, pecking his wife on the lips.

As Olivia starts to sit down when Fitz asks her for orange juice. Gwennie and Calvin look at each other with wide eyes as Olivia walks toward the refrigerator.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I really get a kick out reading the varied perspectives in the reviews; you all are too funny and insightful. Some of you are ready to come after our Fitz with pitchforks. Fitzy4Scandal, I love the word meddlesome, and Olivia's parents are Americans. Alexindigo, glad you picked up on how Fitz ignores/dismisses Olivia's concerns. What's up with our Fitz? You're right Reader575, what decade is Fitz from? We'll see a bit more of this later. Guest said Olivia better start using her power like Fitz used his to get that house. He sure uses his powers. Kamccarthy426, Oceans00711girl, RegalT, Abigail is ride-or-die.**

 **Chapter 7. Juggling Acts**

Olivia and Fitz have been married for four years and recently they have been struggling to find the right balance between pursuing their careers and spending time together as a family. Sometimes they feel like they are constantly moving through revolving doors because they are so busy with their work obligations. Fitz' client list has grown, which requires him to travel more often than either of them likes. And since The Pope Foundation has been recognized by Charity Watch as one of the top-rated charitable organizations in their city, Olivia's workload has increased significantly. While she is definitely happy about and proud of the recognition, the publicity has definitely generated more work for her. Various community leaders have begun to contact her wanting to learn more about the kind of the services her foundation provides.

In addition to her already long list of work activities, Olivia, at the behest of her mentor and friend, Council President Marla Briggs, has begun to network.

'Olivia, creating well-written grant proposals is only part of what makes a charity successful. You must begin to network – to build relationships with the officials who are soliciting grant proposals as well as the wealthy donors who help to fund your programs', City Council President Marla Briggs advised.

'Dear, people like to be able to put a face with the person who is asking for their money. And they don't want to just see you when you want something from them either. It's about relationship building. People, especially the wealthy, are more apt to give you their money if they have a relationship with you – if they know who you are as a person. Go and show them who you are.'

So Olivia has begun to leave the confines of The Pope Foundation to interact socially with city officials and the donor class. She has frequent lunch dates or cocktails with her growing circle of contacts, not to discuss business per se, but to develop a relationship. Over lunch or drinks she talks with them about their families, upcoming vacations, fashion, sports, or whatever topic might interest her new associates. She is building a broad network of contacts to whom she can go whenever she needs a favor and funding, of course.

Olivia is really enjoying this new aspect of her work, meeting people with whom she would not normally interact. However, networking requires her to get out of the office more, which has created another problem for her, what to do with Cena while she is out of the office. Fitz has been against enrolling Cena into daycare since Olivia returned to work after six weeks of maternity leave, and that was two years ago. He is also resistant to having a nanny, a stranger as he likes to refer to them, in their home to watch Cena during the day while they are both at work. So two years ago the only acceptable compromise was for Olivia to take Cena to work with her at The Pope Foundation. And bringing her daughter to work with was fine, in fact, she enjoyed having her baby girl with her all of the time. But two years later it is no longer practical to have Cena at the office. Cena is no longer content to be confined to the playpen surrounded by her toys, she wants her mommy to play with her all day. Unfortunately, Cena does not realize that her mommy has to work and cannot spend all of her time playing games on the floor and chasing her around the small office. When Olivia gets home in the evenings she is exhausted and most nights she has to spend a few hours in the study working so she can catch up on what she did not get done during the day. And Fitz has said more than once that he does not like that she works at home in the evenings because it detracts from family time.

As Olivia stands at the stove preparing breakfast, she thinks now would be the ideal time to raise the topic of enrolling Cena into daycare again with her husband. It is November and she knows in the next few month things are going to get really busy at the office and she won't have time to play with Cena at work.

"No Olivia, my position on this has not changed. I don't want Cena going to one of those prisons they try to pass off as a daycare. They're not appropriate for her."

" _Prison?"_ She says in disbelief. "Calling a renowned learning institution for children a prison is hardly a fair assessment, Fitz. You're being extreme."

"I don't want my daughter to be raised by a bunch of strangers. She needs to know that she is loved."

"How would Cena going to daycare be a reflection of our love for her?"

"I'm not having this conversation now", he says with finality.

He does not have time to deal with this old issue this morning. He looks at his watch and huffs.

"I have to get going or I'm going to be late.

He stands from the island and walks over and picks up Cena from her high chair and lifts her in the air, causing the little girl to squeal.

"Higher daddy, higher", Cena demands and Fitz lifts the laughing girl in the air higher.

"Daddy loves you Cee", he smiles before kissing his daughter on her oatmeal-covered face. "Mmm, that's good oatmeal, Cee."

"Daddy eat oatmeal too, mommy", the little girl says as she wipes her sticky fingers across his lips.

"Daddy has to go, Cee. Be a good girl for mommy until I get back home. Okay?"

"OK daddy."

Fitz sets Cena back into her high chair, kisses the top of her head, and turns to get his jacket.

"Where are you going? We haven't finished talking about this", Olivia says with indignation as she stands from her seat.

"This is not a discussion we're going to have today or any other day", he says definitively.

" _What?"_ she says in shock.

"Olivia, Ce –"

He looks over at Cena who is playing happily with the creamy mixture in her bowl then looks back at Olivia. Not wanting his daughter to hear what he knows is going to be another argument, he lowers his voice and speaks in a hushed tone.

"Our daughter is not going to one of those places, and that's final Olivia."

"Well she is two and she is too big to continue coming to work with me. I can hardly get anything done with her at the office. Mona helps but it's not her job to babysit our daughter", she says in an equally hushed tone.

"I have to go, Olivia."

He grabs his jacket from the back of the stool and kisses Cena once again on the forehead and starts to walk from the kitchen.

" _Fitzgerald"_ , Olivia screams out in anger.

Cena stops playing with her oatmeal and looks over at her mommy because she never hears her mommy yell.

" _Stop. Walking!"_

She is tired of being ignored. She is tired of him dismissing her concerns as if they are frivolous and unimportant. Her chest rises and falls in anger as she glares at his back. Fitz turns and sees how upset his wife is and looks down at his watch.

"I don't have time, Olivia", he says tiredly.

" _You will make time, Fitzgerald. You will make time for me and you will make time to discuss our daughter."_

He stares at her for a moment, closes his eyes, and sighs heavily.

" _Fine",_ he says in exasperation. "What is it that you want to say?"

"I can no longer do it. I can no longer take our daughter to work with me every day. It's no longer feasible. I have a business to run Fitz and I cannot do that with her wanting to play throughout the day. She needs to go to daycare."

" _I said no, and that's final."_ His nostrils flare as he glares at her.

" _Then you need to come up with another solution because I won't do it any longer."_

He huffs and looks at his watch again. He knows if he doesn't leave within the next five minutes he is going to be late for his meeting, and he hates being late. He rakes a hand through his hair in frustration and looks at Cena then back at an angry Olivia.

"Fine, my mother will watch her during the day. I'll call her from the car to make the arrangements. We will talk about this later", he says as he turns to leave.

"Have you even discussed this with your mother? You can't just spring something like this on her, Fitz."

"It doesn't matter Olivia, she isn't doing anything else - she'll do it." He walks to the foyer and grabs his brief case before slamming the front door.

 **XXX**

The first quarter of the year has always been a busy time at The Pope Foundation for Olivia and Mona. With World Water Day and Women's Day both occurring in the same month Olivia is beginning to feel somewhat overwhelmed by everything that still needs to be done to prepare for the two major events, and it's already January. To add to her stress, Olivia has been asked to speak at the Women's Day event and she has not even thought about a topic for her speech. While she is honored to have been asked to speak at the event, writing a 15-minute speech is just another thing on her ever-growing list of things she has to do.

She still has to order the brochures and giveaways for the booth she plans to have at the World Water Day event, which is being held this year at the Convention Center. She and Mona always spend weeks designing the materials to be distributed at the event. She has been revising the brochure's design on her laptop all morning when she glances down at her watch. She frowns because she has a 2:00 appointment and needs to leave now if she is going to be on time. Olivia turns off her buzzing phone, grabs her purse, and heads out for her meeting.

"Olivia, it's so good to see you. How is married life treating you?"

"I love being married and I really love being a mom, too."

"Good – good", Rev. Walker says. Have a seat, Olivia", motioning for her to sit in one of the chairs situated in front of his desk.

Olivia sits in one of the chairs and sets her purse in the other chair. Rev. Walker reclines in his squeaky leather chair and she smiles because the sound reminds her of the many times she and Fitz sat in the office for their pre-marital counseling sessions. She wonders why Rev. Walker does not oil the chair.

"And Fitz - how is he?" The man asks, twirling his eyeglasses in his right hand. "We haven't seen him around here in a while."

"Fitz is just fine, Rev. Walker. He's quite busy these days."

"Well tell him I said hello and that he is always welcome here."

"I will." Olivia smiles politely.

"Can I get you something to drink Olivia – coffee, tea?"

"No, no. Thank you, I'm fine", waving her hand in the air.

"Okay, so what can I do for you today, Olivia? What brings you here?"

"Well, as you know World Water Day is in a few months."

"Yes, yes", the reverend smiles reflectively. "Olivia, you have done a fine job over the years educating the members of Triumph Tabernacle about the need and methods to conserve water. I – we greatly appreciate you giving up your time to host the educational sessions."

"Thank you, Rev. Walker. I always enjoy sharing information about the water-related issues that face our communities. And I appreciate you allowing me to use the church's facilities to for my classes."

"Well that was the least we could do. You know the church has always been at the forefront of social change and bringing information to the community."

"Yes, and each year the attendance has grown. However, I believe we have outgrown holding World Water Day events at Triumph. Last year the turn-out was spectacular and I'm sure this year more people will want to participate now that the word has gotten out."

Rev. Walker nods thoughtfully and Olivia looks at the man closely before continuing.

"As you know Rev. Walker, the citywide World Water Day celebration will be held at the Convention Center this year."

Rev. Walker nods, listening carefully to Olivia.

"And because the Convention Center is where all the day's activities will take place, I would like to move our event to the Convention Center so we can have a presence there."

Rev. Walker nods again, waiting for Olivia to continue.

"Well …" she continues. "There will be a cost to organizations who want to participate in the event."

Rev. Walker nods.

"Well, I'm hoping that Triumph can support my foundation having a presence at the Convention Center."

"So what would this support look like – what kind of support are you looking for, Olivia?"

"I am looking to partner with Triumph. I would like Triumph to sponsor my foundation's information booth in the main hall of the Convention Center."

"So how will this partnership benefit Triumph, Olivia?"

"Triumph Tabernacle will be listed in the official event brochure as a proud sponsor of World Water Day and The Pope Foundation. And, Triumph will be recognized, on a broader scale, for supporting community awareness about water-related issues."

Rev. Walker's mouth curls down as if he is in deep thought.

"There will also be signage on and around the booth promoting our church.

"I see", Rev. Walker says."

"And …" Olivia continues quickly. "I was hoping that we could use Triumph's buses and vans to shuttle members of our congregation downtown to the Convention Center. I wouldn't want any of our members to be left out of the event just because we are moving downtown this year."

Olivia has finished presenting her proposal so she sits back in the chair and waits for Rev. Walker's response. She has learned from her attorney-husband to never over-speak, to stop talking once she has made her case.

Rev. Walker puts on his eyeglasses and leans forward, and the chair squeaks again. He opens his tablet and scrolls through the calendar application, nodding his head.

"I think a partnership between Triumph and your foundation sounds like an excellent idea, especially for such a worthy cause Olivia. With everything happening out in Flint, Michigan I think we need to do all we can to keep our community informed about issues related to our drinking water."

Olivia begins to smile but her smile is halted quickly as the reverend continues to speak.

"Of course I will have to run this by our Board."

"Of course", Olivia agrees.

"We meet this Thursday. I'll have Katie get it on the agenda for discussion."

Olivia smiles again.

"Olivia", Rev. Walker begins while looking at his calendar again. "I think we just might have the opportunity to expand our partnership."

Olivia tilts her head and looks at the man curiously.

"The bishops from the local churches meet once a month to discuss how to improve the lives of our congregations – of our communities. And I think we might be able to get other churches to contribute to your event. If we can, then you'll be able to expand _our_ presence at the Convention Center", the man says smiling kindly.

Olivia's smile is wide again.

"Don't get too excited", he raises his hand in caution. "I have to sell these men and women on the idea first."

"If anyone can sell them on the idea it will be you, Rev. Walker."

"I appreciate the vote of confidence, but some of those bishops can be quite tough. They will want to know what's in it for them – but I'll help them to understand that part."

Olivia nods.

"I will call you next week and update you on both decisions", Rev. Walker says as he stands from his seat.

"That will be terrific and thank you so much for your help Rev. Walker. I really appreciate it."

"Olivia, you have a genuine heart for helping others and I like that."

Olivia gathers her purse from the chair next to hers and walks toward the door.

"And Olivia …" Rev. Walker calls after her.

With her hand on the doorknob, Olivia turns and looks at the smiling man. "I'll see you on Sunday morning.

As Olivia leaves Rev. Walker's office she turns on her phone and sees that Fitz texted that he is taking Cena to the pediatrician. His mother called saying Cena has a slight fever and thinks the girl might be coming down with the flu. Before going home, Olivia stops at the market and buys chicken noodle soup and juice. As she walks toward the check-out line she sees a colorful stuffed monkey with a long curling tail sitting atop a display of peanuts. She grabs the monkey and places it into the shopping cart with all of the items for her baby girl.

When Olivia gets home she drops her purse and the grocery bags onto the foyer floor, grabs the small bag, and dashes upstairs to her daughter's bedroom. When she reaches the bedroom she sees Fitz pacing back and forth with Cena in his arms.

"Shhh, Cee. Everything is going to be all right. Mommy will be here soon."

With her head laying on her his shoulder, Cena wraps her arms and legs around her daddy more tightly.

"How is she doing?" Olivia asks as she rushes into the room.

When Cena hears her mommy's voice, she lifts her head and reaches for her mommy. Fitz kisses her warm cheek before handing the little girl to Olivia.

"She's still running a fever. Dr. Jordan called in a prescription that I have to go get. I wanted to get her home first and make her comfortable after we left the doctor's office."

"I have it", Olivia says, brushing Cena's curls away from her forehead. "I called Dr. Jordan after I talked to you. He told me everything and said he had already called in the prescription to the pharmacy. I knew you couldn't stop with Cee not feeling well."

He nods.

"Dr. Jordan wants us to keep her hydrated."

"I stopped at the market and picked up more juice and soup."

He nods again as he looks at the two most important people in his life.

"Let's give her a dose of the medicine and get her pajamas on so she can get comfortable."

Fitz walks over to the dresser and picks up the bag containing the medicine and colorful monkey. He smiles at the silly looking monkey when he pulls it out the bag. He opens the medicine and pours the prescribed amount into the small plastic cup, grabs the monkey, and walks over to the bed where Olivia has Cena on her lap and is putting on her pajamas.

When Cena sees the familiar plastic cup she pokes out her bottom lip and shakes her head no.

"This will make you feel better Cee", Fitz says soothingly.

Again she shakes her head from side to side and closes her mouth tightly.

"How about if daddy gives monkey some first, then you can have some. Will that be okay, Cee?"

Cena thinks about her mother's proposition as she looks back and forth between the monkey and the medicine her daddy is holding in his hand. Cena finally nods and Fitz pretends to give the monkey some medicine, then she reaches for the monkey and pulls it close to her chest.

"Open Cee", Fitz says. And she does, scrunching her face when the awful tasting medicine makes contact with her tongue.

"Take a sip of water Cee", Olivia says when Fitz hands her the small bottle of water from the nightstand.

Olivia slides against the headboard with Cena still sitting on her lap.

"I'll stay with her until she falls asleep", Olivia says, looking worriedly at Fitz.

He nods and pulls the comforter over his girls and kisses Cena on the cheek.

"Feel better Princess, okay?"

Cena nods her head lethargically, the medicine has already begun to do its job.

"I'm going downstairs to make a few calls", looking at his wife sadly.

Olivia nods and continues to rock Cena. After about a half-hour Cena is in a deep sleep so Olivia slides from the bed and goes downstairs. As she walks toward the foyer to get the bags she left there earlier, she hears Fitz on the phone in the study on what sounds like a business call.

"Okay David. I will see you in the morning at 8:45."

When Fitz disconnects the call, a call comes through from his mother.

"Cena is going to be fine mom. Thank you for calling me. Dr. Jordan says she has the flu and prescribed some medication."

" _I'm sorry I had to disturb you at work but I couldn't get ahold of Olivia."_

"Olivia is with Cee now, mom. Everything is fine."

" _I'm glad to hear that my granddaughter is going to be fine, Fitzgerald. But …"_

"But what mom", running his hand through his hair. He is not in the mood for his mother's advice about his wife.

" _Fitzgerald, you should speak with Olivia about turning off her phone during the day. It's problematic when these kinds of emergencies occur and I cannot contact her because she has shut off her phone."_

In exasperation Fitz slides his palm down the side of his face.

"Thanks again mom for everything and have a good night", he says before disconnecting the call.

Fitz walks into the kitchen where he sees Olivia putting away the soup and juice she bought from the market.

"How is she doing?" Fitz asks walking over to the pantry and taking the can Olivia is trying to set on the top shelf.

"She's sleeping now. And she is still a little warm and has a runny nose."

Olivia opens the refrigerator and sets the bottles of apple and orange juice on the shelf. She realizes she needs to go grocery shopping when she looks at the sparsely populated shelves.

"The medicine will help her sleep for awhile."

Fitz finishes setting the cans of soup on the top shelf in the pantry, steps back, and looks up at the items on the shelf. He wonders how she is going to get them down later.

"Dr. Jordan says she will need to stay home in bed for two to three days", he says, walking over and opening the refrigerator. He frowns when he sees the almost empty shelves.

"Okay", Olivia says, holding the globe grapes she bought from the market under the running water. She turns off the water, pats the grapes dry, and places them into a blue glass bowl.

"There's nothing in here to eat", he says, still peering into the refrigerator.

She pinches a few grapes from the bunch and walks over to the refrigerator where her husband seems to be trying to will food to appear.

"Open", she says, plopping a couple of grapes into his mouth. Then she pulls open the meat bin and grabs the package of chicken breasts. She opens the vegetable crisper and pulls out the broccoli.

"Dinner will be ready in a half-hour", she says, taking the items over to the sink. Olivia looks over her shoulder and sees her husband popping more grapes into his mouth as he sits at the island.

"You know you're going to ruin your appetite."

"Not a chance, I'm too hungry to do that", he says with a mouthful of grapes. "So you'll be staying at home with Cee for the next few days", looking down at his tablet.

Holding the chef's knife she is using to cut the broccoli crowns from the stalk, Olivia turns from the cutting board and looks at her husband.

" _What?"_

"Cee is sick. She can't go back to my parents for a few more days."

"Fitz, I can stay home with Cee on Thursday and Friday but I have to be in the office tomorrow. Mona and I still have lots to do for Women's Day and World Water Day in March. You'll have to stay home with her tomorrow."

"You're joking, right?" He says, turning around with a look of incredulity spread across his face. "I have an important client meeting in the morning - I can't stay home."

"Well can't you reschedule the meeting?" She asks, absently waving the chef's knife back and forth. "I'm sure your client will understand if you tell them you have a sick child at home."

"Liv, I'm not going ask my client to reschedule a meeting that has been planned for weeks just so I can stay home and babysit."

" _Babysit?_ I hardly call staying home to comfort your sick daughter babysitting, Fitz."

"Liv, you know what I mean."

"No I don't know what you mean, Fitz."

"It's just you have more flexibility to change your schedule because of the kind of work you do."

"What does that mean?" She asks, gripping the knife tightly.

"I just mean the demands of a non-profit are not as pressing as those of a for-profit business."

He does not realize she is getting angry and with each word he is only digging himself deeper and deeper into a hole.

"So what are you saying your work is more valuable than mine?"

"What? I said no such thing."

"So you'll stay home with Cee tomorrow?"

"No, I already said I can't do it Olivia", he says firmly. His anger is obviously rising.

"You can't or you won't?" She fires back, and they glare at each other from across the room.

"I have to get that", he says tersely as he walks from the kitchen to retrieve his ringing phone.

Olivia slams the knife onto the granite countertop and screams silently.

After she and Fitz have a relatively quiet dinner, Olivia calls Mona and asks her to come to her house in the morning to work because Cena is ill and she will have to work from home for the next few days. She tells Mona everything she should bring from the office so they can progress the work on the two upcoming events.

 **XXX**

Mona arrives at Olivia's house the next morning at 9:45 carrying all of the supplies they will need for the day. She is out of breath as she rings the doorbell.

"My goodness Mona", Olivia says when she opens the door. Let me take some of those things from you."

Olivia takes the portable flip chart and the bag of supplies from Mona.

"Olivia, I never realized how many different kinds of supplies we use every day."

"Have a seat Mona while I get you some coffee. The two women walk to the large family where they spread the supplies on the floor, sofa, and coffee table.

"So how is Cena feeling this morning?" Mona asks as he sits onto the sofa.

"Well she doesn't have a fever any longer, but she is still sleeping a lot."

"It's tough to see them sick when they're so young."

"I know. She was crying last night because she had a headache."

"Poor thing", Mona says as she starts to organize the supplies. "Olivia, you've done wonders with this place. It feels so warm now."

"Thank you Mona" Olivia says, walking from the kitchen with two mugs of coffee. I still think it's way too much house for just three people." Olivia glances around the family room that will serve as a makeshift office for the day.

"Just enjoy it, Olivia. There isn't anything wrong with enjoying the finer things in life." Mona advises. "Besides, I'm sure you and Fitz will be filling this house with lots of babies real soon."

"If Fitz had his way we would have three children by now", Olivia says as she sits on the sofa.

"Compromise, Olivia. Remember, marriage is all about compromise and communication."

 **XXX**

Aside from taking a couple breaks to feed Cena and give her medicine and to eat their lunch, Olivia and Mona worked straight through the day.

"I think we got everything done that we needed to do today, Olivia", Mona says, leaning against the back sofa cushion.

"There was no way we could afford to lose a day's work. I really appreciate you being so flexible and coming over here to work for the day, Mona."

"Think nothing of it, Olivia. We're able to do so much more this year since you got Rev. Walker and the other bishops to partner with the foundation."

"That was all Rev. Walker's doing. I just planted the seed", she smiles triumphantly.

As the two women wind down for the day the alarm chimes and Fitz enters the foyer and sets his brief case on the table. He wonders whose car is in the driveway as he walks toward the voices coming from the family room. He stops mid-stride when he sees that his family room has been converted into a mini Pope Foundation.

"Ladies", he says walking slowly into the room.

"Honey", Olivia jumps from the sofa to welcome her husband home. "You're home early today", pecking him on the lips.

"I wanted to get home a little early to check on Cee. How is she doing?"

"She's getting better. Thank goodness she no longer has a fever. I was able to get her to eat a little soup for lunch."

Fitz nods and glances around the room again.

"Hello Mona", walking over to shake the women's hand.

"Hello Fitz. It's good to see you again."

"You as well", he smiles trying to figure out what's going on in his family room.

"Honey, Mona is a real godsend. She agreed to work here today so we could stay on track to meet our deadlines."

"I see. Well I'll let you two get back to work. I'm going upstairs to check on Cee. It was good seeing you again, Mona."

"You too, Fitz."

Fitz looks in on his sleeping daughter who is clutching the colorful stuffed monkey under her arm. He kisses her cool forehead and turns on the lamp before quietly leaving the room. He walks down the hall to their bedroom, takes a quick shower, and changes into a pair of sweatpants and a tee shirt. For the next half-hour Fitz sits on the side of the bed checking and responding to email. After responding to the last email, he goes downstairs and sighs heavily when he sees all of the papers, pens, and the flip chart still scattered around the family room.

"Mona is gone?" He asks pressing his body against Olivia's back as she stirs the contents of the pot that has been simmering all afternoon.

"Yes. She left a few minutes ago."

"Homemade spaghetti sauce?" He asks, reaching around her and dipping his index finger into the bubbling red liquid."

"You're going to burn your finger", she says, continuing to stir the sauce.

"I love you", he kisses down the side of her neck.

"I wanted to make your favorite for dinner tonight."

He gives her another peck on the cheek and walks over and sits at the island.

"It looks like you and Mona were busy today", watching as Olivia turns on the pot filler above the stove. Now he sees why she insisted on having one installed. It is more convenient to fill large pots with water at the stove than walking back and forth from the sink to the stove.

"I didn't want to lose a whole day of work. We have so much that still needs to be done."

He nods.

"You should think about moving your operations here, Liv. You and Mona can use our study, it's more than big enough."

" _What?"_ Turning and looking at him in disbelief.

"I think it makes sense. You can work from home and Cee can stay here with you. That way we don't have to get her up so early in the morning and drag her over to my parents' every day. I've noticed how cranky she's been in the mornings lately."

"First of all, I'm the only one taking Cee to your parents' home every morning. Second, it's not practical for me to move my operations here. I'm just working from home the rest of the week until Cee feels better. Besides, we have clients coming and going throughout the day at the foundation. I don't want that for our home."

"Well maybe you can structure your schedule so you can meet with your _clients_ two days a week and you can work from home on the other days."

She flinches when he emphasizes 'clients'.

"Fitz, I have regular meetings outside of the office that I need to attend. Besides, I couldn't get a thing done with Cee being home all day. That's why your parents are watching her. It will work for the next few days because she isn't feeling well, but once she has her energy back she is going to be a handful."

Fitz frowns as he watches her slice the garlic with the large chef's knife.

 **XXX**

Fitz is elated he will be home for the next few days to spend some quality time with his family. He feels like he is missing out on so much when he is away. Each time he comes home it seems like Cena has grown or changed in some way. When he came home yesterday he noticed she was missing a bottom front tooth, which means he missed seeing her expression when she woke up to find what the Tooth Fairy had left under her pillow. Although Olivia recorded the whole scene, it is not the same as being here in person.

"Liv, we need to start thinking about planning our spring vacation", Fitz says, watching his daughter play on the floor with her toys.

"Okay", not looking up from her paperwork. "What did you have in mind?"

"Do you think Cee is old enough for Disneyland?"

"California? I guess so. They have a pretty extensive toddler section."

"Let's do it. Let's book a trip to Disneyland. Maybe we can stop in Monterey while we're there. Do you want to go see Mickey and Goofy, Cee?"

"Yay. I want to see Mickey, daddy."

Fitz scrolls through the work schedule on his phone.

"How about the week of March 15?" He asks Olivia who is engrossed in whatever she is reading.

"No, that won't work", once again not looking up from her paperwork.

"How do you know? You haven't even checked your schedule."

"I don't have to. The whole month of March is off the table."

"Why?" Looking at his wife in disbelief.

"Babe, March is a busy month for me. Don't you remember?" She says, looking at him as she sets the pen on top the papers in her lap. He gives her a clueless look.

"Fitz, Women's Day is in March and so is World Water Day. Mona and I have been preparing for those events for quite some time now. And this year I've been asked to speak at the Women's Day event and I have lots of educational sessions planned for World Water Day."

"But Liv, if we don't go in March then I don't know when we're going to be able to get away. My schedule gets crazy after March."

"Well can't you move some things around so we can go sometime in April?"

"No, I can't just move things around. These are some important people – corporate CEOs who have already blocked off time to meet with me."

"Babe, I'm sure they'll understand if you have to reschedule because you want to spend time with your family."

"Liv, I'm sure Mona can handle whatever needs to be done."

"Fitz, it's my business and I need to be at those events."

He huffs in frustration and throws his phone across the sofa.

 **Year 6 - Two Months before Olivia Leaves**

Fitz rifles through his hanging shirts in their walk-in closet looking for his white, French cuff shirt. He walks over to the shelf where his laundered shirts are folded and grows frustrated. He has a meeting with a group of important clients this evening and he wants to wear his "lucky" cufflinks Olivia bought for his birthday.

"Liv", he calls, walking from the closet and into their bedroom.

Olivia is in the family room playing with Cena on the floor. Now that Cena is four years old Olivia likes to spend more time playing educational games on her tablet with the little girl. She is proud how Cena learned so quickly how to use the tablet.

"What a big girl you are, Cee. Are you mommy's big girl?" Olivia crawls to Cee and tickles her stomach and Cee laughs and laughs.

"Are you mommy's big girl, Cee?"

Between tickles and laughs Cee denounces being a big girl. She still likes being her mommy and daddy's baby.

" _Olivia!"_ Fitz yells over Cena's laughter.

Olivia picks up Cena and walks upstairs to their bedroom carrying the girl on her hip.

"Must you yell, Fitz? I'm right here."

"Where's my shirt?"

She rolls her eyes.

"Which shirt, Fitz? You have lots of shirts."

"The one I wear with these", opening his hand to display her birthday gift. "I want to wear them tonight."

She closes her eyes and waits for the onslaught of words because she forgot to pick up his dry cleaning after work today. After she picked up Cena from his parents' house. And after she stopped at the health food store to get his protein powder.

"I'm sorry …"

He huffs and walks into the closet to find a different shirt to wear.

"We have dinner at my parents' tomorrow night - it's Nora's birthday. Did you _remember_ to get a gift?" He calls out in frustration from the closet.

"I'll pick up one tomorrow at lunch."

 **XXX**

"Well, if it isn't the other Grants", Nora says greeting her brother and Olivia. "Hello Captain. I'm glad to see you, Liv." She sticks out her tongue at her brother.

"Happy Birthday, Nora", Fitz grimaces as he pushes past his annoying sister while carrying a sleeping Cena.

"Happy Birthday, Nora", Olivia says, hugging her sister-in-law.

"I don't know how you tolerate him, Liv."

"We got you something special - I hope you like it", Olivia says holding up the gift bag.

"You mean you got me something and I'm sure I will love it. Come on in and let's get a drink, we're going to need it with this crowd."

"Nothing for me tonight, Nora. I've been battling this headache all day and I have an early morning."

Nora looks at Olivia suspiciously.

"Well, being married to my brother I'm sure you have headaches quite often."

The entire Grant family sit around the dinner table enjoying the wonderful meal Maura prepared for Nora's birthday. Olivia sits next to Fitz, who is holding Cena on his lap. John is sitting next to his wife Abigail. Bennie is sitting next to the birthday girl. And the parents sit at either end of the table.

"I just love when the whole family gets together like this", Gerry says. "But I think it's time to start expanding the family.

"Well Abigail and I are contributing to the cause with this one in the oven", John says, patting his wife's five-month pregnant belly. It's time for Bennie and Nora to get on the bandwagon."

"I don't want any crumb snatchers anytime soon", Nora says. "Besides, I'm still young and have way too much living to do", flipping her hair in dramatic fashion. She is obviously a little tipsy.

"And Dr. Bennie needs to find a girlfriend and stop mooning over –"

"Let's have cake, shall we?" Maura says, interrupting her daughter's inappropriate comments.

"Oops", Nora says giggling.

Fitz and Bennie glare at Nora as their mother passes cake around the table to everyone. Fitz feeds Cee a forkful of cake as Olivia sips water.

"So Olivia", Gerry starts with a mouthful of cake. "When are you and my son going to give us another grandchild? Everybody knows Fitzgerald has always wanted a large family like his old man", he laughs heartily.

"You can't make babies if you're working all the time", Maura says snidely.

"We're working on it dad", Fitz says.

Abigail frowns at Fitzgerald as Olivia excuses herself from the table.

 **XXX**

Olivia is running late for her meeting so she walks quickly down the hall to the small conference room where Mona is waiting with Council President Briggs. She plasters a smile on her face before swinging open the door. After having dinner with her in-laws last night she is not in a good mood this morning.

"Marla, good morning. It's so good to see you. My apologies for having you wait."

"No worries, Olivia", the older woman says as she stands from her seat to give Olivia a hug. "Mona and I were just catching up."

"Good morning, Mona. Thank you for working with the Council President until I got here."

"Good morning, Olivia. Can I get you some tea?"

"Yes, please. And Marla, would you like more coffee?"

"No, I'm fine. Mona just gave me a refill."

"I'll get you that tea, Olivia", Mona says as she scampers quickly from the room.

"Sit down, Marla. How have you been?"

"Are you feeling all right, Olivia? You're looking a little peaked this morning." The woman eyes her carefully.

"I'm fine, Marla. It's just been a hectic morning."

Mona returns to the conference room and sets the mug of steaming tea in front of Olivia.

"Thank you, Mona", Olivia says as her assistant leaves the room.

"Marla, I really appreciate you pushing through my last proposal. Those funds are going to help a lot of people. Here is the list of families who we selected to participate in the program."

Olivia give Marla a copy of the report showing how the funds have been distributed. Marla glances at the report and sets it aside.

"You're doing good work, Olivia. By the way, how is that beautiful little girl of yours?"

"She's wonderful – growing every day." Olivia beams proudly.

"And that handsome husband of yours? He's become a real mover and shaker around these parts, and in DC."

"Fitz is fine. He's in DC today actually. He'll be back tonight."

"Well tell him I said hello", Marla says as she gathers her purse and report from the table and walks to the door. With her hand on the doorknob she stops and turns around.

"You know Rev. Walker has been asking about you."

"I'll be there on Sunday, Marla. Save me a seat."

Marla nods.

"Drink your tea, Olivia. You might want to put a little ginger in it." Marla smiles as she leaves the conference room.

 **XXX**

A month later Olivia leans back in her chair after reading an expose' on the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. She thinks about what she just read and wonders if her city has the same problem with its water source.

"What's on your mind, Olivia?" Mona asks, standing in the doorway carrying her purse and lunch bag, getting ready to go home.

"I was just wondering how safe the drinking water is in our city. I just finished reading an article on the Flint fiasco and my heart breaks whenever I think about those people, especially children.

"Olivia, first we have to determine which side of _our_ city you're talking about."

Not understanding Mona's comment, Olivia furrows her brow and looks at the woman somewhat perplexed.

"Olivia", Mona says, walking into the office and setting her purse and Bette Boop lunch bag onto the desk. "If we're talking about where you live in the suburbs where all of those big, beautiful homes are less than five years old, then no, you don't have a water problem. If you're talking about _my_ side of the city where the houses are less than 50 years old, then I probably don't have a problem." Mona sits in the hard chair next to Olivia's desk. "But if we're talking about Springfield Heights, the part of the city where my sister and her children live, then they definitely have a water problem. Maybe their problem isn't for the same reasons as in Flint, where government officials changed the water supply, but they have a problem nonetheless."

Olivia leans forward in her chair and looks at Mona with curiously.

"What do you mean, Mona?"

"Olivia, my sister lives over in Springfield Heights – has lived there for quite some time - and everybody knows about the water problem. It's been a problem for years. People in the neighborhood believe that's why there is such a high level of lead poisoning in the children that have been tested."

" _What?"_

"I guess I'm going to miss my bus", Mona says now taking off her coat. Olivia looks at her watch because she wants to get home early tonight. She has been putting in a lot of late hours at the office for the past few weeks and Fitz does not like it.

"Olivia, the city has been telling those people over in Springfield Heights that the elevated lead levels found in the children tested are due to the lead-based paint used in those old homes. That might be true in some cases, but it's also the water."

Olivia looks at Mona and nods, waiting for her to continue.

"Most of those houses in Springfield Heights are over 50 years old and still have the original plumbing – pipes in them. Lead was used to solder those pipes back then."

Olivia is astonished.

"People in that neighborhood think that's why some of the children and adults have so many health and mental issues."

"This is unbelievable", Olivia says, looking at Mona incredulously.

After Olivia drops off Mona at her home she drives to the beautiful home she shares with her husband and daughter. For a few minutes she sits in the car staring at their recently built house. She thinks about how fortunate her family is and she thinks about the unfortunate families that live in Springfield Heights and vows to do everything she can to get those families access to safe drinking water. She wipes the tears from her face and gets out of the car.

Fitz grimaces as he looks at his watch and takes another sip of scotch when he hears the alarm chime as the front door opens. Olivia sets her purse onto the table in the foyer and her brief case on the floor next to Fitz' brief case. When she walks into the family room she is pleasantly surprised to see that her husband is still awake. Her adrenaline is still pumping through her veins because of what Mona told her about Springfield Heights and she wants to tell him about what she just learned. She walks over to where Fitz is sitting with a foot planted on the edge of the coffee table, leans in, and pecks him on the cheek.

"You missed dinner", he says flatly, swirling the ice around in the glass.

"That's okay", missing the irritation in his voice. "I'm not very hungry any way."

Olivia sits next to him on the sofa and he gets up, walks over to the bar, and pours another drink.

"Missing dinner is not about your hunger, Olivia", he glares at her from across the room.

The use of her full name and the tone of his voice get her attention immediately.

"Is there something wrong, babe?" She turns around on the sofa and sees that her husband is staring at her with dark eyes.

"How long is this going to go on?" He asks tightly.

She looks at him perplexed because she has no idea what he is talking about. She hates when he does this shit to her, interrogating like she is a plaintiff in one of his cases.

"How long is what going to go on?" Tossing an open-ended question back to him. She has learned a few things from her attorney-husband.

"You haven't had dinner with Cena one night this week. Nor have you been here to tuck her in and to say good-night."

She groans silently because now he is going to list every negative about her behavior as a mother. She is quite familiar with his tactics.

"It's only been a few nights, Fitz. I'm sure Cee hardly notices."

"Well I've noticed", taking his battle stance where his fingers rest on his hips.

"Apparently so", she responds tiredly. Olivia decides to stand up to him tonight, no backing down this time.

"So answer my question", he demands.

"You don't get to interrogate me like I'm one of those helpless people you beat into submission in favor of your wealthy clients. I know your tactics, Fitz."

"My tactics keep a roof over this family", he growls.

"I didn't need all of this house – didn't want it actually. You're the one who had to have it. This was all you", she snaps.

His eyes darken and his lips curl down. He is red-faced and mad as hell.

"So are you going to answer my question?" He insists.

She does not want things to escalate so she walks over to him and tries to diffuse the situation before they both say something they will regret tomorrow.

"I'm sorry", she says softly, caressing the side of his face. She feels the stubble against her palm and smiles slightly. She has always wondered what he would look like with a beard.

"Babe, I was getting ready to leave over and hour ago when Mona stopped by my office to say good night." She pecks him on the lips and tastes the scotch she hates. He does not relent.

"She started telling me about the water problem the residents over in Springfield Heights are having - have been having for years apparently. I needed to hear because –"

"Could you solve the water problem in Springfield Heights tonight?" He asks tightly, cutting her off, checking her.

"What – no", she stutters. "Of course I couldn't solve the problem tonight."

Now he is going in for the kill. He enjoys this lawyer shit too much for her tastes.

" _That's the point",_ knowing he just checkmated her. "Whatever the problem is over there has been going on for years, Olivia. You couldn't do a damn thing about it tonight, but you chose to listen to a story about Springfield Heights rather than come home and be with your daughter."

"You know better."

He gulps down the last of his scotch and sets the glass on top of the fireplace mantle.

"I'm going to bed now", he says, walking to the foyer and climbing the stairs to their bedroom.

She looks at his retreating back in shock then walks into the kitchen to wash his glass and put it away.

 **XXX**

Feeling guilty about having missed a few meals with her family lately, Olivia gets up early the next morning to prepare breakfast for Fitz and Cena. As she starts the coffee maker she hears Fitz talking to Cena as they walk through the family room toward the kitchen.

"Mommy!" Cena yells, bouncing up and down in her daddy's arms and reaching out for Olivia to take her.

"How's my baby girl doing this morning?" Olivia asks, lifting Cena from Fitz' arms. She gives her husband their usual morning kiss on the lips.

"I have your breakfast ready", she says softly, looking up at him apologetically.

He kisses her again and walks over to the island and sits down. Olivia sets his breakfast in front of him and he begins to eat immediately.

"Ready for breakfast, Miss Cee?" She says in her most chipper voice.

"Yes, mommy."

"Okay, sit next to daddy while I get your breakfast."

"Okay, mommy."

"Liv, I have a dinner meeting with Bob Burns tonight. I won't be home until after 10:00."

"OK. Miss Cee and I will just have to manage things around here tonight without you, babe. Right Cee?"

"Without you daddy", Cena repeats after taking a sip of milk.

"Well don't get too used to it, Princess. Daddy wants to be home with his favorite girls more than anything." He taps Cena on the nose and she giggles.

Fitz finishes his breakfast then walks over to the stove where Olivia is scrambling her eggs. He wraps his arms around her waist and kisses down the side of her neck and she smiles at the feeling of his warm lips pressing against the sensitive skin. She turns and give him a real kiss.

"Are we good?" She asks softly, looking up at her husband with uncertainty.

"I love you more than anything - never doubt that - no matter what. Okay?" He looks into her eyes sincerely.

"Stay home today", looking at him through her lashes as she runs her knee slowly up and down his crotch.

His face grows flush with desire and he is getting aroused.

"Livvie. I – I …" He stammers because this is the effect she has on him.

"Stay home with me today", seductively gliding her lips slowly across his.

He backs her against the stove and runs his hand up her thigh and under the short nightgown. He is pleasantly surprised when his hand discovers she is not wearing any panties. She spread her legs slightly and smiles.

"Stay with me today, please", she says again breathlessly. And he nods repeatedly as he cups her face and devours her mouth. She kisses him in kind as she runs her fingernails through the hairs at the nape of his neck. Moans of pleasure fill the room as they get lost further and further in their sexual haze, until Cena interrupts their tongue battle.

"Mommy kiss daddy. Daddy kiss mommy", the giggling girl sings from her seat at the island.

Their daughter's giggling brings them to their senses and they pull back from each. Breathing heavily, they rest on each other's forehead and burst out laughing.

"Mommy kiss daddy. Daddy kiss mommy", Cena sings again.

"And mommy and daddy now kiss Cee", Olivia says as she and Fitz walk over and plant wet kisses all over the face of the laughing girl.

After family time of all sorts is over in the kitchen, Olivia and Cena walk Fitz to the front door to say good-bye.

"Bye daddy", Cena shouts as she looks up to the man who towers over her.

Fitz swoops up Cena and kisses her pajama-covered stomach and she laughs out loud.

"I'll see you tonight, Princess. Okay?"

"Pucker daddy."

Fitz puckers and Cena pecks him on the lips and Olivia smiles as she watches the two. Fitz kisses Olivia again and whispers they will finish what they started in the kitchen when he gets home tonight. She nods and smiles expectantly.

After cleaning the kitchen, giving Cena a bath and getting her dressed, then taking her own shower and getting dressed, Olivia drops Cena off at her in-laws. She arrives to work much later than she had planned.

Once she gets her coffee she settles into her chair and thinks about Springfield Heights. The information Mona shared with her last night has been weighing on her mind and she wants, no she needs to do something. But first she needs to find out if the problem is real. She needs to discuss the matter with some of her contacts, to get their perspective on what is going on. So she calls Dr. Marianne Harris, director of the city's Health Department. She calls Water Department Commissioner Amelia Carlson. She calls Councilman Darius Moton. And she calls Council President Marla Briggs. After she confirms that each is available for lunch next Thursday she asks Mona to make the reservation at Restaurant 52 for a party of five.

"This lunch is going to set you back by a pretty penny, Olivia. You know how much that Darius can eat, especially when it's free."

"I know", and the two women burst out laughing.

Olivia looks at her watch, she needs to pick up Cena on time tonight so she plans to leave the office at 4:00. Since Fitz will not be home for dinner she and Cena can have a mommy-daughter night. She misses not spending their special time together. Olivia continues to work on a new proposal when Mona rushes to her office out of breath.

"What is it, Mona? What's the matter?" Looking up from her paperwork with concern.

"Olivia, the residents over at Springfield Heights are having a meeting tonight in a little over an hour", Mona says looking down at her watch. "They're going to meet at the community center to discuss the water problem and all the illnesses they've been having."

Olivia's eyes widen.

"If you want firsthand information about what's going on over there then you need to go to that meeting."

Olivia looks at her watch, balls her hands tightly, and inhales deeply. She knows she cannot be late picking up Cena tonight. But if everything goes as scheduled she can go to the meeting to hear what is going on and get to her in-laws in time to pick up Cena.

"OK", grabbing her purse and car keys from her desk drawer. "Let's go."

Olivia and Mona have been sitting on the hard metal chairs for the past 20 minutes waiting for the meeting to start. People continue to filter into the small room and take their seats, but the community organizer who called the meeting still has not arrived.

"Mona, I'm going to have to leave to pick up Cee if they don't get started soon."

"Give it a few more minutes, Olivia. With all of these people here they should be getting started soon."

Olivia nods and looks around the room, which is now completely packed with standing room only. Fifteen minutes later Mona nudges Olivia and motions her head toward the front of the room.

"That's Marcella Andersen. She's the one who organized the meeting. She's the president of the neighborhood organization.

Olivia nods and looks at Marcella who has begun to take control of the room.

" _This meeting is now in order",_ Marcella shouts, banging her hand on the rickety metal table and causes it to wobble.

The room continues to rumble.

" _I said this meeting has come to order"_ , Marcella shouts again and everyone glares at the curvy woman but grows quiet nonetheless.

"We are not here to socialize", Marcella begins. "We're here to save our babies - to save our babies from the poisonous water flowing into our homes."

The crowd cheers.

"This has been going on for too long and the government keeps denying there is a problem."

"My Juwan was born healthy", a frail women yells from the front row. "But when he started pre-school I was told he couldn't keep up with the lessons and I should have him tested. They ran all kinds of mental and physical tests and the results came back that he had lead in his blood."

The woman breaks down and cries. For the next hour various residents stand and tell their story about the health and mental problems their family members have experienced over the years.

"We're going to take this to the streets", Marcella shouts. "We're going to march on City Hall and maybe then we will finally get some attention", and the crowd goes wild.

Olivia has heard enough and whispers to Mona that she has to leave. Mona nods and says they will talk tomorrow.

 **XXX**

After making a quick exit from the Springfield Heights community meeting, Olivia arrives 15 minutes late to her in-laws to collect Cena.

"Olivia, you _finally_ made it", her mother-in-law whines as she opens the door. "Gerry was just getting ready to call Fitzgerald. We have our bridge game tonight with the Tolson's and we don't want to be late."

"I'm so sorry Maura, traffic is horrendous today. I'll get Cee so you and Gerry can be on your way."

Olivia and Cena are having a fun night of making tacos while Fitz is at his dinner meeting. They chop avocado, tomatoes, and romaine lettuce and place them into little bowls. Olivia sautéed chicken breasts for Cena's taco and shrimp for hers. Cena likes the hard, crunchy taco shells while Olivia prefers the flour tortillas.

"Mommy, I like when we make tacos. They're my favorite."

"I know they're your favorite, that's why we're making them tonight."

"Can I make one for daddy?" Cena asks excitedly.

"You sure can. But daddy won't eat it tonight because he has a dinner meeting. Okay?"

"OK. He can eat it for breakfast", topping her daddy's taco with avocado.

Olivia smiles thinking Fitz is really going to enjoy eating a cold, soggy taco for breakfast.

After eating their tacos, Olivia and Cena play a few games before it is time for Cena's bath. As the little girl splashes around in the warm, bubbly water Olivia thinks about the children in Springfield Heights and shakes her head in sadness.

Once Cena is in her pajamas and in bed, Olivia begins to read Cena's favorite story. And before she can finish reading the first page, the little girl is fast asleep. Careful not to waken the little girl, Olivia slides out of the bed and goes back downstairs to clear the toys from the family room floor. She assesses the downstairs space, making sure everything is in order before going to take a hot shower. As she rinses the conditioner from her hair the shower door opens.

"Hi", he says.

"Hi", she says smiling brightly.

Fitz bends down and kisses his wife deeply, pushing his tongue into her mouth. And her hand flies to the back of his neck. He reaches down and slowly strokes her wetness and she gasps, opening her legs wide.

"Right there, Fitz. Oh, right there." She rides his hand as he swirls his tongue inside her mouth.

"You like that, Livvie?" He asks teasingly.

Unable to speak, she shakes he head from side to side.

"No?" He asks somewhat surprised. "Do you want me to stop?" He asks huskily.

Still unable to speak she shakes her head from side to side. He inserts a finger and she stiffens, then begins to ride up and down his hand. She closes her eyes as he thrusts deeper.

"Are you going to cum for me, Livvie", knowing she is on the verge of exploding.

She nods her head up and down and his finger thrusts deeper and she screams out in pleasure. The water runs into her mouth as she gasps for breath. Fully spent she slides down the slick tile wall and onto the shower floor.

"We're not finished yet, Livvie", he says, sliding her back up the wall.

Wobbly and unable to stand on her own accord, she wraps her arms around his neck, hanging on. He pushes her leg open with his knee and rubs his hardness up and down her slickness, and she quivers again.

"We're gonna fuck tonight, Livvie. Okay?"

She nods vigorously because she loves when her husband gets aggressive. He slides into her slowly, inch by inch, and they look at each other and smile. The sensation is almost unbearable. Resting his arms against the wall he starts to pump, slow at first. And she presses her hand on his taut ass, pulling him in deeper. And they ride each other nice and slow, finding their groove, as the water rains down over them. He reaches over and changes the water setting, allowing the streaming water to pulsate over the heated skin.

"Damn, Livvie", closing his eyes tight and pumping harder. "You feel so good, baby. I can never get enough of you."

She kisses him hard and his ass tightens as he releases, moaning in pleasure. They are both breathless and their legs feel like jelly. He caresses her face and looks at her like she is the only woman in the world, because for him she is.

"I love you, Olivia – more than anything – more than you can ever know."

She smiles happily because things have been somewhat tense between them lately.

"I love you too, Fitz – more than anything. You have my heart forever."

As they lay in bed thoroughly worked over and completely relaxed, Olivia snuggles into her husband's side.

"I've missed you babe", she says, "I know I've been putting in a lot of hours lately but this won't last much longer. Okay?"

He nods and kisses her on the temple.

"Fitz, sometimes I forget how fortunate we are – take it for granted really."

He kisses her again.

"Whenever I give Cee a bath it makes me think about those children in Springfield Heights who are exposed to contaminated water every day – who can't take a safe bath or drink clean water. They shouldn't have to live like that."

He wipe away the tears rolling down her face.

"It's not fair, Fitz."

"Life isn't always fair babe", tightening his arm around her shoulder.

"I have to try to help them, Fitz. I have to do something."

"It's a big job, Liv."

"I know, but I just need to try."

"Get some sleep babe", he says, kissing her again.

As Olivia sleeps Fitz lay awake thinking about the amount of time his wife's latest project is going to take away from the family. He wants Olivia to start spending more time at home, more time being a mother to their daughter. He does not like that his parents have to watch Cena during the day. He does not like that on some days Cena only sees her mother for a few minutes because Olivia leaves before Cena gets up and comes home late in the evenings. He will have to talk to her about priorities.

 **XXX**

A week after attending the Springfield Heights community meeting, Olivia sits in Restaurant 52 waiting her lunch guests to arrive. She sips water and reviews her notes as Councilman Moton walks up to the table.

"Hello Olivia", the portly man says as he extends his hand and smiles broadly.

"Darius, it's so good to see you. It's been a while. Thank you for coming. You're the first to arrive."

"I wouldn't miss this lunch for anything."

Olivia smiles.

"So how's the family – how's Yvonne?"

"The family is doing well - Yvonne is doing well. She made partner with Chambers, Naylor, and Kressner. I'm very proud of her."

"That's terrific, Darius. I'll have to give her a call and congratulate her."

"And your family? How is Fitz and that beautiful little girl of yours?"

"Fitz is fine - busy as usual. And Cena is growing every day."

"Well you tell Fitz I said hello. I haven't forgotten the fantastic job he did negotiating that deal for the city.

Dr. Marion Harris, director of the city's Health Department; Water Department Commissioner Amelia Carlson; and Council President Marla Briggs all walk up to the table together. Olivia wonders if they all drove together or if they saw each other on the way in the restaurant.

After everyone is seated and exchange pleasantries and inquiries about each other's families and the lunch orders are taken, Olivia repeats the purpose of the lunch meeting as the waitress walks away.

"Olivia, protecting children from exposure to lead is important to lifelong good health. The effects of lead exposure cannot be corrected", Dr. Harris says.

"The children are what really concern me, Marion. They already have two strikes against them. Add the side effects from drinking lead-tainted water, well we'll never break the cycle of poverty in Springfield Heights", Olivia says passionately.

"I can, without a doubt, assure you that the water we provide to the Springfield Height homes and other city residents is safe and clean", says Water Department Commissioner Amelia Carlson."

"And you know that how?" Darius questions the commissioner.

"It's my job to know these things, Darius", Amelia says smugly.

"They told the people in Flint the same thing", Darius says, stuffing the buttered bread into his already full mouth.

"Don't you dare go there, Darius." Amelia says, turning her attention to Olivia. "Olivia, our drinking water is lead-free, and there are clear differences between Flint and our city. Flint's problems stem from the city changing its water supply, which we have not done', she glances at Darius. "The city's water main, which distributes water to homes, is indeed lead-free."

The waitress returns pushing a cart loaded with their food. After setting the entrees in front of each diner, she asks if anyone needs anything else before leaving the diners to their meal. Darius digs into his salmon and risotto immediately.

"There is a higher incidence of lead in the blood of the Springfield Heights residents than there is in other city residents", Dr. Harris says. "More than 10 percent of the Springfield Heights children tested in 2014 showed elevated blood lead levels.

"Well it's not because of the water. All of us in the city drink the same water", Amelia says smugly, lifting the water glass to her lips. "The problem is in some homes throughout the city, especially those built before 1950, where water is funneled through the lead pipes in the homes.

"So are you saying the problem is with the plumbing _inside_ of the homes?" Olivia has learned from Fitz to ask open-ended questions rather than make statements that reveal what she knows or her position on a matter. She just hates when he does it to her.

"Yes, that's correct Olivia", Amelia says.

"This sounds like a significant issue", Olivia says. "How can the problem be fixed?"

"In the short term we're telling residents to flush their faucets — by letting the cold water run for three to five minutes before drinking — that can fix the issue."

" _Three to five minutes?"_ Darius says in disbelief while reaching over to snag a shrimp from Olivia's salad, which she has yet to touch. "That seems like a long time, Amelia. I think you're sending mixed messages about the city's water, considering residents have also been told to turn their faucets off whenever they're not using them in order to conserve water."

"That's only part of the problem", Dr. Harris says. "Those houses, because they are old, have lead-based paint in them. While the FDA has banned the use of lead-based paint years ago, many of these houses still have this paint in them. The children eat the paint chips, Olivia. That's another reason the lead blood levels are high."

"We have a water problem in our old schools too", Darius says, scraping the remnants of his meal from his plate.

"Let me provide a little context on this water issue", says the elegant Council President, who has been listening quietly and patiently as her esteemed colleagues bantered back and forth. "The city has conceded that lead poisoning is a problem in our city, but they say it is caused by lead-based paint in the older properties – not the water."

Darius begins to disagree but Marla raises her hand to stop his protests.

"That's the _official_ position and we have funded programs for years to remove the lead-based paint from the homes of low-income residents - the program was highly successful. The offensive paint has been removed from the homes and the children impacted are monitored and tested regularly. They all get the wraparound support they need to limit the effects the lead has on their health."

Olivia and Dr. Harris nod.

"Now, as far as the water is concerned, I will have to trust Amelia that the source of our drinking water – the water that comes into our homes – is safe."

"We add certain chemicals to the water –"

"I got it Amelia", Marla says, stopping the Water Department commissioner from giving a long-winded technical explanation of the department's water treatment practices.

"But the plumbing in the homes of certain sections of our city is old and does contain lead. The homeowners are responsible for replacing those pipes but cannot afford to do so. They can hardly afford to pay their water bill let alone replace their entire plumbing system. And, unfortunately, there are no funds to assist homeowners to replace the lead pipes."

"There is", Amelia chimes in, leaning forward. "The Water Department is developing a program to help residents to replace their lead pipes. The program will be up and running sometime in 2018. Each household will have to pay between $1,500 and $2,000 for the switch", she says proudly.

The other guests look at Amelia as if she just grew two or three more heads. Darius openly rolls his eyes at the woman's lack of sensitivity.

"Amelia dear", Marla begins. "If you're a resident of Springfield Heights and you're barely making enough to pay for your basic needs, how do you expect them to take advantage of this great program? The cost might as well be $50,000 as far as they are concerned."

The light bulb goes off in Amelia's head and Darius shakes his head at the smart but dense woman, as he grabs another shrimp from Olivia's plate."

"You may have my lunch, Darius. I'm not really hungry", Olivia says. Darius quickly slides Olivia's plate over and begins to dig into the salad.

"I don't usually eat salad Olivia but the shrimp makes this taste really good."

Olivia gives Darius a slight smile and Dr. Harris eyes him closely, thinking he needs to lose some weight.

On her drive back to the office from lunch Olivia reflects on all the information she obtained from her lunch guests. The city is aware there is a lead contamination problem but it is not caused by the water the city provides to its residents. The culprit is the old pipes in old homes and neither the homeowners nor the local and state governments have the money to fix the problem. As she waits for the traffic light to turn green, the answer to the water problem in Springfield Heights comes to her. She rushes back to the office and begins to draft her most ambitious proposal to date.

Later that evening Olivia continues to work in the study on her latest proposal to replace the pipes in the homes over in Springfield Heights when Fitz walks to the room and leans against the wall.

"Liv", he says, looking at his wife who is clearly deep in thought.

" _Olivia!"_

Startled by her husband yelling her name, Olivia almost jumps out of her seat.

"Goodness Fitz, you scared the daylights out of me."

"How much longer are you going to be down here?" He asks walking into the room.

"I don't know, I'm trying to draft a proposal. I have a meeting with Marla in a few days to test the idea with her."

"I leave tomorrow for Kansas", he says flatly.

"I know babe and I'm going to miss you. We are both going to miss you", giving him the best pouty face she can muster at the moment.

"Liv, I'll be gone for three days and my bag isn't packed yet. I have an early morning flight."

"Fitz, you're going to have to pack your own bag this time because I'm –"

"What? You always pack my bag. You know where everything is."

"Fitz, I need to finish revising this draft. Everything you need is in our bedroom."

"Come on, Liv. You do it so much better than me", he says, giving her that look that she still succumbs to.

She sighs and stands from the chair.

"Okay, but you have to watch me pack your bag this time, Fitz. I'm not going to have time to keep doing it for you", she says, trudging from the study and upstairs to their bedroom.

"Why not?" He asks, walking into the bathroom to get his toiletries. He knows how to pack his bag, after all he did it before they were married. He just likes spending this time with her before he leaves on a trip.

"Because I'm busy, Fitz. Because I have a business to run."

"It's not like the people you support are paying clients."

She stops packing his bag and walks into the bathroom where he is gathering his extra toiletries.

"What did you just say?" Putting a hand on her hip and causing his Navy tee shirt to ride up her thighs.

"What?" He looks at her confused.

"What did you just say about the people I support not paying me?"

"Well they don't. If you didn't receive public funding your clients wouldn't be able to afford your services. It's just a fact, Liv", he says, pushing past her to put his toiletries bag into the suitcase.

Olivia looks at her husband in shock, not quite sure of what to think about his comment.

 **XXX**

Olivia is becoming more excited as she explains to Council President Briggs her idea to replace the lead-base plumbing in the homes in Springfield Heights.

"That's pretty ambitious of you, Olivia."

"Marla, the residents, especially the children, who live in those homes are in danger every day of being exposed to lead-contaminated water. Nothing in that community will ever change if the people aren't healthy."

"Olivia, that community has been depressed for generations."

"Exactly. And that's why we need to do something now about the contaminated water they are drinking. Marla, you know I have a four-year-old little girl and whenever I give her a drink of water or a bubble bath I think about those children."

"I told you at lunch, neither the city nor the state has the money to fund such a program."

"I won't be asking the government to fund the program – at least not fully."

Marla tilts her head to the side and looks at Olivia curiously.

"So who do you think is going to pay for it?"

"The private sector. The number of businesses that are located in that community is unbelievable. From convenience stores to liquor stores to fast food restaurants and a few supermarkets, and a few churches she says softly. They all make money – lots of money off the residents of Springfield Heights."

Marla leans back in her chair and looks at Olivia, intrigued by the younger woman's idea.

"Marla, it's time for those businesses to give back to that community. And I don't mean candy at Halloween or a turkey at Thanksgiving. I'm talking about those business owners helping to fund the program to replace the pipes in the homes of the residents who qualify. Those businesses would not exist if the people in that community did not shop in their stores."

"So do you expect the business owners to fully fund the program?"

"We'll negotiate that", Olivia says emphatically, now pacing around the small room.

Marla nods and smiles.

"You've convinced me, Olivia. Finalize your proposal by the end of next week and give me a list of the business owners you want to pitch this to. I'll make sure they're all in the room. Then I'll push your proposal through to the City Council – get it on the docket for next month's meeting", Marla says as she begins to stand. "You know it really mattered that you were able to present your last proposal to the Council last week. They like to put a face with the paperwork.

Olivia folds her arms across her chest and nods.


	8. Chapter 8 Losing It

**A/N: Did these two not remember anything from their pre-marital counseling sessions with Rev. Walker? Fitz better not come across any of you in a dark alley. Justbecauseican43, yup to everything you said. Alexindigo, you're right, there are two sides to every story. Didn't know about Cena the wrestler but makes sense because they both like wrestling. Reader575, don't throw your iPad, you have to continue reading this story. Jane-i-need- you, you're right, this Olitz is not like the couple in canon are (used to be). They have some work to do before they can earn that unique position. Hang in there. Guest, so funny you had to take a time out. Cleo, I also hate people digging in my food. Dee you had me rolling. Reneeharris49, Liv is going to need your help packing her bags. Thanks for all of the reviews, follows, and favorites. The reviews are my entertainment. Here we go!**

 **Chapter 8. Losing It**

While Fitz is taking a hot shower he eagerly anticipates spending a relaxing evening with his wife, something they have not done in a long time. He has been traveling more than either of them likes lately and they do not get to see each other as often as he would like. But his business is growing and he has to take advantage of the requests for his services while the demand lasts. As Olivia sits in a sea of papers, she is vaguely aware of the water beating against the shower walls and her husband's humming in the adjacent bathroom. For the past few days she has been feeling extremely jittery because the pressure is on to produce her biggest and potentially most impactful proposal of her career to date. She does not want to disappoint Marla or the people of Springfield Heights who will benefit from the program so all week she has been working unusually long hours at the office and at home trying to finalize the plan. She has two days to complete the proposal and deliver it to Marla and she is still struggling to organize her thoughts. While she knows what she wants to say the words just are not coming out as coherently as she would like. Fitz walks into the bedroom with a towel wrapped around his waist and drying his hair with another smaller towel. He looks over at the bed, which is covered with sheets of paper, and he sees Olivia who seems to be confounded by whatever she is reading.

"What are you doing?" He asks, staring at her as he swipes the towel across his head.

"I'm trying to write this proposal but the words just won't come", not looking up from the papers.

"This is our bedroom", looking somewhat annoyed but Olivia is barely aware that he is speaking. "Haven't I asked you not to do paperwork in our bed?"

"Fitz, you work in our bed all of the time", still not looking up from the papers in her hand, which irritates him all the more.

"No I don't. Besides, I work on my tablet, I don't have papers spread all over our bed."

"Fine, I'll go downstairs and work in the study", getting up and grabbing the papers.

"So does that mean we won't have any time together tonight? I hardly get to see you as it is."

"I just need to finish this draft Fitz."

"Give it to me", holding out his hand. "Let me take a look at it."

"Fitz, I don't want you doing my work for me."

"And neither do I but that's the only way I'm going to get some loving around here. So give it to me."

Olivia twists her lips slightly and hands him the barely draft proposal, and Fitz sits on the side of the bed and starts marking up the pages. Olivia sits on her knees behind him and leans against his back watching intently as he revises the document. Fifteen minutes later he has virtually rewritten the proposal.

"Done", handing the stack of papers back to his wife.

With brow furrowed Olivia slowly flips through the pages, carefully reading his scrawled notes.

"This is good Fitz - really good", she says, nodding repeatedly. "Of course I'll have to do some editing", and he rolls his eyes. "But this is really good. I'm impressed babe", looking up at her husband.

"Now it's time for you to impress me", snatching the papers from her hands and tossing them onto his nightstand.

He removes her eyeglasses and sets them on top of the papers and she smiles as he crawls on top of her, kissing her with intensity. He stretches her arms above her head and works his mouth down the side of her neck to her breasts.

"I've missed you so much", he says breathlessly. "Missed these so much", devouring her nipple with tongue and teeth.

She closes her eyes tightly in discomfort.

"Mmm. I love your breasts."

He works his way down to her stomach and tongues her navel as he caresses her folds and she moans, scraping her fingernails up and down his back. She runs her foot up his side and pushes the towel from around his waist, exposing his full arousal.

"You know I get crazy when I don't see you – when I can't be with you", he says breathlessly.

"Lay on your back", she says. I want to impress you.

She straddles him and begins to work her mouth down his neck and he enjoys the attention she is paying to his Adam's apple.

"I love you more than you will ever know, Livvie."

She inhales his fresh scent and trails her open mouth down his taut abs. She knows what he wants but he will have to wait. She licks and kisses his strong thighs and his sac grows heavy in her hand as she gently squeezes the two hard rocks. He spread his legs wide and runs his hands through her hair, moaning from the attention his wife is giving him. Enjoying the way she is making love to him. Enjoying the way she is making him feel. He loves when she makes him feel wanted. Sometimes her independence makes him question if she really wants or needs him, especially when she spends so much time away from home. Sometimes he wonders how he really fits into her life. The evidence of his pleasure oozes freely into her hand and she spread the liquid slowly around the head, intensifying his pleasure. She smiles as he moves his hips and she presses a hand on his stomach, stilling his movements.

"Livvie, Livvie, Livvie", he moans in breathless anticipation. "Kiss it, baby. I need your mouth."

She knows what he likes and how he likes it so she continues to squeeze and pump.

"It feels so fucking good. Just like baby. Please don't stop."

He is in the land of ecstasy, squirming with each magical stroke. Then she clamps her wet mouth around his hardness and his breath is taken away.

"Oh my god", he groans at the pleasurable pain.

He lifts onto his elbows, watching her head bob up and down, and his heart also swells at the sight of her pleasuring him. He runs his hand through her hair and closes his eyes tight.

"Baby, I need to be in you - cum in you", he gasps.

Olivia smiles at his contorted face as she crawls up the bed and lays on her back. And he pounces on her immediately, kissing and stroking her. She opens her legs wide and he slides in with ease. They both still their movements because the feeling of being flesh to flesh is always mind blowing. Then he begins to move, stroking long and slow initially because he knows his wife, he knows what she likes. Her slickness and tightness encourage him to dip deeper and deeper until she begins to vibrate.

"Kiss me", he says huskily, holding back on his pleasure until she finds her release.

And they kiss long and slow, getting lost in the pleasure, getting lost in each other. She wraps her legs around his waist and lifts her butt, needing him to go deeper, needing to feel all of him. And he goes deeper and pumps harder. And they ride each other with complete abandon because when they are connected like this it is as if the whole world has faded away.

They rock together until he hits the spot he discovered many years ago, the spot that he knows so well. And she screams, and surely Cena will hear her screams he thinks, but in this moment he cannot remember if they locked the door. Then she begins to laugh because she is tingling all over, from her head to her toes.

"You find something funny, Livvie?" He asks in a raspy voice as he slides his arms under her and pulls her close. He loves her in this position, loves looking into her eyes as her body responds to each thrust.

He gyrates his hips, pumping hard and long, and he feels great because she feels like heaven. He pumps harder and harder and that familiar feeling builds in intensity. And after a while he tenses, holding his breath as he squeezes her tightly, as he silently cries out in joy. They remain connected until the last of his juices flow into her and his hardness fades. Panting heavily, he rolls onto his back, pulling his wife close. He kisses her on the cheek as she snuggles into his side.

"That was -"

"Beautiful. Absolutely. Beautiful", he says with the biggest smile on his face.

 **XXX**

"Liv, my flight isn't until 1:00 this afternoon so I'll be working from home for a few hours before leaving for the airport", Fitz says as he sits at the kitchen island finishing his breakfast.

"Okay babe, your bag is all packed and in the bedroom. After I drop off Cee at your parents I'll be heading over to the office."

Still feeling amorous from their multiple rounds of lovemaking last night, Olivia walks over to her husband who is focused on his tablet. She runs her tongue around the rim of his ear and kisses down the side of his neck.

"I'm going to miss you this week", she whispers in his ear.

Fitz pulls Olivia onto his lap and they kiss fervently, groping and grabbing each other in the middle of the kitchen.

"I have some time before I need to get ready to leave", he says breathlessly. "We can -"

"We can't babe", she says equally out of breath. "I have to get dressed - get Cee ready."

Olivia slides off his lap, gives him one more kiss, then goes upstairs to get ready for the day, and Fitz goes to the study to make a few calls before he has to leave for the airport. An hour later Olivia and Cena come downstairs fully dressed and ready to start their day. A sleepy Cena drags behind her mother carrying her monkey as they walk into the study.

"Come here Princess", walking over and picking up the sleepy little girl who is rubbing her eyes with her chubby fists. "Are you tired Cee?"

Cena pokes out her bottom lip and nods. Olivia folds her arms across her chest as she watches the two.

"Get some sleep in the car on the way to Grams, okay?"

Cena nods as Fitz kisses her forehead. He walks over to Olivia and gives her a deep good-bye kiss.

"We're going to miss you, babe", she says, looking genuinely sad.

"We'll talk tonight", caressing her face and looking into her sad eyes.

Olivia walks Cena to the car and buckles her into the booster seat. She slides into the driver's seat and sticks the key into the ignition and turns it. She closes her eyes when she hears the engine sputter. She pumps the gas pedal and turns the key again; she knows the routine. The engine sputters again. The third time is usually the charm she thinks as she turns the key once more. Nothing. She has drained the battery; it is dead. Olivia huffs and lay her head on the steering wheel, allowing herself a mini meltdown. After a few moments she turns around and tells a half-asleep Cena she will be right back.

Fitz is in the study on the phone with a client when he hears the alarm chime, alerting him that someone has entered the house. He frowns and furrows his brow wondering what is going on until he sees his wife hurrying into the room.

"Fitz ..."

He holds up a hand silencing her and she stops immediately when she realizes he is talking on the phone.

"Okay Don, we'll discuss it further when I arrive later this evening."

Fitz disconnects the call, tilts his head, and looks at Olivia curiously as he stands from his seat.

"I thought you left already. Is something wrong?"

She knows she is going to get another lecture about her needing a new car, but she likes her car and thinks it is a waste of money to buy a new car when hers is perfectly fine. Well it is fine most of the time.

"It's my car -"

 _"_ _Dammit_ _,_ _Olivia._ How many times have I told you to get rid of that thing and buy a new one? It's no longer reliable.

His face reddens because he has been through this with her more times than he cares to remember.

''Not today, Fitz. I need to get to the office for a meeting and I still have to drop off Cee."

He raises his eyebrows giving her a what-do-you-want-from-me look.

"I'm going to have to use your car today, Fitz - until I can have someone take a look at mine." She says hurriedly.

 _"What?_ I have to be at the airport in a few hours. You can't have my car and I don't have time to drop off you and Cena."

"Fitz, you can use Uber or Lyft to get a ride to the airport."

 _"_ _Uber?_ _I_ _don't even know how to do that._ "

"I'll do it for you, just let me have your car keys", she says digging into her purse for her phone.

"Where the hell is Cena?" He asks gruffly.

"In the car - in my car. I'll switch her to yours."

Now he is really mad. First his schedule is being disrupted because she refuses to let him buy her a more reliable car. Second she wants him to take Uber to the airport. And third his daughter is sitting in a broken down car and it does not matter that the car is in their driveway. He watches Olivia tap on her phone screen and wonders how many times his daughter has sat on the side of the road in that jalopy.

"Fitz, your car will only sit unused at the airport parking garage while you're away for the next three days. This is no big deal", extending her hand for his car keys.

"How the hell am I'm supposed to get home when I return from my trip?"

"I can pick you up or you can take Uber back home."

 _"_ _I already told you_ _I_ _don_ _'_ _t know how to use Uber_ ", he says angrily.

"Please Fitz, I need to get going. Can't we figure this out when we talk tonight?"

He grimaces as he stomps to the foyer and snatches his keys off the table. He removes his car key from the key ring and gives it to her.

"Don't lose this one", he growls. "I haven't had a chance to replace the last one you lost."

She wants to roll her eyes but she thinks better of it.

"Thank you, baby", giving him a quick peck on the lips before dashing out the door.

"I'll call Henry and have him pick up your car and figure out what the hell is wrong with it this time", he yells after her and slams the front door hard in frustration, setting off the alarm system.

 _"_ _Dammit!"_ He yells as he hurries to disarm the blaring alarm. Then he runs upstairs to shower and get dressed an hour earlier than he planned because he has to wait for the Uber driver.

 **XXX**

Later that evening the Springfield Heights community center is packed with people eager to hear the latest update on their water problem. Marcella calls the monthly meeting to order as the residents continue to file in after work.

 _"_ _I said this meeting is now in_ _order. All_ _talking_ _shall cease and everybody take a seat",_ Marcella demands.

There are a few rumblings of discontent and the eye rolls and twisted lips are directed at Marcella.

 _"Now!"_ she shouts, banging the gavel onto the shaky, metal table.

For the next half-hour Marcella gives the residents the same update she has given them for the past year. She makes the same promises about getting the water problem fixed and picketing City Hall. The attendees grumble because they have heard it all before. Some wonder why they even bother coming to these meetings. Olivia looks around the room at the frustrated faces and feels the need to give them something more than empty promises, so she raises her hand.

"Do you have a question Mrs. Grant?" Marcella asks kindly.

"Actually, I have some information I would like to share with you - with everyone", looking at Marcella for permission to continue.

"Continue Mrs. Grant", Marcella nods toward Olivia, twirling the gavel in her left hand.

As Olivia stands and sets her purse and coat onto her chair, everyone wonders when Marcella got the gavel. Olivia looks around the room at all of the eyes now focused on her and she clears her throat nervously. Although she has been attending these meetings for the past few months, since Mona told her it is the best way to understand the community's issues, she never speaks. She usually just listens to hear the progress report and the residents' grievances.

"Well, I've been attending these meetings for several months now and I sense there is some frustration because it appears that no one in city government is listening to your concerns."

"Hell no - nobody's listening. Nobody cares about us poor folk over here", someone yells from the back of the room.

"We're tired of nothing ever changing - nothing ever getting done", another man standing by the door yells.

 _"Order!_ _"_ Marcella shouts and the room reluctantly grows silent. Marcella nods her head toward Mrs. Grant, giving her permission to continue.

"And, Marcella has done a fantastic job keeping this issue alive at the City Council meetings."

Marcella smiles at the compliment until she hears the next words that come from Mrs. Grant's mouth.

"But, I think perhaps there is more we can do." Olivia glances around the room before continuing. "I think rather than being adversarial we can establish a partnership with the public private sectors and devise a plan to address the water problem here in Springfield Heights.

The residents are intrigued by Olivia's idea and spur her along with 'amens'. When she is finished, everyone is clapping and energized, well everyone except Marcella, who is visibly upset. Marcella walks slowly from behind the metal table with her lips curled down, nodding her head lowly and repeatedly, as if she is contemplating what was just said. She looks over at Mrs. Grant, who is still standing.

"So you think you're just gonna come up in here and hijack all of the good work we've been doing for the past year? Is that what you think?" Marcella snaps.

Olivia is startled by the woman's outburst and eyes the gavel Marcella is twirling in her hand.

"No- not at all", Olivia stammers.

"You need to take your skinny, uppity ass back to the rich suburbs where you live with _that_ husband of yours and leave us over here in Springfield Heights alone cause we don't need your damn help."

Marcella paces around the small area like a predator circling its prey. Sensing a showdown, the room grows quiet and everyone looks back and forth between the two women.

"I get so sick and tired of all you so-called goodie-two-shoes coming over here from your _fancy_ homes, driving up in your _fancy_ cars, trying to make a name for yourselves. Trying to make a name on the backs of the people of this community.

"I'm sorry - I didn't mean to offend -" Olivia stammers again.

"I didn't mean to offend", Marcella mocks Olivia as she walks closer. "We don't need or want you here with your _fancy_ clothes and your _fancy_ words. Go home to _that_ little girl of yours and her _father._ I've been handling things over here just fine."

Marcella concludes her tirade, rests her folded arms across her buxom breasts, and glares at a stunned Olivia, whose mouth hangs open as she blinks rapidly. She is shocked and embarrassed by Marcella's unwarranted attack, but she is not going to take Marcella's crap when all she has been trying to do is help the people of this community get access to safe and clean water. She will not have it and she will not have Marcella ridiculing her family. When she thinks about how she has been busting her butt day and night to the extent of sacrificing spending time with her own family and causing friction between her and Fitz she gets angrier. She refuses to be demeaned in this way, especially since she has done nothing wrong. So she takes a few deep breaths to steady her nerves before responding to the smirking Marcella.

 _"If_ _you don't need my damn help_ _,_ _Marcella_ _–_ _if you have been handling things so well over here, then tell me_ _why_ _the hell_ _the_ _people of this community_ _are_ _still drinking contaminated water. Tell me why_ _you_ _have not_ _gotten any_ _funds from_ _government officials_ _or business owners to fix the problem._ _"_

Olivia is mad so she takes a few steps toward Marcella and the room begins to rustle as the two women stare at each other with flaring nostrils.

 _"Tell_ _me and_ _everybody_ _here why the hell_ _their_ _babies_ _are_ _still drinking and bathing in lead poisoned water every damn day_ _if_ _you are handling things so well. Is this how_ _you_ _handle business, Marcella?_ _"_

The room is quiet and the proverbial pin can be heard dropping. Everyone watches the stare down between Olivia and Marcella, waiting to see which woman is going to make the next move. Marcella grips the gavel tightly and her large breasts rise and fall in anger as she glares at Olivia. Embarrassed by her outburst, Olivia looks around the room in horror and begins to apologize to the residents, but is interrupted immediately by a thunderous round of applause.

"I'm glad somebody finally told that fat-ass Marcella about herself'", someone yells from across the room.

"That's right. Nothing has changed here since we elected her as president of our organization."

"Our water is still dirty and nasty", someone else yells.

Olivia grabs her coat and purse and runs from the packed community center to Fitz' black BMW in the parking lot. The last thing she wanted to do was to lose her temper in front of the people who need her help the most. Her body trembles as she slides into the driver's seat and she rests her forehead on the steering wheel and lets the tears flow. She feels like everything in her life is falling apart.

Olivia pulls into their driveway and sits in the car thinking about what happened at the community center. She is still unnerved by her confrontation with Marcella and does not understand why the woman would attack her when all she has been trying to do is help. She shakes her head and looks up at the white stucco, colonial style house where floodlights have been placed strategically around the perimeter, bathing the facade and the manicured bushes and lawn with a soft white glow. It really is a beautiful home she thinks, such a contrast to the homes in Springfield Heights.

 **XXX**

After hanging up the phone from talking with her sister about what happened at last night's community meeting, Mona walks quickly down the hall to Olivia's office.

"Are you okay?"

"Thanks Mona but I don't need any tea right now."

"I mean are you okay from last night?" Mona says as she walks into the office.

"I'm fine."

"You don't have to put on a good face for me, Olivia. That Marcella can be such a hard ass at times."

"You're telling me", Olivia says sadly. "She attacked me for no reason, Mona. She said a lot of ugly things - hurtful things." A tear rolls down her cheek. "I'm sorry", wiping the tears from her face. "I don't know why I'm so emotional lately."

Mona sits in the chair next to the desk and places her hand on top of Olivia's hand.

"Now we both know _one_ reason you're so emotional", Mona says, giving Olivia a knowing look.

"Everything seems to be falling apart, Mona", now letting the tears flow freely.

Mona squeezes her hand, encouraging her to continue.

"I feel like I'm being attacked from both ends. Marcella hates me because she thinks I overstepped, and maybe I did. I just wanted the residents to know there is so much more that can be done. And Fitz is perpetually annoyed with me. It's all becoming too much. I can't seem to do anything right lately."

"Stop that. From where I sit you do a whole lot right. And Marcella is just jealous and scared."

"What do you mean?'' Olivia asks through sniffles while wiping her eyes and nose with the wad of tissues.

"Olivia, you have been able to do more for the residents of Springfield Heights in the span of a few short months than Marcella has been able to do in a year. She thinks she's losing her power in the community to you."

"But I don't want -"

"It doesn't matter what _you_ want. It only matters what Marcella believes."

Olivia thinks about what Mona said and nods.

"You know everybody over there is talking about how you put Marcella in her place."

"I have to apologize to her, Mona. My behavior was uncalled for."

"You won't apologize for a damn thing - you did nothing wrong. After you left the meeting the residents put Marcella in her place. They defended you and supported all of the work you have done on their behalf. They also lambasted her for the personal attacks. My sister said everyone wants Marcella to step down as the president."

Olivia looks stunned.

"Mona, the people of Springfield Heights need Marcella - they need an advocate. They need someone at those Council meetings to hold the local officials accountable."

"You and I both know that City Council doesn't pay Marcella any mind. She goes down there every week hollering and screaming with that bullhorn of hers and comes back with absolutely nothing. She has no influence - not like you Olivia."

"But she does have a lot of influence - she has the people. She just needs to learn how to organize them more effectively and not try to do everything by herself."

"That might be true Olivia but Marcella does not have a direct relationship with any city officials like you have. And as far as the business owners are concerned, the most she's been able to get from them is a damn turkey during the holidays."

Olivia listens intently to Mona.

"Olivia, you have written an innovative proposal to get the private and public sectors to come together to help those people."

"It's just a proposal, Mona. No one has committed to anything yet."

I have faith in you, Olivia. Once you meet with those business owners and convince them to donate the majority of the funding, I'm sure Council President Briggs will do the rest."

Olivia nods again, hoping Mona is right.

"Now about Fitz, you have to talk to him baby. Remember, marriage is about communication and compromise."

And they both laugh out loud, remembering the wrestling incident.

"I don't know, Mona. Fitz can be so rigid about certain things. I'm just tired of all the arguing. And with the new baby coming I'm feeling anxious all of the time."

Mona smiles at the confession and Olivia smiles sheepishly.

"Mona, it seems like I worry about everything lately. I worry about my marriage. I worry that I'm not spending enough time with Cena. I worry that I'm not doing enough to help the community. Some days I feel like I'm losing it - like I'm barely holding on."

"Does Fitz know that you're pregnant?"

"No", she says softly. "I haven't gone to the doctor yet to confirm, but I know", she says as her voice trails off.

"Well you have to take care of yourself Olivia - for your sake and the sake of your baby."

Olivia nods again and wipes another tear from her face.

"And Olivia, whatever you need me to do, I am here for you."

"Thank you, Mona. I appreciate that so much.

 **XXX**

A few weeks after her confrontation with Marcella, Olivia hurries from her meeting with City Council members after discussing her proposal for a private-public partnership to replace the lead pipes in the homes in Springfield Heights. As she walks to the City Hall parking lot, Olivia calls her mother-in-law to let her know she is on her way to pick up Cena. She rolls her eyes when Maura said Fitz picked up Cena hours ago. Her stomach has become more unsettled over the past few days and her mother-in-law's announcement did not help matters. She knows Fitz is going to be upset when she gets home and the thought of another argument causes her to pull over and empty the contents of her stomach on the side of the road. She grabs the bottle of water from the cup holder near the armrest and swishes the water around in her mouth before spitting it out onto the street. She then makes her way home and steels herself for the impending battle with her husband.

As Olivia walks through the front door of their home she hears Fitz talking on the phone in the family room so she goes to the kitchen to get a bottle of seltzer water. When Fitz hears Olivia enter the house he quickly discontinues his call. As she sips the cool seltzer water she hears the familiar heavy footsteps walking across the hardwood floor that lead from the family room to the kitchen. Fitz stops at the entrance to the kitchen and looks at his watch for the half-dozen time this evening. When Olivia sees the expression on his face she knows he is upset; no, he is angry with her again. His lips curl down on his reddened face as he glares at her.

"Hi", she says nervously, biting the inside comer of her lower lip.

"Where the hell have you been?" He demands as the single vein running down the middle of his forehead throbs.

"I told you I had that meeting with the -"

"Are you committed to this family?" He snaps.

"What?" Stunned by his question, her eyes widen.

"You heard me", walking toward her with his hands resting on his hips.

"That's not fair, Fitz", she retorts nervously.

" _Then_ _answer the damn_ _question,_ _Olivia._ _"_

He is mad because he is tired of his wife never being home these days. He is tired of her not having meals with him and Cena. He is tired of her putting her work before their family. He takes another step toward her and she takes a step back and her hand feels the coolness of the copper farmhouse sink. Ironically, in that moment, she remembers fondly the day they were at the plumbing showroom and selected the sink. She remembers how he joked that he was not a farmer and, therefore, they did not need a farmhouse sink. And she grows a little sad because that time in their marriage when they were so ridiculously happy seems so long ago.

"Of course I am", she says meekly.

"Well it sure doesn't feel like it. You drop off Cena at my parents all day, then you forget to pick her up so they call me. I had to leave my client in the middle of a dinner meeting to pick her up while you're off doing god knows what."

"My meeting with the City Council for the new grant ran over", weakly trying to defend her absence.

"There was no milk in this house for Cena to drink when we got home. She wanted milk so we had to go back out to the store to buy milk. He knows he could have given Cena juice or water to drink for the night, but he is angry and wants to be difficult.

"I'm sorry", trying to fight back the tears. "Where is Cee?"

"Where do you think?" He asks bitterly. "It's after 9:00, Olivia. She's in bed."

Still in his battle stance he stands inches from her and stares at her for a few moments.

"From now on I want you home at a decent hour", he says through clenched teeth. "You coming home all hours of the night and leaving before Cena and I get up in the mornings is over -starting now", he says with finality.

 _"What?_ _"_

 _"_ _Don_ _'_ _t push me on this_ _,_ _Olivia."_ He glares, daring her to challenge him.

 _"I'm_ _not_ _one_ _of_ _your_ _soldiers Fitz_ _,_ _I am_ _your wife and_ _I don't take direct_ _orders from you._ _I don't do things_ _just_ _because you_ _say so._ _I won_ _'_ _t_ _be bossed around_ _by_ _you_ _or anyone_ _else._ "

 _"Then you_ _need to think about if this marriage is what you want_ _-_ _if you're really ready for_ _a_ _family._ _You need_ _to_ _reevaluate_ _your commitment to_ _this family._

She looks at him in shock because she cannot believe he is giving her an ultimatum.

"I'm going to bed", he says angrily before turning and walking out of the kitchen.

Olivia grips the edge of the sink trying to still her shaking hands. When she is sure Fitz is upstairs she brings a hand to her mouth to suppress her crying and roiling stomach. She lurches toward the sink and pukes the contents of her stomach into the copper vessel.

"Shit", she exhales as she turns on the faucet and cups a handful of cool water to rinse her mouth.

Olivia walks to the family room and sits on the sofa and cries silently. It seems like all she does these days is cry.

 **XXX**

The next morning Olivia wakes up before her husband and daughter to prepare them a real breakfast for the first time in weeks. She slides out of bed, being extra careful not waken her sleeping husband, and makes her way downstairs to the kitchen. She spends the next hour planning Fitz and Cena's favorite breakfast foods. For him: eggs scrambled soft, sausage, home-fried potatoes, and multigrain toast. She brews his new favorite coffee and squeezes oranges for his juice. For her daughter she makes a short stack of pancakes. She pulls the plastic container with the purple lid from the refrigerator and sets it on top of the island. Cena loves using cut-up fruit to make happy faces on her pancakes.

After Olivia has prepared everything for their feast, she goes upstairs to wake Cena. As she walks into the room she stops in the doorway when she sees Cena's wild curls spread all over the pillow. She sighs heavily because after everything that happened last night she did not think about twisting Cena's hair. Olivia sits on the side of the little girl's bed and softly encourages her to wake up, but Cena groans and turns away from her mother.

"Cee, you have to the count of three to get up or the Tickle Monster will come out and get you", Olivia says playfully.

"I'm tired, mommy." Cena whines as she pulls the Dora the Explorer comforter over her head.

"One."

Cena places her hands over her ears.

"Two. The Tickle Monster is coming out, Cee."

"I'm too tired for the Tickle Monster, mommy."

"And three." The Tickle Monster appears magically and Cena starts to laugh and scream as her mommy's fingers massage her sides and stomach.

"Okay, mommy. I'll get up. No more tickles."

"OK, no more tickles. But you have 15 minutes to brush your teeth and wash your face before breakfast. Or I'll be back", she says in the worst Arnold Schwarzenegger voice.

 **XXX**

Olivia drops the bread into the toaster and quickly scrambles Fitz' eggs when she hears he and Cena chattering as they walk into the kitchen. Fitz sets Cena on her stool and she immediately plops her forehead onto the granite island top. Olivia sets Fitz' plate in front of him and sets Cena's plate in front of her head.

"Good morning", leaning in for their morning kiss but he turns his head toward his daughter.

"I'll feed Cena", he says tersely, swinging his stool around to face his daughter who is half asleep.

"Your breakfast is going to get cold."

"I'll be fine. Open wide Cee", feeding the little girl a forkful of pancakes.

"You know she is four. She can feed herself."

"She needs to know that she is loved."

Olivia looks at him dumbfounded. Her husband is being mean to her and she does not know what to do to make things better.

"I will be home by 5:00 tonight so I'll pick up Cee from your parents", she says, leaning against the sink sipping on a glass of seltzer water.

"I have a meeting in DC today. I won't be home tonight so don't forget to pick up Cena again", he says without looking at her.

Olivia watches Fitz feed their daughter for a few moments before going upstairs to their bathroom to vomit again. After emptying her stomach in the toilet she slides onto the cool tile floor and begins to cry when she reflects on their many shopping trips to the flooring showroom to select the appropriate flooring for their master bathroom. She chuckles lightly when she recalls how Fitz insisted on carpet because he does not like walking on a cold floor. Thankfully the sales associate was able to help him to understand how impractical carpet is in a bathroom, and he showed Fitz a floor heating system that would keep his toes warm at all times. Olivia remembers how Fitz' eyes lit up at the prospect of having warm tootsies all year round.

 _"_ _Liv_ _"_ _,_ Fitz stands at the bottom of the staircase calling to his wife.

Olivia wipes her mouth with the back of her hand, splashes water on her face, and rinses her mouth before hurrying to find out what her irritated husband now wants.

 _"_ _Olivia!_ _"_

"I'm coming, Fitz", she calls out as she hurries from the bathroom and down the stairs.

"I'm leaving now", his voice still laced with anger. "Cena is finished her breakfast and she's going to need a bath", glaring at her.

"I know she's going to need a bath, Fitz", Olivia says tiredly.

"I will call you this evening", turning and walking over to Cena and kissing the top of her head of curls that once again is laying on the island top.

"Bye-bye, Princess. Daddy will see you tomorrow. I'm going to miss you so much tonight."

"Bye, daddy", she says tiredly.

Fitz grabs his coat and brief case and walks from the house without acknowledging Olivia who is standing in the middle of the foyer watching her husband storm out of the door. When the door closes Olivia breaks down and cries. She is hurt because Fitz is being unkind and she is scared that she is pregnant again.

"Mommy, mommy", Cena says, running to the foyer and wrapping her arms around Olivia's legs. "Don't cry, mommy. Don't cry."

Olivia wipes the tears from her face and collects her feelings. She looks down at her beautiful daughter and fixes a fake smile on her face.

"Mommy is fine, Cee." She scoops up the little girl and carries her to the kitchen and sets her on top of the island.

"Are you sad again, mommy?" Cena asks, looking at her mother with concern.

Olivia looks into her daughter's worried eyes, the eyes she inherited from her father, and smiles brightly again.

"No, baby girl - mommy isn't sad. Something just got into my eyes. Don't you worry about mommy. Okay? Mommy is fine."

Olivia tickles Cena and covers her face with kisses until the little girl is laughing hysterically. Once Olivia is sure Cena has bought her story, she cleans the kitchen then bathes and dresses Cena, who has fallen asleep again. While Cena is sleeping Olivia takes a quick shower then gets dressed for work.

 **XXX**

A few hours later Olivia is carrying a sleeping Cena up the steps of her in-laws' home. She dreads having to deal with Maura and Gerry this morning because she is still shaken by the way Fitz is treating and she feels like she is going to vomit again. She is not in the mood for their sarcastic comments today.

"Olivia, good morning", Maura gushes when she opens the door. "And how is my beautiful granddaughter doing on this _early_ morning?" Reaching for Cena. "It's such a shame she has to get up so early."

Olivia wants to scream because every day she has to hear snide remarks about how she is failing as a wife and a mother because she chooses to have a career.

"Good morning, Maura."

"Come in, Olivia. Would you like to have breakfast? Has Cena eaten anything yet?"

"Yes Maura, Cee has had her breakfast and I must get to the office. I'm already late for my meeting."

"I see. Will Fitzgerald be picking up Cena today?" Maura asks with a slight smirk on her face.

"I will pick up Cee. Fitz is out of town on business today."

"I see. Well have a good meeting, Olivia. We will see you later", Maura says looking down at her granddaughter who is sleeping on her shoulder.

Have a good day, Maura. Bye Cee, mommy will see you later. Mommy loves you." Olivia kisses her sleeping daughter on the cheek then turns and walks away.

"And Olivia", Maura calls after her. "Don't be late today. Gerry and I have plans this evening." Olivia feels like screaming as she walks to her car.

 **XXX**

Olivia is enjoying her night alone with her daughter and away from Fitz as she watches Cena splash happily in the bubble bath. She shakes her head when she thinks about the children in Springfield Heights and how they might be getting exposed to lead while they are getting their nighttime bath.

"Cee, mommy loves you so, so much - more than anything in this whole wide world. Don't you ever forget it. Okay?"

Oblivious to her mother's dilemma, Cena smiles and continues to splash her toys in the bubbly water. After bath time is over, Olivia sits in bed with Cena and reads her daughter's favorite bedtime story. Five minutes into the story Cena is sleeping and snoring lightly. So Olivia pulls the covers over her daughter, kisses her on each cheek, and on the nose before turning off the lights and grabbing the monitor.

As she sits in bed with the proposal on her lap and sipping the hot ginger tea, Olivia smiles thinking Marla is a perceptive woman. She reads through the proposal again and is proud of the final plan. She thinks about the many families that will be helped and how lives will be changed forever if they get the needed funding. She looks over at her vibrating phone on the nightstand and closes her eyes tightly before answering.

"Hello", she says flatly. She really does not feel like fighting with him tonight.

"Hi", waiting for their response. And after a while she responds.

"Hi", rolling her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I was rude to you before I left this morning."

She rolls her eyes because she is still hurt by the way he treated her earlier.

"OK." She says, sighing tiredly.

"We need to talk, Liv."

"OK."

"We need to talk about us - our family. We need to discuss how, moving forward, we're going to balance our work and family obligations."

"OK."

"I don't want to do this over the phone, so let's talk about when I get tomorrow. I'll call my parents to let them know that Cee needs to spend the night."

"OK", she says, rolling her eyes again.

"OK then. I will see you tomorrow - around six. Good night, Olivia."

"Good night."

Olivia finishes her tea hoping she can get home from work tomorrow before 6:00.

 **XXX**

Olivia leaves work early the next day and rushes home to prepare dinner because she knows Fitz will want a home-cooked meal since his last few meals have been in DC restaurants, which he hates. While the food warms in the oven she takes a hot shower, adjusting the jets to relax her tired muscles. After her shower Olivia stands in front of the full-length mirror and assesses her body. She sighs in relief when she does not see any physical changes yet. She knows she needs to make an appointment with her doctor, and soon.

As she walks from the bedroom dressed in a black, two-piece silk loungewear, she hears Fitz' key turning in the front door's lock. She inhales deeply, walks downstairs, and braces herself for whatever is to come.

"Hi", he says, setting his overnight bag by the door.

"Welcome back", she says flatly.

He walks over and cups her face and brushes his lips lightly across her lips. He is trying to break the huge iceberg that is floating between them.

"Dinner is almost ready. Do you want to shower first?"

"Yeah, I'll take a quick one and will be right down."

Olivia nods and walks into the kitchen to prepare their plates. Over dinner he tells her about his trip and his newest client and how well the business is performing. He tells her again that he is sorry for being an ass yesterday. He tells her that he loves her very much and only wants the best for her and Cena.

"And what is the best, Fitz?"

He rubs his forehead because this is not going the way he planned.

"I was thinking, and you are right, Liv. Cee doesn't need to be with my parents. They're getting older and Cee can be a handful at times."

"So are you agreeing to enroll Cee into pre-school?"

"You know how I feel about that."

Olivia starts removing the dishes from the dining room table and taking them into the kitchen.

"Then nothing has changed", she says, slamming the dishes into the sink.

"What's changed ..."He says, getting up from the table and following her into the kitchen. "What's changed is that my parents won't be watching Cee any longer - only for emergencies."

"So again you have figured out everything."

"Liv -"

"If your parents don't watch Cee and you won't allow her to go to pre-school, then are you going to stay home and watch her?" She is beginning to get upset.

 _"_ _What?"_ He asks with incredulity.

"Are you going to stay home and watch our daughter because I have a business to run, Fitz?"

"We don't need two incomes, Liv. I make more than -"

"It's not about the money, Fitz. I built my foundation from nothing. I love what I do. I love helping the community."

"So you'd rather put the community before our family?"

"That's not fair. My work helps people."

 _"It's a goddamn hobby - volunteer work at best",_ he yells. "You get paid to do _real_ work. You barely make enough at that damn place to buy Cena's hair products."

Her eyes grow wide but she will not cry. She's tired of crying.

And he knows it was a low blow and he hates the look of hurt on her face. He crossed the line and he knew it as soon as the words left his mouth. He looks at her remorsefully, wishing he could pull back his words that linger heavily in the air.

"Liv, I'm sorry. I didn't -"

"Have. I. Ever. Asked. You. For. _Anything?"_

"Liv -"

 _"Have I?"_ She screams with her fists balled tightly. And he jumps, startled by the anger in venom in her voice.

"No", he says solemnly.

"I had that business long before I even knew you existed and I never missed a meal. I have always paid my way in this world. And for you to ..." ·

And the tears begin to fall. He steps toward her but she backs away.

"No", she says, holding up a hand to stop his advancement toward her. "I can't live like this anymore, Fitz - I won't. I can't have you dictating to me and demeaning my choices. I might not make the kind of money you make but I love what I do."

"I'm sorry, Liv. I didn't mean to – "

"That's just it Fitz, you do it all the time. It's like I don't have a voice around here. And isn't that ironic because I fight so hard to give others a voice and I don't have a voice in my own home." She glares at him. "You decide everything."

"Liv -"

"Helping people who are in need is who I am. And you knew what I cared about before we were married. And you used to do it too before you sold out, Fitz."

 _"_ _What?_ _"_

"When you were in the Navy you fought against the big corporations on behalf of the enlisted men and women. Now you've joined the other side. You've aligned yourself with the money people to help them to deny the consumer and employees the opportunity to voice their grievances."

"Is that what you think of me – of what I do?" He stares at her with a look of surprise. "I started my business to fulfill a need in the marketplace. And all businesses are in business to make money. Unlike you I didn't take a vow of poverty. So don't judge me for what I do and I won't judge you." He snaps.

"You judge what I do all the time, Fitz."

"I didn't think you would care more about your work than you would care about your family."

"I don't."

"You do. You're never home any more. We hardly spend any time together as a family. We haven't been on a vacation in forever. You seem to be trying to prove to everyone that we are not successful. You drive that old car putting our daughter's safety at risk every day because you are afraid of what people might think if you drove a new car. You're a hypocrite, Liv. I know what I am and I don't pretend to be anything else. But unlike you I don't feel guilty about my success. I love what I do and make lots of money doing it, and that's not a bad thing."

She looks at him in disbelief.

"You have guilt about not being poor, Liv. About not living in a place like Springfield Heights. About not having to drink contaminated water. Would you feel better if Cena lived in that community and drank and bathed in poisoned water? Would that make you happy? Because nothing I do seems to make you happy anymore."

"Why would you say that?" She asks sadly.

She is shocked by his revelation because she had no idea how he felt. And they stare at each other with hurt and disappointment in their eyes.

"Because it's true. You seem to want to be anywhere but here – in this house with us."

"That's not true", she fights back.

"Well that's the way it feels", he says solemnly.

"You're never home either, Fitz. You travel all the time."

"I'm trying to build a future for my family – for us. Can you say the same thing? Are you trying to build a future for our family or are you trying to build a community?"

Taken aback by the question, she looks at him dumbfounded.

"You need to figure out if you care about the community more than you care about your family."

Fitz walks away leaving Olivia standing in the middle of the kitchen with her mouth hanging open. After a few minutes of pondering his indictment, she turns off the lights, walks through the family room, and down the hall to one of the guest bedrooms.

 **XXX**

Their argument last night was raw and brutal, resulting in Fitz having a sleepless night. While he regrets some of the things he said, other things said were long overdue. He looks over at Olivia's empty side of the bed and sighs because she slept in one of the guest rooms. This is the first time in their six-year marriage they have not slept together when he is home. He rolls out of bed and quickly showers and shaves because he needs to pack for his three-day business trip.

After haphazardly throwing everything into the suitcase, he goes downstairs to the kitchen looking for Olivia. When he does not see her in the kitchen he walks to the guest room on the first floor and knocks on the door twice, but she does not answer.

"Liv – sweetheart - I'm leaving now."

 _Silence._

"Remember, I'll be gone for the next three days. Don't forget Cee is at my parents."

He closes his eyes and rakes his fingers through his hair. He knows he really messed up this time and he has to figure out how to fix it.

"I'm sorry, Livvie. I'll call you later. _Shit_ ", he says through clenched teeth as he walks down the hall.


	9. Chapter 9 Mirage

**A/N: ***WARNING*** This chapter contains a brief allusion to child endangerment. Please skip if you are sensitive to this sort of content.**

 **I see Fitz still isn't getting any love from most of the reviewers. Dee, a whip? SMH. Justbecsuseican43, Chapter 11 will elaborate on what Rev. Walker told Fitz about the changing gender roles in a marriage. YELLOW JESUS, Chapter 12 touches on the notion of women walking away. LUH, lots of good points. Michelle, interesting book about the AA journalist. If you don't mind, please send me the title. Now let's see why Olivia left and where she is. Enjoying the reviews. Here we go!**

 **Chapter 9. Mirage**

 _ **Day 1**_

Although Fitz is upstairs in their bedroom and Olivia is downstairs in the well-appointed guest room, it feels like the distance that separates them can be measured in miles and not by the long hallway and a staircase that physically divides them. They both crossed lines and attacked and counter attacked each other with impunity. The knock-down and drag-out fight was unlike anything they had experienced in their six years of marriage and neither knows if they can recover.

With knees pulled close to her chest, Olivia sniffles and leans against the headboard of the plush, queen-size bed waiting for the sun to rise. But she knows the sun does not rise nor does it set, it is always in the same position. She shakes her head at the random thought. She is exhausted, bone tired actually, and is unable to turn off her brain. It has been on overdrive all night thinking about her marriage, her career, and possibly being pregnant.

She looks around the moonlit room and chuckles mirthlessly as she remembers the many days they spent in this room trying to decide on the color scheme and suitable furniture for their guests - and that was five years ago. She shakes her head thinking never in a million years would she have imagined this room would one day become a refuge from her husband. Tired of tossing and turning and thinking, Olivia quietly leaves the house at the crack of dawn, long before he comes downstairs. She cannot face him, not after last night. Not after all of the hurtful things that were said.

As she sits in the waiting room at Dr. Perry's office she wonders how they got to the place where they could say such awful things to each other. She wonders when it all went wrong. She wonders when love stopped being enough.

 _ **Flashback**_

"I want lots and lots of babies, Liv. I've always wanted a big family", his eyes dazzle in the dark as he lay atop her in the bed in her tiny apartment.

"How many babies are you talking about, Fitz?" Enjoying the glorious attention her fiancé is giving her body.

"Four or five", he says, kissing down her stomach.

"Four or five, hunh?" She giggles.

"Yes, four or five – leaning toward five." He says breathlessly as he kisses her inner thighs.

Olivia runs her foot up and down his back, resting it on his firm butt and anticipating his next moves.

"I love children too Fitz but four or five sounds like an awful lot."

He runs his tongue around her outer lips and she begins to moan. Then he spread her wide and gives her a few leisurely licks and she moves against his mouth, needing more.

"You have to agree" using the tip of his tongue to do wondrous things to her body.

She raises her bottom from the bed silently pleading for him to take all of her into his mouth.

"Four or five", she says breathlessly. "Four or five babies."

And his lips clamp down and he sucks and sucks and sucks until she screams out in pleasure.

 _ **End Flashback**_

"Mrs. Grant."

Diane, the technician, calls out shaking Olivia from her reverie. Olivia smiles politely and follows the woman to the examination room to prepare for the familiar process. She hangs her purse on the hook fastened to the wall and steps onto the scale. Diane notes her weight then takes Olivia's temperature and blood pressure and records the data in her chart.

"Dr. Perry will be in shortly", Diane says, smiling kindly as she places the chart into the file holder hanging on the back of the door before leaving the room.

Left alone with her thoughts in the cold, sterile room Olivia tries various tactics to distract herself from everything that has been weighing on her mind throughout the night. She glances around the small room and chuckles slightly, thinking it is ridiculous that the examination table takes up half the space. She looks over at the counter holding the glass jars of cotton balls, swabs, bandages, gauze, and other medical supplies and wonders if she has cotton balls at home. After about 10 minutes of surveying the room, she hears a light knock on the door and the silver-haired, slightly balding, bespectacled doctor enters the room.

"Olivia", extending a handshake. "It is so good to see you again", sitting on the small stool across from her.

"It's good to see you too Dr. Perry", giving him a weak smile.

"So how is that beautiful little girl of yours? Cena is about four now, right?"

"Yes, Cena is now four and she is doing well - getting bigger every day."

"Good - good", rolling the stool toward her. "And how is Fitz?" He asks, examining the sides of her neck with his warm hands.

"Fitz is fine."

"Good – good", listening to her heart and lungs with the stethoscope. Dr. Perry pushes back the stool and looks at Olivia with his warm, brown eyes.

"So what brings you here today, Olivia?"

"Well …" She glances nervously around the room. "I think I might be pregnant", she says softly.

"I see. And when did you have your last period?"

"About two months ago - I think. I've been so busy lately and I'm afraid I haven't been tracking it as closely as I should."

"Mhm. Well, we'll get some urine and blood and find out what's going on. Get undressed and I'll send Diane in to get some blood then I'll be back to do the exam."

Olivia smiles slightly and her phone begins to ring as Dr. Perry leaves the room. She sees that Fitz is calling and once again lets the call go to voice mail. She undresses quickly, changes into the flimsy gown, and waits for Diane. After Diane draws the blood, Olivia lay on the examination table and slides her feet into the stirrups, and a tear rolls from the corner of her eye and down the side of her face. She feels so alone. A few minutes later Dr. Perry returns and does a Pap smear and examines her breasts. Then he inserts two fingers into her vagina and she flinches.

"Relax Olivia", he says kindly as he holds his other hand on her abdomen, checking the size of her uterus and pelvis. The poking and prodding seems to go on forever.

"We're done here", Dr. Perry says, pulling off the latex gloves and tossing them into the waste bin. "You can get dressed now Olivia then meet me in my office."

Olivia dresses quickly, grabs her purse, and walks down the hall to the doctor's private office. As she sits in one of the chairs in front of the desk her phone rings again. Once again Fitz is calling so she turns off the phone. She looks at the empty chair next to her and wants to cry. Five years ago Fitz was sitting in that same chair holding her hand while they waited nervously for Dr. Perry to confirm the results of the five in home pregnancy tests he rushed out of the house to buy.

Dr. Perry opens her chart and reviews the results from the urine and blood tests. After a few moments he looks up, removes his eyeglasses, and sets them on top of the open folder. Olivia inhales deeply and digs her fingernails into the flesh of her palm.

"Olivia, the preliminary blood and urine tests and the internal examine confirm that you are six weeks pregnant. Congratulations, you and Fitz can expect to add to your family in another seven-and-a-half months", smiling politely.

Olivia digs her fingernails deeper into her palm as Dr. Perry confirms what she already knows.

"The internal exam showed no abnormalities in your uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes. I will contact you if there is anything unusual when the full lab work comes back."

She is scared so she nods reflexively. Things are not going well between her and Fitz and this just is not a good time to bring another baby into their family. She also thinks about the problems she had in her third trimester when she was pregnant with Cena.

"Olivia dear, we must take precautions with this pregnancy and be aware of any early signs of depression."

She is in a daze so she nods when she thinks it is appropriate.

"You need to keep the stress in your life at a minimum - for the sake of you and your unborn child. Have you begun to experience any symptoms like before?"

Olivia rubs her temple and looks down at the phone in her lap and the tears begin to fall.

"I don't know. There is just so much going on right now, with work and –"

"Are things okay with you and Fitz?" Dr. Perry asks cautiously. He thinks it is odd that Fitz is not here with her.

"I don't know any more, Dr. Perry. Things have been tense between us lately."

"Does Fitz know that you suspected you are pregnant?"

Olivia shakes her head from side to side and wrings her hands, a nervous habit she noticed her daughter has adopted.

"Did you two ever discuss the emotional changes you experienced with your first pregnancy?"

"No, I didn't tell him because the feelings went away once I delivered Cena. I felt better - I felt like myself again."

"Olivia, although you didn't exhibit any signs of antenatal depression with your first pregnancy until you were well into your third trimester, you know the onset of depression can occur at any time during pregnancy."

She nods sadly.

"You must be prepared to experience some of those same symptoms again and you will need your husband to support you. Okay?"

Olivia nods again.

"You must manage your stress. Remember, emotional stress is your trigger."

She nods again thinking right now she is one big ball of stress.

"And Olivia, I want you to call me immediately if you start to experience any of the symptoms you had before or any new symptoms. Don't wait like the last time."

She nods.

"There are many interventions we can try to help get you through it. I don't want you to suffer."

Dr. Perry walks from around his desk and gives Olivia a fatherly hug.

"Everything is going to be all right. Okay?"

She nods and wipes her tears with the crumpled tissue.

"Stop at the front desk and make an appointment for your first prenatal visit in two months. I have sent over your prescription to the pharmacy so you should pick up the prenatal vitamins as soon as possible."

 **XXX**

After work Olivia stops at the pharmacy to pick up her prescription, then goes to the grocery store to get something for dinner tonight, then she goes to her in-laws to get Cena. As she drives home she is thankful that Fitz will be out of town for two more days because she needs time away from him. She needs time to think about where they go from here. He wanting her to be a stay-at-home mom is one thing, but denigrating her work, well that is something altogether different. He apparently does not respect her work and, therefore, does not respect her. She shakes her head as she thinks about how they seem to be falling apart.

Olivia sets the grocery bags on top of the island in the kitchen and places the milk, orange juice, and eggs into the refrigerator. She pulls the apples, blueberries, and strawberries from the bag and drops them into the colander sitting in the copper sink. As the cool water runs over the fruit she sets the bananas onto the counter. She smiles when she thinks about how Cena likes to use cut-up fruit to make a happy face on top of her pancakes.

While Cena plays with her toys on the floor in the family room, Olivia blinks back the tears and slides the stainless steel chef's knife from the knife block. She feels like she has been under assault for the past few weeks by her husband, by her in-laws, and by the community she is trying to support. As she thinks about everything competing for her attention she grabs a Granny Smith apple from the colander and glides the razor-sharp knife effortlessly against the skin. The sound of the knife slicing through the fruit's firm skin and flesh and landing onto the wooden cutting board reverberates in her ears as she gets lost in her thoughts.

She thinks about her confrontation with Marcella and wonders if trying to help the community is worth all of the strife it is causing in her marriage. She wonders if she should continue to extend herself to the people of Springfield Heights if her work is not appreciated. She viciously slices another apple as the tears roll down her face.

She tosses the apple slices into the plastic container and sprinkles lemon juice over them and shakes her head when she thinks about the daily degradation she has to endure when she drops off Cena at her in-laws.

When she thinks about being pregnant again she grips the knife more tightly and violently slices the strawberries. She pauses for a moment and stares blankly as the fruit's red juice oozes down the sides of the cutting board and flows across the white granite countertop.

The blood rushing through her ears sounds vaguely like ocean waves crashing against rocks and her breathing becomes shallow. In the distance she faintly hears Cena singing and she grips the knife more tightly. As if in a trance, she turns and stares at her daughter playing innocently and the hand gripping the knife begins to shake uncontrollably.

Cena claps her hands seven times, the way Miss Johnson taught the children in Sunday School when they sing _We Praise You Oh, Lord_.

 _We praise You oh Lord_

 _We magnify Your name_

 _We worship You oh Lord_

 _We magnify Your name_

 _Everybody just clap your hands,_

 _Everybody just clap your hands,_

 _Everybody just clap your hands,_

 _Everybody just clap your hands,_

 _Everybody just clap your hands,_

 _Everybody just clap your hands,_

 _Everybody just clap your hands,_

The clapping sound jerks Olivia from her trance, from her thoughts, and she gasps in horror. Cena looks up from her toys and sees her mother staring at her.

"Mommy, mommy", running into the kitchen and crashing into Olivia. Cena wraps her arms around the back of Olivia's thighs and smiles at her mother with the biggest toothless grin. "May I have fruit mommy, pleeeease?"

Olivia looks into her daughter's bright blue eyes and is terrified when she realizes the kinds of thoughts that were swirling around in her head. She stares at the knife she is clutching and covers her mouth with her other hand. The handle feels hot, like it is searing the flesh of her palm and she quickly throws it into the copper sink. She watches in horror as the expensive knife bangs around in the sink before settling at the bottom.

"Fruit mommy", Cena insists, pulling on Olivia's pants leg.

Olivia's eyes are wide as she looks at the little girl and she begins to cry.

"Don't cry mommy."

Olivia swoops up Cena and hugs her tightly, rocking her from side to side, and covering her face with kisses.

"Pucker mommy", holding her mother's face between her chubby hands the way daddy does.

"I love you, Cee. Mommy loves you so very much."

"Fruit mommy."

Olivia sets Cena on her stool at the island and places a small bowl of fruit in front of her.

"Cee, mommy has to make a phone call. Sit right here and don't move. Okay?" She says anxiously.

"Okay mommy", reaching into the bowl for a strawberry.

As Olivia hurries from the kitchen she hears Cena singing and clapping to _We Praise You Oh, Lord_. Her hand fumbles in her purse as she frantically tries to find her phone. She cannot remember where she put the thing when she got home earlier. Her fingers finally connect with the phone at the bottom of the purse and she pulls it out quickly and calls Dr. Perry, who insists she come back to his office immediately. She calls Abby and Rev. Walker and pleads with them to meet her at Dr. Perry's office right away. Then she runs up the long staircase to pack a bag for Cena.

 **XXX**

"I'm sorry to inconvenience you and Gerry, but I need you to watch Cena for a few days", trying to appear calm.

"Is something wrong Olivia? Are you all right? Is Fitzgerald all right?"

"Everything is fine, Maura. Fitz is fine. He is out of town for a few more days and I have a deadline that's causing me to work all sorts of crazy hours and I cannot do that with Cee." She smiles convincingly.

"Well Olivia, maybe it's time you start cutting back on your hours and spend more time with your family", Maura says judgmentally.

"I would really appreciate it Maura – just for a few days - until I finish this project."

"Of course, Olivia. You know Gerry and I always love having our granddaughter stay with us."

"Thank you Maura", forcing another smile. But she really wants to cry when she looks down at her daughter who is holding the colorful monkey. "Cee, you're going to stay with Grams for a few days, okay?"

"Yay. We bake cookies, Grams?"

"Of course. Anything you want, Cena."

"Give me a hug, Cee. Mommy loves you – more than anything." Olivia kisses the little girl and squeezes her tighter than ever.

"Thank you, Maura. I will call you later."

"Don't work too hard, Olivia", Maura says, closing the door and walking Cena into the house.

 **XXX**

When Olivia arrived at Dr. Perry's office Abby and Rev. Walker are already sitting in the waiting room. When Abby sees her distraught friend rush through the door she jumps from her seat with fear in her eyes.

"Olivia, what's the matter – what's wrong?" She asks with concern.

"Everything is falling apart Abby." And the tears begin to fall as she collapses into her friend's arms.

"What did Fitzgerald do?" Abby asks angrily. She knows Fitzgerald is the only person who can upset Olivia like this.

"Sit down child", Rev. Walker says, placing a comforting arm around her shoulders as he guides her to the chair.

Olivia sobs uncontrollably as she sits in the chair between Abby and Rev. Walker.

"Mrs. Grant", Nan, the receptionist, calls out and Olivia and Abby look up at the same time. "Dr. Perry is ready to see you now."

The three walk back to the doctor's private office where Olivia and Abby sit in the two chairs facing the desk. Rev. Walker lifts the chair positioned against a wall and sets it to the left of Olivia. He reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a fresh handkerchief and gives it to Olivia. Dr. Perry looks at Olivia who is visibly upset and wonders what could have happened since he saw her earlier this morning.

"Olivia dear", Dr. Perry begins, eyeing the agitated woman concern. "What has you so upset?"

Through the tears and for the next 15 minutes Olivia explains what happened when she was in the kitchen cutting up the fruit. She says she does not understand where the thoughts came from and swears she has never had those kinds of thoughts. She says she does not want anything to happen to Cena. She says she feels like she is losing her mind.

"Olivia, you are not losing your mind", Dr. Perry says gently. "Like with your first pregnancy you are suffering from antenatal depression. However, this time your symptoms have begun much earlier in your pregnancy than the last time, but that is not unusual."

Abby squeezes Olivia's hand lightly.

"But I am concerned about the kinds of thoughts you have begun to have", and the tears roll down her face. "Remember Olivia, they are just thoughts – not actions."

Rev. Walker nods as he holds Olivia's other hand.

"I wouldn't be able to live with myself if anything ever happened to Cena. Fitz would –"

"You did the right thing by calling me – by calling all of us right away."

Abby nods.

"Olivia, as we discussed, your antenatal depression stems from emotional and social stress. You said earlier that things have been tense between you and Fitz lately."

She looks down at her hands and nods and Abby eyes her closely.

"Is there anything else going on?"

"My workload has increased a lot and I am trying to do so much more with just one staff member. I guess I'm feeling overwhelmed by everything really", she says tearfully.

"Olivia, as you know bringing a new person into the world is no easy task. Some expectant mothers worry about everything. Are the foods you eat healthy enough? Is it safe to exercise? How will you juggle work and parenthood and marriage once the baby arrives? Some stress during pregnancy is normal, just as it is during other times of life. But if stress becomes constant, the effects on you and your unborn baby could be lasting."

Olivia's eyes widen and she covers her mouth with her hand.

"Now - now child. Everything is going to be all right", Rev. Walker says.

"When we're stressed", Dr. Perry continues, "Our body goes into "fight or flight" mode - sending out a burst of cortisol and other stress hormones. These are the same hormones that surge when we are in danger. They prepare us to run by sending a blast of fuel to our muscles and makes our heart pump faster. If we can deal with our stress and move on, our stress response will recede and our body will go back into balance."

Rev. Walker nods, trying to process everything Dr. Perry is saying.

"But prolonged stress, Olivia, can be damaging – it can alter your body's stress management system. And, there are some data to show that higher chronic stressors in women and poor coping skills to deal with those stressors may cause expectant mothers to miscarry."

The tears spill over the hand covering her mouth and Abby rubs her back soothingly.

"Prolonged stress may be associated with babies being born prematurely and underweight. And, they are also more likely to experience developmental delays and metabolic diseases later in life."

Abby rubs her stomach absently.

"So Olivia, you can see why it is imperative that we get your stress under control."

Olivia nods in agreement, wanting to do whatever is necessary to protect both of her children.

"Therefore, I must recommend that you remove yourself from your stressful environment for awhile. You need to relax and learn how to get your body in balance."

"You mean leave my home – leave Cena?" She asks in disbelief.

"Yes. Cena needs you to be healthy, Olivia. It's also what's best for you and your unborn baby – your whole family."

And the sheets of tears run down her face.

"Where do you suggest Olivia go?" Rev. Walker asks.

"There is a state-of-the-art facility located a little over two hours away from here -up in the mountains - that specializes in helping people who are having difficulty coping with the day-to-day challenges of life."

"Is it a mental institution?" Olivia asks with fear in her voice.

"No, no – not at all. It's a private retreat. I have referred other patients there and they have had remarkable results after their stay. I have personally met the owner and have had the opportunity to tour the accommodations and the grounds a few years ago. It's an excellent facility and the owner and his staff are dedicated to helping their guests become healthy again. Olivia, today's woman is a mother, wife, lover, teacher, homemaker, business woman, and philanthropist. She tends to the needs of her family and community and rarely asks for much in return. Being a superwoman coupled with being pregnant can be overwhelming. And sometimes women just need a little time away to relax, renew, and replenish."

"So how long do you think Olivia will have to stay at this place?" Abby asks.

"Well that will be up to Olivia and Fitz, of course."

" _Fitzgerald?"_ Abby screeches with contempt. "Why does he get a say? He's the primary cause of her stress."

"Mrs. Grant, while I am happy Olivia has a wonderful support system in both you and Rev. Walker, Fitz is Olivia's husband and he will be an integral part of her remaining healthy and stress-free when she returns home. By the way, where is your husband, Olivia?"

"Fitz is out of town for the next few days", wiping her face with the monogrammed handkerchief.

"I see. Then we should get him on the phone right away and let him know what is going on."

"No", Olivia interjects quickly. "I don't want Fitz to know anything about this. He will only insist I stay home and I need time away."

"Olivia, I wouldn't advise keeping this a secret from your husband. He will be concerned when he discovers you have left", Rev. Walker says.

"Rev. Walker, things are not good between Fitz and me right now."

Rev. Walker nods, but is unsure if Olivia is making the right decision. He believes, whenever possible, couples should work together to try to solve their marital problems.

"Fine – fine. I will support whatever you want to do, Olivia", patting her hand. "Shall I call Calvin and Gwendolyn?"

"Thank you Rev. Walker, but I don't want to involve my parents just yet."

Rev. Walker nods understandingly.

"So when do I leave, Dr. Perry?" Olivia asks nervously.

"Well I'll have to call Thaddeus and make the arrangements. After I speak with him then it will be up to you when you decide to leave. I suggest you not wait too long, Olivia."

"If you can make the arrangements I would like to leave in two days - before Fitz returns home."

"I don't think that will be a problem, but I will get back to you later this evening."

"Thank you", looking around at her support system. "I apologize for putting you all in the difficult position of keeping this secret from my husband."

Abby rolls her eyes because she does not have any qualms about keeping Olivia's secret from Fitzgerald.

"Let us all pray for Olivia before she leaves", Rev. Walker says as he stands and leads them in prayer.

 **XXX**

Dr. Perry contacted the owner of Mirage and made the plans for Olivia's stay at the holistic facility. Mirage is a luxurious and intimate retreat that boasts 50 flawlessly designed private villas and bungalows. Guests come to the retreat to escape the stress of their everyday lives. They come to be taken care of and to relax and reflect. They come to learn skills to cope with their problems.

Mirage provides healthy gourmet meals and a myriad of ways to help guests achieve health and wellbeing through personalized emotional and spiritual counseling. They receive instruction in yoga and meditation, including techniques for energizing the body and calming the mind. They have access to a state-of-the-art fitness center with top-of-the-line exercise equipment and classes. And they encouraged to walk around the beautiful grounds to experience the healing power of nature. Guests can stay at the center as long as they choose, well, as long as they can afford to stay.

 _ **Day 2**_

The next morning Olivia and Abby sit in her family room planning her escape, planning how she will get away from her stressful situation without Fitz finding her.

"I'm scared, Abby. I don't know if I'll be able to come back home before the baby is born. I don't know when I can be around Cena again."

"Just take it one day at a time, Olivia."

"Am I doing the right thing, Abby?" She asks tearfully.

"Of course you are, sweetie. But you know Fitzgerald is going look for you when he finds the letter and realizes that you're gone."

"You can't tell him where I am, Abby. I need to get healthy and I can't do that if Fitz finds me."

"Do you think he'll be able to handle things around here while you're gone – take care of Cena?"

"He'll have to – he's a smart man, Abby. I'll tell him in the letter that Cena needs to stay with him as much as possible and not with his parents. She's going to need her father until …." And Olivia starts crying again. "My little girl is going to be so confused, Abby."

"Cena is going to be fine, Olivia. Fitzgerald loves that little girl more than anything. He won't let anything happen to her."

"Fitz is going to be so hurt and angry that I left without talking to him first."

"Olivia, you can't worry about that right now. This is not about Fitzgerald. This is about you getting better."

"Abby, Fitz is a good man. I still love him - with all of my heart - even though things have not been good between us lately."

"I understand, Olivia", trying not to roll her eyes. "Now let's figure out everything we need to do before you have to leave."

Olivia closes her eyes and thinks for a minute then looks down at the papers in her lap.

"I want to make sure Cena has everything she needs while I'm gone, Abby. I want everything to seem as normal as possible for her."

Abby nods.

"I'll make sure all of her clothes are clean and in her closet and drawers so Fitz can find them easily."

Abby nods.

"I'll make sure she has all of her favorite foods in the refrigerator and pantry."

Abby nods.

"I'll make sure all of her favorite toys and books are where she can find them easily. Oh - I have to buy more hair products for her too."

"Does Fitzgerald know how to style Cena's hair?"

"He's watched me do it many times, Abby. He can do it with practice."

"Is that it?"

"I think that's it for Cena. I have a list for Fitz too."

This time Abby does roll her eyes.

"I'll do all of his laundry and put it in our closet and in his drawers so he won't have to look for anything."

"I'll pick up his suits and shirts from the dry cleaners tomorrow. I'll stock the refrigerator and pantry with food for a couple of weeks and I'll get his favorite protein powder and that coffee he likes. I think he might need more shampoo and conditioner and shaving cream too."

"Do you ever stop taking care of that man?"

And the tears begin to flow again.

"I'm going to miss my family Abby - I miss them already. I don't know what I'm going to do without them."

"It's going to be okay, Olivia. They're going to be fine. Is there anything else?"

"I guess that's it", looking down at the papers in her hand.

"Okay, now let's figure out what you need to take."

"OK."

"And don't take too much - just the essentials. You don't want to leave any clues. I'll send you whatever you need once you are settled in at Mirage. Okay?"

"Abbs, I don't know what I would ever do without you. You're the best sister-in-law ever."

"Come on, Olivia. Let's pack everything you need before I start bawling like a baby", the brash redhead says.

Olivia smiles at her friend and squeezes her hand lightly.

"Okay. I have a list of the things I want to take with me. And Abby, I won't use any of Fitz' resources to pay for Mirage. I will use my own money to pay for everything."

"He owes you, Olivia."

"I won't use his money Abby and I can't use my credit cards either. He can track me if I use credit cards. I'm going to need your help and John can't know."

"He won't know a thing. I always keep a stash of cash and credit cards that Jonathan knows nothing about. A girl, married or not, always has to have her own money."

Abby wiggles her eyebrows and Olivia laughs out loud because Abby always has that effect on her.

"I have money Abby. I just need you to use your credit card to secure my stay at Mirage. I'll pay you in cash."

"Don't worry about the money Olivia - just get better. Besides, I know where to find you", Abby smiles at her friend.

"I'm so scared Abby", Olivia says softly. "This is not like before - I didn't have Cena then." She shakes her head in despair. "I could never forgive myself if I had –"

Abby holds Olivia's face between her hands and runs her thumbs across her cheeks, wiping away her tears.

"Stop that. You're a good mother, Olivia. And Cena is fine. And this baby is going to be fine."

"I feel horrible that you're helping me when you have your own pregnancy to think about."

"I'm fine, Olivia. You worry too much."

"I just wish I could be here to enjoy your pregnancy with you."

"We'll have plenty of time for that later. You just go and get better. Okay?"

Olivia nods.

 _ **Day 3**_

Olivia got up with the sun and cleaned the house from top to bottom, making sure everything is organized and in its place before she leaves. Satisfied the house has been thoroughly cleaned, she leaves to run the long list of errands. First she goes to the dry cleaners and picks up Fitz' suits and shirts. Then she goes to the grocery store to buy his and Cena's favorite foods and other staples. From there she goes to the health food store to buy Fitz' protein powder. When she returns home she places the food in the refrigerator and pantry and sets Fitz' coffee next to the coffee maker and his protein powder next to the blender.

After organizing the kitchen, Olivia goes upstairs to their bedroom and hangs Fitz' suits in their walk-in closet and sets his folded shirts on the shelf. She walks down the hall to Cena's bedroom and assesses her little girl's room, making sure she has placed all of her favorite toys and books where she can find them easily. She wipes away the tears as she glances around the room one last time before going down to the study to write the letter.

As she stuffs the letter into the envelope, she looks at her watch and frowns because she still has a lot to do before she leaves this afternoon. After placing the letter on Fitz' pillow, she grabs her small overnight bag from the foyer and looks around the space one last time before walking outside to Abby's waiting car.

First Abby drives her to The Pope Foundation to meet with Mona. Without giving her assistant any details Olivia explains she will be going away for awhile and asks Mona to manage the office until she returns. Mona is wise and understands that Olivia cannot give her any details about where she is going. She understands it is better this way, just in case anyone questions her later.

When Olivia left The Pope Foundation Abby drives her to their in-laws to get Cena. Abby parks the car down the street while Olivia walks up the steps to the house. Needless to say Maura is surprised to see Olivia.

"Olivia, this is a surprise. Is everything all right?"

"Everything is fine Maura. I forgot that Cena has a doctor's appointment today. I will bring her back in a few hours."

 **XXX**

Olivia wanted her last day with her baby girl to be special so she allowed Cena to choose whatever she wanted to do. She wants her daughter to have happy memories of their time together because she does not know when they will see each other again. Cena wanted to go to the park and play on the slides and swings. She wanted to feed the ducks the way she does when she comes to the park with mommy and daddy. And she wanted to eat ice cream. And that's exactly what they did; played on the slides and swings, fed the ducks, and ate ice cream. After spending a few hours at the park Olivia dropped off Cena at her in-laws then she and Abby made the two-hour drive to Mirage.

 **XXX**

Rochelle, Mona's sister, called her this morning and told her that the Springfield Heights residents are still talking about ousting Marcella as president of their community organization. Things are getting out of control and all of the good work that has been done so far to help that community is in danger of being destroyed.

After Mona closed The Pope Foundation for the day she caught the 33 bus over to Springfield Heights because she needs to talk to Marcella about the incident that occurred between her and Olivia. As Mona walks down the hall of the community center she sees Marcella going into her small office and she calls out to the young woman.

"Marcella, can we talk?"

Marcella turns around and groans silently because she knows why Mona is here. She nods reluctantly and beckons Mona to come into the office.

"I guess I know why you're here, Mona", Marcella says grumpily.

"Good, then I'll get right to it. Marcella, you were wrong. What you said to Olivia was mean and spiteful. She has been nothing but helpful to this community and to you."

"Well we don't need her kind of help or want her help. She's coming up in here trying to take over. She thinks she's better than us", she says bitterly.

"Do the residents feel that way or just you, Marcella?"

Marcella ignores the question.

"She lives way out in the suburbs – in that big house with _that_ husband of hers - but she wants to come over here and tell us what to do."

"That's where you're wrong. Olivia has no interest in telling you what to do or displacing you. That's really what this is all about – isn't it? You're afraid of losing your position in the community."

"I'm not afraid of anything or anybody", Marcella snaps.

"Marcella, if you truly want to help this community – want to stop our babies from being poisoned - then you need to check your ego and personal agenda and work with Olivia."

Marcella rolls her eyes because the last thing she wants to do is work with that woman.

"Marcella, you are a beautiful and bright woman who has so much potential. You have no reason to fear Olivia. Yes she has a beautiful family and lives in a nice home, but we are all dealing with our issues."

Marcella rolls her eyes.

"Marcella, you're a passionate activist who has been working hard to support your community. But unfortunately passion and hard work are not enough to get the results this community needs. Quite frankly, your passion can become an annoyance to those you are trying to serve and to those whose help you need. If you don't properly channel that passion– if you don't learn how to use it to advance your work – then you are going to self-destruct."

Marcella twists her lips because she is not interested in hearing anything the woman has to say.

"Going to City Council every week with your bullhorn gets you nowhere and it doesn't get the residents what they desperately need."

"Those Council people listen to me", she says sharply.

"Baby, you're trying to play the game of politics without knowing the rules. And you don't just learn the rules by chance. You need someone to help you to understand the rules of engagement."

"And I guess that would be _Mrs. Grant_ because she's married to _that_ powerful husband?"

"Olivia's success has nothing to do with whom she is married to. She is bright and she has relationships with policymakers that you don't have, Marcella."

Marcella sighs heavily and walks over to the desk and begins to straighten the already straight papers.

"You know Marcella, until you get over who Olivia chooses to love – who she chose to marry – you're not going to be successful here."

Marcella rolls her eyes and looks away from Mona.

"Why do you even care who Olivia is married to? What does her husband have to do with the good work she is doing for this community?"

"Because women like her always get everything. Life is always so _easy_ for them. She has her _fancy_ talk. Her _fancy_ husband. Her _fancy_ house. Her _fancy_ daughter. _What the hell do I have, Mona?"_

" _All of my life I've had to work hard. And what do I have to show for it? You know I also live in one of those houses that's contaminated with lead. And she just breezes in here and says a few fancy words then breezes back over to that fancy house of hers. She can come and go at will Mona, but I'm stuck here. So no I don't like her and I don't like what she represents."_

The tears streaming down Marcella's face represent a lifetime of anger, hurt, and disappointment.

"Marcella, that anger – that rage you have in you is going to eat you up alive if you don't do something about it."

Marcella angrily swipes the tears from her face with the back of her hand. She does not like letting people see her vulnerable.

"Olivia hasn't done anything wrong. She's just a reminder of everything you hoped to become and you're taking out your resentments and anger on her."

"That's not –"

"It is true. Stop denying _shit_ , Marcella!"

Marcella looks at Mona in surprise because she knows the woman rarely cusses.

"It's not too late for you to become who you always dreamed of becoming – it's never too late. Take that anger, rage, fire, and passion and use it for good. Use it to help this community. But if you don't – if you continue to behave the way you did at the meeting with Olivia - trying to bully people - then you will lose the respect and trust of the people you are trying to help. Every last one of them will wonder when you will come gunning for them the way you did Olivia - and they won't have any more to do with you."

Marcella looks at Mona for a long time and Mona can see the young woman is thinking hard about what she said. She sees that Marcella is beginning to understand how her behavior might be detrimental to what she is trying to accomplish. This is Marcella's moment of truth. She can either choose to remain in her anger or release it so she can move forward and truly help the community and help herself.

"OK. I'll try it your way, Mona. I'll work with Mrs. Grant."

"Good. You've made the right decision for everyone. You know Marcella, you and Olivia have more in common than you think."

"I'll call Mrs. Grant tomorrow and apologize", she says sheepishly.

"Olivia will be away for a while. I'll let you know when she gets back in town."

"Away on a _fancy_ vacation I bet", Marcella says half joking.

Mona shoots her a didn't-we-just- have-this-conversation look.

"I was just joking, Mona. By the way, Mrs. Grant is no pushover."

"No, she's not. I think once you really get to know her you two will become fast friends."

Mona grabs her coat and purse from the chair and walks toward the door and stops. She turns and gives Marcella one last bit of advice.

"Marcella, don't chase someone else's blessings - you'll end up missing out on the blessings intended for you." The two women stare at each other for a moment. "And remember, things aren't always the way they appear."

 **XXX**

As the airplane begins its descent from the 36,000-foot cruising altitude, Fitz grows more anxious with each drop in altitude. He is getting closer to home, getting closer to the unknown. He does not know what to expect when he gets there because he has not spoken with his wife in three days. Olivia will not answer his phone calls or respond to his text messages. He knows she is still upset because she has never stopped talking to him.

When the airplane finally touches down onto the runway he inhales deeply and thinks the extra cost for a first-class seat is well worth it because he will be one of the first passengers to deplane. Once the doors are open Fitz grabs his briefcase and carry-on luggage from the overhead storage bin and dashes quickly off the airplane. He walks briskly through the terminal, making his way to the parking garage to retrieve his car. As he drives the usual route home, over the interstate, he thinks this drive is anything but usual because he never had to wonder how Olivia is going to react to him coming back home. He regrets how he let things get out of control during their fight and hopes he can fix things between them.

As he gets closer to home he thinks maybe they need to get away for awhile to reconnect, just the two of them. They have been under an awful lot of stress lately, working ridiculously long hours and not spending much quality time together. He nods his head thinking he will have his parents watch Cena so they can go to one of the places on her bucket list to watch the sunset.


	10. Chapter 10 Out of the Mouths of Babes

**A/N: Michelle, thanks for sending the book title. I also need bi-weekly maid service. LUH, I've gotten your reviews. Don't know why, but for some reason some reviews aren't posting. You made a lot of good points. BTW, you're on track about Fitz' mother. Check her out in about three chapters. Kzvalentina, not even for saving babies in China? LOL. Fifty4Scandal, Olivia didn't think about the depression after she delivered Cena. maria, you have gotten a smidgen of Fitz' PoV, hence the no love comment. More to come. ScandalAddiction, my writing is just a hobby. Clanay, Olitz is always my endgame but I like taking them through stuff first. And, Cena was playing with the neighbor's grandchildren. Remember, Cena spends a lot of time at her granddparents' home. Bujuman, Liv does need a new car. Haha. Love the reviews. Here we go!**

 **Chapter 10. Out of the Mouths of Babes**

 **Month 1**

Anxious to get home to his family, Fitz navigates his sleek, black BMW convertible sedan down the tree-lined street of huge Colonial- and Greek Revival-style homes, thinking about how to make things right with his wife. As he turns the corner to their house on Northview Drive he makes a mental note to call their travel agent in the morning to book them a flight to anywhere Olivia wants to go.

As he pulls into the driveway he is greeted immediately by the house stucco façade and the professionally manicured lawn illuminated with a soft, white glow. He smiles as he remembers the day he fell in love with the house, which was a month or so after Dr. Perry confirmed they were expecting their first child. He and Olivia toured a dozen or more houses before Joan finally struck gold. And in his mind the house was gold – perfect. The location. The size. The floor plan. It was everything he had ever wanted for his family. For him it was more than a physical structure, it was where he saw their future unfolding. It was where he saw them starting new traditions and making lasting memories. It was where he saw them raising a family and growing old together. He knew Olivia did not see the dream at the time, but he was confident she would come around and love the house as much as he did.

As he exits the car he notices the well-lit exterior is in stark contrast to the interior of the house, which is unusual for this time of the evening. He looks at his watch and thinks Cena should be getting her bath about now. He frowns slightly, hoping there is not a problem with the electricity inside of the house.

When he enters the house he punches the code on the keypad to disarm the beeping alarm system. He thinks it is odd the alarm is set because Olivia never sets it although he has asked her repeatedly to do so, especially when he is out of town. Maybe she has finally decided to listen to him he thinks as he flicks the light switch. The two-story foyer seems to come alive instantly, but not really. He sets his briefcase and luggage on the tile floor next to the table and walks down the hall toward the family room. He flicks on the lights and scrunches his face as he looks around the empty space. He thinks it is strange that none of Cena's toys are scattered around the room.

He walks into the kitchen, turns on the lights, and smiles when he pulls open the refrigerator door because he sees that Olivia has gone grocery shopping. The shelves are stocked with many of his favorites, including his beer. He nods and closes the refrigerator door, thinking maybe she is not too angry with him after all. He makes his way upstairs, which is just as dark as the first floor was when he entered the house. He flicks the light switch on their bedroom wall and the room is immediately illuminated by the recessed lights installed in the tray ceiling. With hands on his hips he furrows his brow as he looks around the room wondering where his wife and daughter are at this hour of the night. Then, from the corner of his eye, he sees an envelope that has been placed neatly atop the crisp, gray case covering his king-size pillow. He cocks his head to the side and frowns when he sees Olivia's unmistakable handwriting on the front of the envelope.

With each step toward the bed he tries to figure out what could possibly be in the envelope. He thinks it is odd that Olivia would write him a letter rather than send a text or call, which is their standard form of communication these days. In the few steps it takes to walk over to the bed, he reflects on all of handwritten letters she has sent him over the years. She always says when someone takes the time to craft a handwritten letter it conveys to the recipient the importance of the message and how much they are valued. As he lifts the envelope from his pillow, he wonders if many people still hand write letters these days. He pulls out the neatly folded matching stationery and tosses the envelope onto the bed and begins to read the message. But his brain seems unable to process what his eyes are seeing, and he blinks repeatedly, trying to decipher the words that appear disjointed and jumbled. Words like _time to think_ , _need space_ , _fighting and arguing_ , _Cena_ , _food_ , _clothes_ make no sense until he reads, ' _I am leaving and please do not look for me. I will contact you when I am ready.'_

" _What?"_ He says half to himself.

He cannot believe what he is reading. Surely this is a mistake, a joke his wife is playing on him, some sort of game. His breathing is shallow and his face is set hard as he sits slowly onto the bed and reads the letter over and over.

 _She has left?_

Unable to comprehend what is happening he sits in a daze for a long while, raking his hand through his hair repeatedly. Trying to wrap his mind around what he has read, he leans forward with elbows on his knees and stares blankly at the the paper. None of it makes any sense. He knows they had a serious fight, but leaving without talking to him is extreme. Suddenly he drops the sheet of paper to the floor and runs into the huge walk-in closet. Like a wild animal circling its prey, he paces around the room checking if she has taken her clothes. He snatches the hangers across the metal pole that hold her blouses, pants, and dresses, trying to discern if anything is missing.

He runs back into the bedroom and yanks open her lingerie dresser drawers checking if she has taken her personal items. And again, nothing appears to be out of place or missing. In the second drawer he sees the red lingerie he sent her last year while in flight from Tucson. He caresses the lace material for a moment then slams shut the drawer with such force items on top of the dresser topple over and crash to the floor. He rushes into their master bathroom to check if she has taken her toiletries, but she has not. All of her products are still lined perfectly on the limestone countertop.

She appears to be here but she is not here. He closes his eyes tight, bends forward, and grips the edge of the sink with such intensity his knuckles turn white. He cannot breathe. Grasping at straws he thinks perhaps he has misinterpreted the letter since none of her belongings seem to be missing. Perhaps Olivia is playing a cruel joke on him. But when he catches a glimpse of himself in the mirror his appearance tells him this is no joke. His eyes are wild, his hair is a tousled mess, and a sheen of sweat covers his face as the lone vein running down the middle of his forehead throbs. His heart pounds like a jackhammer and his mind is on overdrive as thoughts of what to do next flood his brain.

Adrenaline courses through his veins as he rushes back downstairs and snatches open the door that leads to the garage. He stares at the old car for a long time and nods repeatedly before slamming the door shut. He thinks she either called Uber or someone else drove her to wherever she went.

As the reality of what has happened sinks in, an eerie calm washes over his body and he shifts from being shocked and disoriented to focused and deliberate. He begins to search the house more carefully, walking through the first floor and inspecting each room. First he goes to the study and glances around the room and sees that everything is in its place. Then he walks back to the family room and assesses the space more closely. He nods when he notices how fresh everything appears. While Olivia normally maintains an orderly home, the space appears unusually clean.

He walks back into the kitchen and notices, like in the family room, everything seems to sparkle just a little brighter than usual. He swings open the refrigerator door and nods as he stares at the jam-packed shelves. Then he slams the door shut, causing the contents to rattle and spill over onto the shelves.

He leans against the copper farmhouse sink and runs his hands through his hair in frustration. He glances around the massive kitchen and catches a glimpse of the bag of his favorite coffee, which is placed next to the coffee maker. Then he sees the new container of protein powder, which is placed next to the blender. And his eyes darken because it finally dawns on him that she planned it all. He realizes this was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but a well-thought out plan.

His sweat-drenched dress shirt clings to his back as he runs up the long staircase taking two steps at a time. He walks into their bedroom and notices, like the rooms downstairs, the room is exceptionally clean. He walks into the closet and examines the space more closely, looking for clues – a hint. He sees that she picked up his suits from the dry cleaners and hung them in the usual place and set his laundered dress shirts neatly on his shelves. He nods a few times as he walks out of the room and back into the bathroom. The corners of his mouth curl down when he sees a new supply of toiletries placed on his side of the counter.

 _She planned everything._

With a deliberate pace he walks down the hall to Cena's bedroom and turns on the light. Standing in the doorway he scans the room quickly and sees it is as neat and orderly as the rest of the house. He walks over to Cena's shelves and looks at all of the toys and books, which have been placed with care on the shelves. He cups the back of his head and looks up at the ceiling. The gravity of what has happened hits him hard and he sits onto Cena's bed, which is covered with her favorite pink, green, and yellow butterflies bedding ensemble. He buries his face into her pillow and cries as he inhales the scent of his wife's perfume.

After his mini breakdown in his daughter's room, he walks slowly back down the hall to their bedroom where he sees the letter peeking from under the bed. He snatches up the paper and reads the letter over and over. He shakes his head in disbelief because he cannot understand why Olivia would do this – would leave without first talking things over with him. He reaches for his phone and each call goes directly to her voice mail and his texts go unanswered.

" _Dammit Olivia"_ , he yells.

 **XXX**

When Fitz awakened the next morning he is laying on Olivia's side of the bed dressed in the same clothes he wore home last night. He reaches immediately for his phone and calls and texts his wife, and once again she does not respond. Then he calls his friend Chuck in DC. After talking to Chuck, he reads the letter again trying to read between the lines for clues to where she might have gone. After the third reading, he stuffs the letter into envelope, and pushes it in the back of his nightstand drawer. Finally he gets up, showers, and dresses quickly and heads over to The Pope Foundation hoping Mona has some information about Olivia's whereabouts.

"Good morning Mona", Fitz says as he stands in the doorway of her small office.

"Fitz, you startled me", grabbing her chest. "I wasn't expecting anyone today so I thought I would use this time to catch up on some paperwork", she says quickly.

"I'm sorry, Mona. I didn't mean to frighten you. I just stopped by to …" To what? What does he say to his wife's employee? Does he say Olivia has left him and he does not know where she is? Does he say he is out of his mind with worry?

"Is there something wrong, Fitz?" Mona asks, looking at the disheveled man who is obviously troubled by something.

"Mona, would you happen to know where Olivia is?" He asks desperaely.

"Fitz, is something wrong with Olivia?" Mona asks, standing from her seat.

"No – honestly I don't know. When I got home last night I found a letter saying she is fine but needed to go away for a while. She said not to look for her." He rakes his hand through his hair.

"Can you tell me the last time you saw her? If she was upset about anything?"

"Fitz, Olivia stopped by here yesterday but she didn't stay very long. She said she would be going away for awhile and asked me to handle things at the office until she returned. She didn't give me any details."

"Was she alone? Was anyone with her?"

"Yes, she was alone."

"Did she say how long she would be gone?"

"I'm afraid not", Mona says apologetically.

Fitz runs his hand through his hair again in frustration.

"Did she appear to be upset or act strangely?"

"Well …"

"Anything you can think of Mona."

"Well, she was quieter than usual and she seemed a little sad."

"Anything else, Mona? Can you think of anything that might have caused her to leave?" He asks desperately.

"Well, she had a run-in with a community leader in Springfield Heights a week or so ago but everyone thought she handled the situation well."

"Thank you, Mona. I'm going to look around her office to see if I can find any clues to where she might have gone."

"Of course", Mona says walking toward Fitz. "Do you want me to help you?"

"No, but thank you. I'll let you know if I find anything. And if you think of anything else that might be of help or if you hear from Olivia, please call me right away", handing her a business card.

"Of course. Of course."

Fitz walks down the hall to Olivia's office and looks around the small space. The office is immaculate, of course. Nothing is out of place. Olivia always likes to keep things in order and would scold him at home when he did not return an item to its proper place. She always said, 'A place for everything and everything in its place.' He smiles sadly at the memory.

He shakes his head as he stands in the middle of the room because he cannot recall the last time he was in her office. He remembers he used to come here frequently when they were dating and early in their marriage to bring her lunch or to pick her up for a date. He walks over to the desk and sits in the small chair and smiles when he sees a picture of them on their wedding day. He then reaches for the picture of him, Olivia, and Cee taken at the park and wonders what the hell is going on, wondering where his wife is and praying she is safe.

He sets the picture frame back onto the desk then pulls open the drawers and finds nothing but loose change, a few rubber bands, and paper clips. After about 15 minutes of searching the small office, he leans back in the chair and frowns as he stares at the pictures of his once happy family.

 **XXX**

When Fitz left Olivia's office he drove to his parents' home to get Cena. As he rings the doorbell he is dreading having to explain to his parents that he and Olivia are having problems in their marriage – that she has left him.

"You look like crap, Fitzgerald", his father says when he opens the door. "Come in and sit down."

Fitz walks into the family room where he sees his mother holding his sleeping daughter on her lap.

"What's the matter, Fitzgerald? You look terrible."

"How is Cee, mom?" He asks as he sits onto the sofa.

"Cena is fine, dear. She just fell asleep. What's wrong, Fitzgerald?"

Fitz palms his face and sighs.

"Olivia is missing – well she has left."

" _Left? What do you mean left?"_ Gerry booms.

"I found a letter last night when I got home saying she needed to go away for a while."

" _Go away? Why? For how long?"_ Gerry demands.

"I don't know, dad", he says tiredly. "The letter just said she was fine and don't try to find her."

" _What the hell does that mean?"_ Gerry demands.

" _Gerry!_ Cena is in the room", Maura reprimands her husband for his language. "So that's why she didn't pick up Cena last night", Maura says half to herself. "Fitzgerald", his mother begins softly. "Are you and Olivia having problems?"

"Nothing serious, mom - at least that's what I thought."

" _What the hell do you mean that's what you thought?"_

"Dad, we had a big argument a few nights ago. I thought we could work it out – work through it."

"Do you have any idea where she might have gone?" Maura asks as she rocks her sleeping granddaughter.

"No mom, I don't. This is all a shock to me." Running his hand through his hair.

"Do you think she left with someone?" Gerry asks as he paces around the room.

" _What?"_ Not quite understanding his father's question.

" _Do you think she is having an affair, Fitzgerald? Do you think she left with another man?"_

" _No!"_ Fitz shouts, and Cena flinches in her sleep. "Olivia would never do anything like that. She's not like that. She wouldn't leave Cee for anyone."

"Well she apparently has", his mother says.

"There has to be more to it. I must be missing something."

"We should call the police", Gerry suggests.

"No, Olivia left on her own accord. Besides, she hasn't been gone for 48 hours yet."

" _The hell with that. I'll just call Rick down at the station. I'll get him on it right away."_

"No, dad. Let me handle this."

"I always knew she wasn't the right woman for you."

"Dad, please. It's been six years, and this is not the time", he says, standing from the sofa. "I need to get Cena home."

"Let her stay here Fitzgerald - until you can sort things out."

"Thanks mom but my daughter needs to come home with me. Olivia wants her to be home with me."

Gerry rolls his eyes thinking his son is a damn fool.

"So you're going to take orders from your missing wife?"

When Fitz put Cena to bed that night he checked their credit cards and financial accounts, trying to find a paper trail. Then he contacted Chuck again, his friend in DC. He knows it has not been long since Olivia left but he needs to know if Chuck has found out anything.

"Fitz, we are using all of our resources to find your wife. It's like she has disappeared into thin air, which means she doesn't want to be found. I've seen cases like this before. And I can tell you that if a person doesn't want to be found then they will take all measures to keep their whereabouts unknown. I'm sorry."

"Keep looking, Chuck."

 **XXX**

Eight days have passed and Fitz has not heard anything from Olivia and she will not respond to his phone calls and text messages. Cena asks about her mommy every day and each time Fitz concocts a story to explain Olivia's whereabouts that only a four year old would believe. He still cannot believe she has left him – has left them. He wonders if she was forced to write the letter. He wonders if she has gotten into trouble trying to help the people of Springfield Heights. Mona did say she had a run-in with a community leader. He wonders a lot of things as he sits in bed reading the letter again. This has become his nightly ritual after Cena is asleep. On some level he knows he is in denial and trying to rationalize her leaving.

The supply of food Olivia bought is running out and he needs to find time to go to the grocery store. He shakes his head because he does not remember the last time he was even in a grocery store. When he was single he ate at restaurants most of the time or had food delivered to his apartment. He wishes he had paid more attention when Olivia gave him cooking lessons while they were dating because Cena needs to eat healthy food.

 _Shit._

 **XXX**

Marla Briggs is a perceptive woman and she knows something is amiss with Olivia because her friend has not returned any of her phone calls for the past two weeks. So, after the City Council meeting today Marla drove over to The Pope Foundation to find out what is going on with Olivia. As she enters the small suite of offices she sees Mona scurrying down the hall.

"Mona", Marla calls out in her elegant voice. Mona turns around with an armful of papers and a look of confusion on her face.

"Council President Briggs", Mona says when she sees the women standing in the waiting area. "What can I do for you?"

"Mona, is everything all right with Olivia? I have been calling her for two weeks no and she has not returned any of my phone calls. And that is highly unusual."

"Council President Briggs – "

"Enough of that Council President Briggs stuff, Mona. We went to school together. We know each other very well."

Mona smiles and dons a more casual demeanor with her old friend.

"Marla, I don't know too much, but Olivia needed to go away for awhile."

"I see", Marla says. "Do you know when she will return?"

"I'm not quite sure. She didn't say."

Marla nods her head knowing Mona is loyal and would never divulge whatever is going on with Olivia.

"Well Mona, I have finally scheduled the meeting with the government officials and local business owners to discuss Olivia's proposal. She has worked so hard on the proposal and she needs to be a that meeting to answer questions the players surely are going to have."

"I understand", Mona says nervously.

"Make sure she is there, Mona."

 **XXX**

It has been three week since Olivia has left and Fitz is now officially pissed off. While in the first couple of weeks he was shocked and in denial, and even somewhat understanding that his wife perhaps might have needed some space and time to figure out things. But now he thinks she is being childish and selfish because she has not only left him, but she has left their daughter as well. And, her leaving is impacting his ability to effectively run his business. He has stopped traveling, for the most part, because Cena is now his priority. So he works from home and schedules video conferences with most of his out-of-town clients. But some days he has to take Cena to his parents' house so he can get some work done. The running back and forth between his house and his parents' house is draining. He has become short-tempered with everyone who comes near him and does not have a lot of energy to play with Cena in the evenings like she wants. After dinner, the bath, and the bedtime story, he is exhausted and just wants to pass out in his bed.

Today he went grocery shopping with Cena and the outing was a nightmare. She wants everything she sees and talks all of the time, which caused him to forget many of the items on his list. So they had to go back to the store before he could prepare dinner because he forgot an item that Cena really wanted.

"Daddy", poking out her bottom lip as she looks down at the overly crisp chicken nuggets on her plate. This is the third night this week she has had what used to be her favorite meal.

"Yes Princess", he responds as he stands at the copper farmhouse sink scrubbing the pot he forgot was on the flame when he was on the phone.

"I don't like these chicken nuggets", she says.

"What?" He asks, turning from the sink and seeing his daughter pouting.

"They're too hard, daddy."

"Do you need more ketchup, Cee?"

She shakes her head _no_.

"Do you want something else to eat?"

With wide eyes she shakes her head excitedly.

"What do you want daddy to make you?" He prays she says something easy.

"Peanut butter and jelly."

"PB&J it is", he says in relief.

In that moment he realizes he has to improve his cooking skills because Cena cannot eat chicken nuggets and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches forever.

 **XXX**

Later that week Fitz takes Cena to his parents' house to spend the night because he and John are going out for drinks and dinner. He desperately needs get out of that house and talk to another adult about something other than business.

"So, still no word from Olivia?" John asks as they sit at the table in the restaurant nursing their drinks.

"Not a damn word and I'm more than a little pissed off."

"Were things that bad between you two that she felt she had to leave?"

"I didn't think so. All married couples have their ups and downs - you know how it is?"

John nods.

"Has Abigail said anything? Has she heard from Liv?"

"She doesn't know a thing. How are you managing taking care of Cee-Cee?"

"John, I love my daughter but she can be a handful. Thank god mom and dad are watching her tonight because I need a break."

"Are your friends in DC still looking for Liv?"

"Yeh, but they don't have much hope of finding her. She's not using any of our credit cards and her phone has been turned off."

"So what are you going to do? It's going on a month now."

"I guess I have to wait until she decides to contact me like she said in the letter. But to be honest John, I think Liv is being selfish. I just don't understand how she could break our family apart like this."

John looks at his distraught brother and nods.

When Fitz gets home from his night out with John, he is exhausted. After a quick shower he falls asleep immediately.

 _ **Dream**_

"Baby, Cee has a lot of thick and curly hair so I have to get to it while it's still wet. Once it dries I'm going to have a fight on my hands."

She looks over at her smiling husband who is leaning against Cena's dresser watching the scene unfold before him.

"You better watch me do her hair Fitz - you're going to have to do it one day."

"Never. I'll never figure out how to put that stuff in her hair and comb it without her screaming bloody murder."

"It's a technique, babe. You just have to watch me and practice. Sit down and watch how I do it."

"Nope. I'll wait for our son."

Olivia rolls her eyes as she sections and twists Cena's hair.

 _ **End Dream**_

It has been six weeks since Olivia has been gone and Fitz thought he was getting better at handling her leaving, but now he feels himself beginning to slowly slip into a black hole where all he wants to do is curl up in bed and wait for the nightmare to be over. As he sits in the study staring out the window, he finds the thought of curling up in bed and sleeping laughable since he has not had a restful night's sleep since Olivia left.

With the exception of talking to John occasionally, Fitz refuses to have his well-intentioned family come to the house and help because he cannot tolerate their looks of pity and the incessant questions about what he is going to do about Olivia. So he spends most of his time at home with his daughter and learning how to take care of their home. But his father's 66th birthday party is coming up and he is dreading having to go because he does not want to see the looks of pity on the faces of his family. But his mother insists that he come for Cena's sake. She says it would do Cena good to play with the Ashbourne's grandchildren and celebrate Gramp's birthday.

'Just come for an hour Fitzgerald so Cena can play with the other children and have some birthday cake.'

He agrees reluctantly and groans when he disconnects the call because now he and Cena have to go to the mall to buy a gift.

 **Month 2**

By the second month Fitz and Cena have begun to settle into a routine of sorts. He has accepted that Olivia is not going to contact him until she is ready. He is getting better at managing his time so he can work, take of Cena, and perform most of the household chores. He has begun to watch that cooking channel Olivia told him about years ago so he can learn how to cook better meals for Cena, which she clearly appreciates. And now that Cena has declared she is a big girl, Fitz enjoys combing her hair because she no longer fights him and cries. They have even watched a few YouTube videos together so he could learn how to maintain her hair better. At night, after Cena is asleep, he practices the techniques on her dolls.

They now call hair time their special time where they talk about anything and everything that happens to pop into her mind. As Fitz glides the brush through her thick curls he thinks about the intervention his family staged and wonders about the poor woman they planned to set him up with. He knows they meant well but he loves Olivia even though he is still upset with her. He knows she is thinking about her family, wherever she is. He knows she wants to be with them more than anything, at least that is what he tells himself every day because that is the only way he can get through this. It is only way he can continue to show up for Cena every day.

"Daddy?" She says softly, twisting and bending her fingers as she sits on the floor between his legs. This is her telltale sign that she is nervous about something. It is a habit she picked up from her mother.

"Yes Princess", finishing the last twist the way he saw Olivia and the women in the YouTube videos do it.

"When is mommy coming home?"

There it is. She has not asked when Olivia is coming home in a while but he knew she would ask again at some point and had planned his response. But when the question comes, her words hit him like a ton of bricks and his heart breaks when he sees the tears rolling down her face. All of this time she has been pretending to be a big girl, but she is just a four-year-old little girl who misses her mommy.

"Aww Princess, you miss mommy don't you?" He asks, while lifting her from the floor and rocking her in his arms.

She nods her head slowly and the tears continue to flow.

"Don't mommy love us anymore?" She asks sadly.

"Of course she does, Princess. Mommy just needed to go away for a while. She loves us very much and she loves you even more. Okay?"

Unconvinced, she nods her head anyway.

"Tell mommy I'm a big girl now so she can come home. I won't be bad anymore."

"Cee, you're the best little-big girl ever and mommy is so proud of you. Do you know mommy told me how much she loves you and how proud she is of you?"

"She did?" Now getting excited.

"Yes, she did. And you know what else mommy said?"

Cena shakes her head vigorously with her eyes wide.

"Well Cee, mommy told me that since you are such a good girl that you should have ice cream two nights a week."

"Two nights?" She asks excitedly.

"Yup, two nights."

"Yay. Can I have strawberry tonight, daddy? Pleeeease?"

"You can have whatever you want, Princess."

He gives her a big wet kiss on her pudgy cheeks and she giggles.

"Sprinkles too, daddy?"

"Sprinkles too, Cee."

After Cena finishes her strawberry ice cream with lots of sprinkles, of course she needs another quick bath. Fitz watches as his happy little girl splash around in the bubbles, sing, and clap her hands.

"What's that song you're singing, Princess?"

" _We Praise You Oh, Lord_. We sing it at church daddy", clapping her hands the way Miss Johnson taught the children in Sunday School.

Fitz nods, unable to remember the last time he attended church with his wife and daughter.

"I see. Do you like going to church?"

"Yes. I play with the boys and girls."

"Do you like playing with the other girls and boys, Princess?"

"Yes daddy. We have so much fun. We draw faces on the computer too", Cena says excitedly.

"Wow that sounds like fun."

"Deon drew Miss Taylor's face. It looked so funny, daddy." Cena laughs hysterically, covering her face with her hands.

He looks at his daughter's happy face and thinks perhaps Cena should spend more time with children her own age.

After Cena has had her bath, Fitz reads her favorite story until she falls asleep with a smile on her face. He grabs the monitor from the nightstand, turns off the lights, and walks down the hall to his bedroom. He goes into the bathroom, closes the door, and breaks down and cries. He does not know how long he can distract Cena from wanting her mommy with ice cream. Like Cena, he wants Olivia to come home, he wants his wife back. After allowing himself a long and cleansing cry he takes a hot shower and goes to bed.

 _ **Dream**_

Once Fitz is settled in his first-class seat on the flight home from Tucson, Arizona, he pulls the In Flight Magazine from the backseat pocket and absently flips through the pages. He stops flipping the pages and smiles when the lingerie displayed on the page catches his eyes. He knows Olivia would look sexy in the red, lace bodysuit. He has been away for four days and he misses his wife, so he orders the $1600 lingerie from his phone and pays extra to have it shipped to their home today. The gift card reads: _I only want to see you in this tonight at 9. ~F_

His elderly seat mate glances over at the magazine and gives him a thumbs up in approval. Fitz stuffs the magazine into the seat pocket, leans back in his seat, and closes his eyes thinking about his welcome home present.

When he pulls into the driveway he is curious when he does not see Olivia's car parked in front of her bay. He walks to the front door and the gift he ordered while on the airplane sits on the front step. He is livid, thinking she must be working late again. He picks up the box, opens the door, and tosses the box and his keys onto the table in the foyer. He sets his briefcase on the floor and flips on the light.

"You said 9:00. You're late, Mister."

She walks slowly toward him wearing a wicked smile, the red, lace bodysuit he paid a small fortune for, and a pair of black stilettos. His mouth hangs open, surprised to see his wife and thinking his money was well spent.

"You must pay for causing me to catch a chill while waiting for you", now standing inches from him.

"Livvie", finally finding his voice.

She brushes her red painted lips across his and his eyes close. She slides one hand around his waist and the other slowly up his back.

"Open. Your. Eyes." She commands softly, and he does.

She runs her tongue across his lips and his eye close again.

"Eyes open", darting her tongue in and around his mouth.

"Now kiss me like you missed me." And he does, almost devouring her.

He slowly pulls the straps down her shoulders but she stops him.

"You wanted me to wear it so it stays on", she says firmly.

He nods as she rubs her knee up and down his hardness.

"Livvie", he moans in his sleep.

 _ **End Dream**_

When a frantic Mona called Fitz last month to tell him Council President Briggs stopped by the office to let Olivia know the meeting has been scheduled with government officials and local business owners to discuss her proposal to replace the pipes in the Springfield Heights homes he was unsure of what to do. He considered calling Marla to let her know Olivia will be away for awhile and to reschedule the meeting. But he thought better of it because he knows how important this proposal is to Olivia and he knows how difficult it is to get a group of busy government officials and business people together in a room at the same time. So he decided to represent his wife at the meeting since he is somewhat familiar with the proposal. He remembers making some upgrades to the document several months ago but he needed Mona to get him a copy so he can review it before the meeting.

Fitz kept Cena home with him today because he did not want to make two trips to his parent's home in one day. However, this is proving to be an unwise decision because he forgot to go to the grocery last night to buy food for her lunch so he had to get creative with the little food he had in the house. And working from home with Cena today is especially difficult because throughout the day she came into the study wanting to play or wanting something to eat or wanting something to drink or just wanting to see what he was doing. Needless to say he did not get a chance to prepare as much as he wanted for his dinner meeting tonight at 7:30. He looks at his watch and thinks if he is going to get Cena to his parents' home by 6:30 pm then he needs to start getting them ready. As he pulls on his suit jacket and grabs Cena's overnight bag and her favorite stuffed monkey, because he forgot it the last time, he tells Cena it is time to go.

"Come on Cee" he calls upstairs. "We have to get to Gram's."

 _Silence._

" _Cena, it's time to go."_

Cena knows when her daddy uses her full name he is upset so she starts to cry. Fitz looks at his watch knowing he needs to leave soon if he is going to be on time for his meeting. He hates being late. He sets Cena's overnight bag at the front door and places the stuffed monkey on top.

" _Cena"_ , he yells. "We need to go. _Now._ "

He walks briskly up the stairs to Cena's bedroom and she is nowhere to be found.

"Cena, I don't have time to play hide and seek. We have to go. _Now_." He is getting frustrated.

Cena closes her eyes tight trying to stop the tears but they keep falling and she cannot stop sniffling. Fitz hears the sounds coming from the closet and becomes angry.

" _Cena"_ , he yells, snatching open the door where he sees his daughter sitting on the floor in the dark closet with her knees pulled up to her chest. He flips the light switch and he sees Cena trembling with tears running down her face.

"Cee, what's the matter? Why are you in the closet crying?" He asks, softening his tone.

"Daddy's gonna be made."

"Aww, I'm not mad Princess. We just gotta get going. Okay?"

"You're gonna be mad", she repeats, tightening her arms around her legs.

Fitz reaches down and picks up his distraught daughter and quickly realizes why his little girl is crying.

"Aww Princess, did you have an accident?" She nods and the tears start to flow again.

Since Olivia has been gone Cena has begun to have accidents, sometimes at night and sometimes at his parents' home during the day. When Cena started bed wetting after being dry for so long, Fitz took her to Dr. Jordan to find out what was going on. The doctor explained it is not unusual for a child under 10 to start wetting the bed again. He explained there are many reasons why a dry child will start bed wetting, especially if something happens to make the child feel stressed and insecure. Fitz knows the accidents are happening because Cena misses her mother.

"Don't cry. We can fix it. Okay?"

She nods.

"Daddy's not mad?"

"No, daddy's not mad. Daddy can never be mad at his favorite Princess. Okay?"

She nods and wraps her arms around her daddy's neck and her legs around his waist. Fitz closes his eyes because now the front of his shirt and suit jacket are wet.

"Let's go to your bathroom and get you cleaned up. Okay?"

Cena nods with a big smile.

"And you know what?" He asks as he carries her to the bathroom. "You can pick out whatever you want to wear. Okay?"

"Yay", she claps, displaying a mouth with two missing front teeth.

Fitz dresses Cena in the outfit she selected and he changes his suit and shirt. By the time he gets to the restaurant he is 15 minutes late. He gives the hostess the name of the party he is meeting and she escorts him to the table in the dining room of the upscale restaurant. The hostess smiles at the man as they walk toward the table.

"Have a good dinner, sir. And I'll be right back", the hostess says as she walks away.

"Sorry Madame President - gentlemen for being late."

"We see you bought the big guns with you tonight Fitz", Commissioner Johnston says, beginning to laugh.

"Yeah, we better hold on to our check books. She looks like a pretty tough negotiator", Dawson says, who is now doubled over from laughing so hard.

"I surrender. I surrender." The CEO of a local grocery store chain says, raising his hands as Cena shakes the colorful monkey at the man.

"It's a long story, gentlemen."

"Don't pay those idiots any mind, Fitz. Sit down", Marla says.

Fitz takes a seat and balances Cena on his knee as he removes her coat.

"Fitz, you might be a brilliant negotiator but you don't know a thing about –"

Marla gives the silly men the evil eye, cautioning them not to laugh at the little girl's outfit. It is obvious from all of the different colors and patterns she is wearing that no adult in their right mind pulled that outfit together. Cena looks around the table at the laughing men and wonders what is so funny.

"Cena", Marla smiles at the little girl, "You look absolutely beautiful."

"Tell Mrs. Briggs _thank you_ , Cee."

"Thank you", she says shyly, burying her face in her daddy's neck.

"She is adorable, Fitz. We were just having a little fun", says Councilman Johnston. "I have a granddaughter about her age." The Councilman begins cooing and making funny faces at Cena and the little girl bursts out laughing.

"And I have a son about her age", says the CEO of the chain of grocery stores. "You're a brave man Fitz because I wouldn't have a clue about what to do with him at a dinner meeting."

"She looks just like her mother. No offense, Fitz", Councilman Dawson says.

"None taken."

"Your wife is really something, Fitz. Very bright. Very articulate. You ought to be real proud of the work she's doing in the community."

"She is. Olivia cares about the community very much. She really wanted to be here tonight to discuss her latest proposal but a family matter has come up that required her to go out of town for awhile."

Marla sneaks a glance at Fitz.

"So I hope you don't mind that I am here representing my wife." He looks around the table at all of the faces who are smiling at Cena. "She has briefed me on her proposal so I think I can represent her position."

"No problem", the CEO of the grocery store chain says. "We are all quite familiar with your work, Fitz."

"When Olivia first presented the idea to me", Marla starts. "I thought she was off of her rocker. There was no way City Council was going to fund such an ambitious program. But when she explained that the taxpayers wouldn't have to foot the entire bill - that business owners who do business in Springfield Heights should help fund the program, I thought the idea was absolutely brilliant."

"Well, if this little cutie is anything like her mother then maybe I _should_ watch my check book", says the CEO, tickling Cena under her chin.

The hostess comes to the table with the booster seat for Cena.

"Oh, we don't need that thing", Marla says. "I'll hold Cena if you don't mind, Fitz."

"Not at all. Cena, would you like to sit with Mrs. Briggs?"

Cena nods rapidly, not taking her eyes off the beautiful necklace the woman is wearing. Discussions for funding Olivia's grant proposal went well. All parties agreed to the terms, with a few modifications, and Fitz said he would have the final proposal for review by the end of the week. As everyone begins to leave, Marla whispers in Fitz' ear if Olivia is still drinking her ginger tea. She walked away smiling and Fitz wondered what she is talking about.

 **XXX**

When Fitz and Cena got home from their dinner meeting, he put on her into pajamas and read her favorite bedtime story until she fell asleep, which took all of five minutes. As Fitz sits in bed checking his email he shakes his head when he thinks about Council President Briggs strange comment about Olivia drinking ginger tea. He smiles when he reflects on the glowing compliments his wife received from both government officials and business leaders, and that made him proud. But it also made him sad because he had not taken the time to appreciate the important work his wife has been doing for the community. As he falls asleep, he wonders where his wife is and what she is doing.

A week later Fitz is standing at the high-end, stainless steel, commercial-grade stove preparing Cena her Saturday morning breakfast of panny cakes while talking to his mother on the phone. He hates having to impose on his parents again but he has to fly to Boston tomorrow afternoon to meet with a new client on Monday morning and he needs them to watch her.

"Fitzgerald, you know that your father and I don't mind watching Cena, but –"

"Not today, mom. I have too much going on. I have to finish cooking Cee's breakfast so I will talk to you later."

He disconnects the call and sets Cee's panny cakes in front of her. He smiles as she uses the cut-up fruit to make a face on the top pancake.

"Are you making another happy face, Cee?" He asks as he sips his coffee and scrolls through the notes on his tablet for his meeting on Monday.

"No", she says sadly.

Fitz hears the sadness in his daughter's voice, sets his tablet onto the island, and turns to look at his pouting daughter.

"No happy face today, Cee?"

"No", poking out her bottom lip and looking down at the face on her panny cake.

"So what did you make today, Princess?"

"Mommy's sad face."

Fitz looks at the sad face on the panny cake.

"Mommy cry when she said bye."

" _What?"_

"Mommy was crying again."

"You saw mommy before she went bye-bye?"

Cena nods, still looking down at the panny cake's sad face. Fitz is getting anxious. It never occurred to him to question his daughter about Olivia. He was so focused on trying to shield her and make everything appear normal he did not think she might have information about Olivia's whereabouts.

"Where Cee - where did you see mommy?"

"She put me on the swing and on the slide", she says almost imperceptible.

Fitz is now kneeling in front of Cena trying get the information he needs. He knows he has to slow down with the questions because he does not want to frighten her, but he needs to find out what she knows.

"At the playground or the park, Cee?" His heart is pounding.

"At the park. We feed the ducks too", Cena says proudly.

"You did?"

Cena nods her head vigorously.

"That's good, Cee. It's good to feed the ducks. And what else did you and mommy do?"

"We got ice cream with Aunt Abby."

And Fitz' face reddens, his eyes grow dark, and he is ready to go nuclear.

"Cee, baby, are you sure Aunt Abby got ice cream too?"

Cena nods her head rapidly again.

"She got chocolate ice cream and she let me have some."

Fitz is livid, but is trying to remain calm in front of his daughter. He wants to tear everything and everybody apart. Abby has known all of this time where Olivia is and she has kept it from him.

"Finish your breakfast, Cee. I have to take you to Grams."

 **XXX**

After Cena finished her breakfast, Fitz dressed her quickly and drove to his parents' home as fast as legally possible. He presses the bell repeatedly until his mother answers the door.

"Fitzgerald, I thought you were bringing Cena over tomorrow", his mother says, surprised to see her son who is obviously agitated about something. "What's the matter? What's wrong?" She asks nervously.

"Mom, I need you to watch Cee", he says hurriedly, pushing his daughter into her arms.

"But where are you going?"

" _To get my wife."_

 **XXX**

Determined to get someone's attention inside of the house Fitz bangs his fist repeatedly on the front door while pressing the doorbell. After a few moments his brother John opens the door and is shocked to see his brother who is obviously upset.

"What the hell is the matter with you, Fitz? You're gonna break my damn door."

Fitz pushes past John and walks into the house.

" _Where the hell is your fucking wife?"_ Spittle flying from his mouth.

"Whoa, whoa", John says, putting his hands up in protest. He is not sure what is going on but he will not tolerate his brother disrespecting his wife.

"You need to calm down, Fitz. What the hell is wrong with you?"

" _Your wife helped Olivia to leave. She's known where the hell Olivia has been all of this damn time."_

" _What? Are you sure?_ Abigail wouldn't –"

" _Get her down her down here now, John. I swear –"_

" _You swear what, Fitzgerald?"_ Abigail says, standing at the top of the staircase and glaring down at her brother-in-law.

" _Where is she Abigail? Where the fuck is my wife?"_ He demands looking up the stairs at the fiery redhead.

" _Oh, so now she's your wife? Not your maid? Not your cook? Not your goddamn servant?"_

" _Abigail!"_ John shouts. _"You know where Olivia is? Where she's been all of this time?"_ He is astonished as he looks up at his wife.

" _Damn right I know where she is! He treats her like shit – like she is one of his enlisted Navy men – barking orders and commands all the time. Well she couldn't take it any longer. You demand that she be some fucking 1950s housewife when she has her own career—her own business. And you knew she had a career when you begged her to marry you. She ran herself ragged trying to satisfy all of your crazy ass demands, run her business, and take care of Cena. She was on pins and needles all the damn time, afraid you were going to fly off the handle about some new shit you thought of."_

John is stunned by what he is hearing and he stands in the foyer looking up at his wife with his mouth wide open.

" _Where the fuck is she, Abby?"_

"Big man – big man. I'm not Olivia - I don't have to take your shit, _Fitz – gerald._ And it's Abigail to you", she snarls at him.

The two glare at each other with heaving chests.

" _Everything is always about you – isn't it? You couldn't take your head out of your ass long enough to notice that your wife was suffering from depression when she was pregnant with Cena, and that was over four years ago. No, because everything is always about you."_

" _What the hell are you talking about?"_

Abigail places a hand on her six-month pregnant belly and walks down the stairs, holding onto the railing with her other hand.

" _I'm talking about your seven-month pregnant wife who was too damn depressed to get out of bed most days during the last few months she was pregnant with Cena. Who fucked you whenever you wanted when all she wanted to do was die. Who pulled the covers over her head as soon as you left the house and stayed in bed all day until just before you got home. Who had dinner delivered to the house before you got home from your big, important job because she could no longer cook. Because you always had to have a damn home-cooked meal. You didn't even know the shit was store bought."_

" _What kind of husband are you not to notice that your pregnant wife was depressed and wanted to die?"_

Stunned by what he is hearing for the first time, he stares at Abigail with bulging eyes and mouth hanging open.

" _And all you wanted to do was to keep her knocked up like you're some goddamn barbarian. You wanted her to walk away from a business she built – something she loves doing - so she could push out babies for you and cook your damn food and scrub your floors."_

Abby is now in his face.

"And each day I had to watch her lose a little piece of herself – watch the light dim in her eyes a little more – while you were running around being important."

She punches Fitz on the shoulder as tears roll down her face. John is at her side immediately and wraps his arm protectively around her bony shoulders.

"And you allowed your parents to shame her at every chance they got - every day she dropped off Cena - just because she wanted to have a career and not be like your mother sitting around all day baking cookies. I wouldn't take that shit and John knows it – they all know it. It's a wonder she didn't leave sooner."

"And for some reason, which is beyond me, she loves you." She angrily swipes away the tears with the side of her hand. "And she loves that beautiful little girl the two of you created. And she is so sad because she misses both of you so much."

Tears are streaming down Fitz' face as he tries to process everything that Abigail is saying.

"Where is she, Abigail?" Fitz asks softly. "Where is Olivia – where is my wife?"

John gives his wife a gentle squeeze on the shoulder, encouraging her to tell his brother where Olivia is.

 **XXX**

Fitz had a lot to think about during the two-hour drive up the mountains. He is shocked by everything Abigail said to him. Has he been so self-absorbed that he could not see that his wife was in trouble, that she was suffering silently? And to think that at one point she wanted to die shakes him to his core.

As Fitz drives over the private road that leads to Mirage he is struck by the beautiful foliage and majestic mountains. When he gets out of the car he glances around the area and wonders what kind of place this is. He jogs up the wide stone steps that lead to the lobby of the well-appointment facility and walks hurriedly through the front door to the front desk. The young woman smiles kindly and asks how she can help him.

"My name is Fitzgerald Grant and I'm here to see my wife - Olivia Grant." He says with urgency.

"I'm sorry sir, but our guests aren't permitted to have visitors."

"Young lady, I am not a visitor –I am her husband." Now he is annoyed.

"I'm sorry sir –"

" _My wife is here and I want to see her, now! If you don't direct me to where she is - this instant - I will tear this goddamn place apart"_ , glaring at the frightened young woman.

The young woman reaches for the phone and in a few minutes a handsome man about Fitz' age approaches him at the front desk.

"Mr. Grant, I'm Thaddeus Collins. I am the founder of Mirage", extending his hand which Fitz ignores.

" _Where's my wife. I want to see my wife now!"_

"I'm sorry Mr. Grant, but that won't be possible. Our guests come here because they need to escape the stress of everyday life. They want the privacy—need the privacy Mirage provides."

" _I will turn this goddamn place upside down if you don't take me to my wife",_ Fitz snaps.

Thaddeus looks at Fitz closely. He has dealt with irate spouses in the past and knows how to diffuse the situation.

"Mr. Grant, let's go to my office shall we, where we can discuss this in private?"

Fitz glares at the man for a few moments then reluctantly follows Thaddeus to his office.

"Have a seat, Mr. Grant. Can I get you something to drink?"

Fitz glares at the man and Thaddeus nods and sits in his chair behind the massive mahogany desk.

"Mr. Grant, as I said, our guests come to Mirage because they need a break from whatever is causing them stress. They need to decompress and recharge. They need to be in an environment where they feel safe – where they can sort out whatever they have been experiencing. They need help understanding the emotions they are feeling and they need to be taken care of for a while."

Fitz continues to glare at the man so Thaddeus continues.

"When Mrs. Grant came to us she was not in a good place emotionally. Not bad enough where she needed to be in a different kind of facility", Thaddeus pauses, checking if Fitz understands the allusion. "But she was exhibiting early signs of antenatal depression."

Fitz frowns because this is the second time today someone has said that his wife has been or is depressed.

"While the depression stems from several factors currently occurring in her life, her doctor also believes her pregnancy is also contributing to her condition since she experienced prenatal depression with her first pregnancy."

"Wait, are you saying Olivia is pregnant?" Fitz looks at the doctor in shock. How could he not know his own wife is pregnant?

Thaddeus leans back in his leather chair and eyes the man sitting across from him. There is obviously more to this matter.

"I want to be sensitive here, Mr. Grant. And please, don't take my questions the wrong way", steepling his long fingers.

"Don't you think it is unusual that your wife would check into our facility and has been here for two months without your knowledge? And don't you think it's even more telling that you have no knowledge that your wife is pregnant? Don't you think this speaks to the state of your marriage more so than Mirage preventing you from seeing your wife?"

Thaddeus' questions hit Fitz like a ton of falling bricks and he wonders what the hell he has done to his wife, to his family.

"I want to see my wife, Mr. Collins", feeling weary from everything he has learned about Olivia today.

"Mr. Grant, whether you see you wife or not will be completely up to Mrs. Grant." Thaddeus looks at his computer screen and types in a few commands from his keyboard. "Mrs. Grant is in a session right now and will be there for the next 20 minutes."


	11. Chapter 11 The Gift

**A/N: Dakidd: love and hate cancel each other out; so we're good :-). TayLee76, you are on the right track. Michelle, you're right. It generally isn't not good to interfere in husband-wife stuff because we never really know what's going on behind closed doors. Cleo, you're right. Cena knows more than the adults think. She was instrumental in supporting her daddy in Chapter 1 and has supported her mother during several of Liv's crying spells. Justbecauseican43, this is all about the modern marriage and the changing roles. Reneeharris49, hold tight. We'll gain more insight into Fitzgerald Grant in this chapter. AmanadaJ, you're right, Olivia leaving was the best thing for everyone and we will see why in this chapter. Yabadabado, this chapter might support your position. Loving the reviews. Here we go!**

 **Chapter 11. The Gift**

Fitz sits on a bench in one of the many gardens at Mirage taking in the beautiful scenery and hoping his wife decides to see him. Shaking his leg and tapping his foot, he leans back and thinks whatever this place is it is absolutely beautiful. The stillness in the air is pleasantly interrupted by the harmonious sounds of cooing pigeons, trilling blackbirds, cheeping sparrows, and all sorts of sounds from other birds he cannot discern. He looks across the field of flowers that is bursting with colors from across the spectrum. From what he can see there are a variety of tulips, crocuses, asters, honeysuckle, and pink peonies. He inhales deeply, allowing the natural perfume wafting through the air to calm his nerves somewhat.

He thinks about everything that has led them to this place and decides he has to be the one to make things right between them. He has to be the one to fix what is broken. He knows it is pointless to dredge up and rehash agreements and plans made in the past. The past is the past and it cannot be undone. If they are going to have a future together then he will have to let go of the plans they crafted many years. They will have to build a new plan and he is willing to do that. He is willing to give her the moon if it means she will come back home.

He does not know what he will do if she refuses to see him, he has not thought that far. He just knows he does not want to make things more difficult for them. He looks at his watch again and thinks Olivia should be out of her session by now, whatever that means. He still does not know what kind of place this is and why Olivia felt she needed to come here. So he pulls out his phone and searches for Mirage on the internet and reads their Mission statement and about the kinds of services they provide. He runs a hand through his hair wondering if there is a connection between this place and what he has learned today about his wife's depression.

 **XXX**

After her counseling session is over, Olivia goes to one of the many quiet rooms configured throughout the center to relax and try to decide if she wants to see her husband. She thinks long and hard about the matter because she does not know if she can handle seeing him yet. Since being at Mirage she has not thought about whether they can reconcile and rebuild their marriage because she has been focused on her well-being, on getting healthy again.

She leans back in the plush spa chair and inhales the relaxing scent of the essential oils that fill the air. She closes her eyes and listens to the soothing music wafting through the inconspicuous sound system. She inhales and exhales deeply, practicing the breathing techniques that Shawn has taught her since being here. As the soft music relaxes her mind and body she pulls her sweater around her body and wonders how he found her. Did Abby, Dr. Perry, or Rev. Walker tell him? Drifting off in a comfortable sleep, she is jolted awake by the frightening thought that something might have happened to Cena. Maybe that is why he is here.

Filled with panic, Olivia walks quickly to the garden where Fitz has been waiting for almost an hour. Her mind is racing in every direction as she imagines all sorts of unpleasant scenarios. As she approaches the edge of the garden she sees him with tousled hair, hunched over and looking intently at his phone screen and her heart begins to melt. She has not seen him in two months and even with everything that has happened between them she realizes, in this moment, that she still loves him with all of her heart. But she now knows that love alone is not enough for a successful marriage and that makes her sad.

When Fitz hears her footsteps he jumps up immediately and smiles nervously as his eyes travel to her stomach. Both are unsure how to greet each other. Do they shake hands, hug, or simply say "hi"?

"Where is Cee? Is she okay?" She asks anxiously.

"Cee is fine. She's with my parents", he says softly.

Olivia sighs in relief.

"What are you doing here, Fitz? Why are you here?" She asks somewhat harshly.

"I'm here to bring my wife home."

"I'm not ready to come home. I can't come home yet."

He walks toward her and takes in her appearance.

"You're pregnant", looking at her stomach in amazement. And she wraps the sweater around her body trying to shield what can no longer be hidden. And the tears begin to flow.

"Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell me everything?" He asks, taking another step toward her.

"Fitz, all we've done lately is argue and fight."

"Is that why you left – because of the fight?"

"That's part of it. It all became too much."

"I'm sorry - about everything", he says genuinely. "I didn't mean what I said. I'm sorry hurt you. I never wanted that. There was no excuse for what I said and it will never happen again – I promise."

"The fight was just the last of so many painful events, Fitz. And we both said horrible things with the intention of hurting each other. How did we get to the place where we could intentionally hurt each other – where we could be so vicious? We both hit below the belt – went for the jugular."

"Tell me what to do and I will do it, Liv."

"I don't know if we can recover from that kind of viciousness. Have we grown that far apart that we could say such awful things to each other?"

"No – not at all. It was all my fault, Liv. It won't happen again."

"It's not that simple", looking at the butterfly flutter around the nectar- and pollen-rich aster.

"Tell me what to do to make things better, Liv."

"You've changed Fitz."

" _What?"_ He says in disbelief.

"You have. You've become controlling and overbearing."

"I'm sorry. I never wanted to control you, Liv." He will fall on his sword to make things better.

"I can't take the arguing and fighting any longer. I won't."

"I don't want to fight either. I am willing to do whatever is necessary to fix us. You're my wife. We have a family – and another baby on the way."

"Well, you haven't been treating me like your wife lately, Fitz."

And that stung.

"You wanted me to be this fantasy housewife like your mother and you knew that wasn't me before we got married."

"I never wanted you to be like my mother, Liv."

"You wanted me to give up my business – something I love and worked hard to build. I won't give up my business, Fitz. I won't."

"I never wanted you to give up your business. I would never ask you to give up something you love doing."

She narrows her eyes and shakes her head. She is not sure if she can believe him.

"Can you forgive me? Can you give us another?" He asks, caressing her face.

"Fitz, being here has allowed me the space to think clearly about things", she pulls away and looks around at the beautiful landscape. "Being here has helped me to remember who I am - where I came from. To remember the things I believe in. Somewhere along the way I lost all of that. I forgot who I am."

Fitz crinkles his brow and looks at her curiously because his is not sure what she means.

"You know I came from a tradition where God was the center of my life – the central thing in my life.

He nods in understanding.

"But over the last six years I made you the center of my life – I lost my way, Fitz."

He waits for her to continue.

"When I fell in love with you it was the most beautiful feeling in the world. There wasn't a thing I didn't love about you. And to know that you loved me too made me giddy all of the time. I was like a schoolgirl – I told you that. I wanted to be with you all of the time and I enjoyed every minute we spent together. I loved the times when we would talk for hours – about everything and nothing at all. I loved our long walks in the park. I loved our trips. I loved all of the sunsets and sunrises we shared together. I loved it all. It was all so perfect. And when you asked me to be your wife I was so ecstatic and cautious I must admit. It was the greatest honor - you wanting me to be your wife. And you were so nervous when you proposed. I thought you were so adorable when you put the ring on the wrong finger."

They both smile at the memory.

"And after Rev. Walker and Minister Oswald helped our fathers to reconcile their differences, the wedding was a dream come true. Having our families and friends there to see us commit to each other made the day even more special. Our wedding was the culmination of everything we talked about all of those times into the wee hours of the morning. I loved you so much on that day and I couldn't imagine ever being any happier."

And his heart sinks because she is talking about her love for him in the past tense.

"And after Cee was born I didn't think life could get any better. Our beautiful baby girl is clearly the expression of both of us in appearance and personality."

He smiles again because Cena is definitely a mix of them both.

"You are such a good father, Fitz – a natural actually – unlike me. And when I thought I couldn't love you any more, watching you nurse her throughout the night when she was teething and or had an ear ache made me love you even more.

His eyes are brimming with tears.

"But something changed along the way, Fitz. I don't know what – but something changed. It seemed like we went from being ridiculously happy to fighting and battling all of the time."

She shakes her head because she does not know why he changed so dramatically.

"You began to demand that I become a more of a traditional wife. You became more intolerant of me – more authoritarian – and at times I didn't recognize the man I married. You would take a hard stance with me as if I was your adversary. There was no bargaining with you – no compromising. You practiced brinksmanship with me all of the time. Whenever a decision needed to be made about our lives I often had to walk away or give in to prevent another argument. Often times I felt like I was living with the famous negotiator and not my husband. I always felt that you won at my expense. I felt I was always the one giving up something."

"You made lots of decisions, Liv. And I surely compromised and gave up a lot."

She shakes her head because he does not seem to understand what she is saying.

"You became mean Fitz and you would punish me by not talking to me. And that hurt more than anything because no matter what we could always talk to each other."

"Livvie –"

"Let me finish. I'm not blaming you for everything, this is all on me for allowing it to happen. I loved you so much and I was willing to do anything to please you. I guess I loved you more than you loved me", she says as her voice trails off.

And his heart breaks because he has always loved her more than she will ever know and he will always love her.

"I had to get better, Fitz. The day I left my family – my little girl and you – was the most difficult day of my life. I was leaving behind everyone and everything I loved and I didn't know when I would return – if I could return."

Olivia shudders when she thinks about that dark time.

"We have not been at our best, Fitz and our children deserve better."

"I love you, Olivia."

"Love is not enough, Fitz."

"I just want you to be happy, Liv. That's all I've ever wanted. You and Cena are the most important people in my life and I will do whatever it takes to make everything right between us again. Maybe we should get counseling when we get back home. Would you like that?"

She looks at him for awhile, still unsure if she can trust him.

"Say okay, Liv."

And after a few more minutes of staring into his pleading eyes she smiles slightly.

"Okay. I would like that."

"Can you forgive me?" He asks, caressing her face again.

 **XXX**

When Fitz walks into Olivia's villa he sees framed pictures of him and Cena on a table in the living room. He sees a picture of him picking up Cena in the backyard at his father's birthday party.

"Abigail?" He asks, lifting the frame.

"I missed my family, Fitz. Sending me pictures of you and Cee was Abby's way of helping me to stay connected."

He nods and walks from the living room and onto the sun-drenched patio and takes in the panoramic view of the mountains. He stuffs his hands into his pants pockets and inhales deeply, thinking this has been one of the toughest days of his life. He sits on one of the plush lounge chairs and pulls the phone from his pants pocket. He has to call his client to reschedule because he will not be traveling to Boston tomorrow - his family comes first. Olivia walks onto the patio as he finishes his call and hands him a glass of water and he smiles at her.

"Sit with me", he says reaching for her hand.

She leans against his chest and he slides up her blouse and rubs her stomach. They relax and admire the beautiful scene spread before them.

"It's really beautiful up here, Liv."

"It is. I am so grateful that Dr. Perry found this place for me."

"Me too", he says, planting a few kisses on the side of her neck.

"And Abby has been an invaluable friend. She drove me here."

"I know", absently rubbing her stomach. "And she chewed my ass out – told me to get over myself. She called me a barbarian."

"I'm sure she did", Olivia says with a chuckle.

"Liv, I've learned a lot while you've been away. A lot about working while taking care of Cee and the house."

She nods and smiles.

"While I love our precocious daughter, Cena can be a handful."

"Yes she can", smiling again as she thinks about her little girl.

"Dropping off Cee at my parents in the mornings and picking her up in the evenings is draining. And when I had to travel, remembering to pack all of the things she would need for a few days was even more tiring."

She nods again, enjoying the view and him rubbing her belly.

"And remembering to shop for food and everything else for the house …. I can't tell you the number of times Cee and I had to go back to the store after we got home because I forgot something."

"It's a lot, babe."

"But the one thing I learned to enjoy is styling Cee's hair. We call that our special time."

"That's good, babe."

"I guess what I'm saying Liv, I got firsthand experience trying to do it all – and it's a lot. I know some women and men enjoy being a stay-at-home parent, but if I'm to be honest, it would drive me crazy and I understand why you don't want to do it."

"Fitz, I love doing all of those things for our family, I just don't want to do them full time. I want to – need to have my career because that brings me a different kind of joy."

"I know."

They sit in silence for a few minutes, reconnecting and enjoying the quiet, enjoying them. The sun is beginning to set and it looks absolutely beautiful.

"And Liv", still rubbing her stomach. "We can enroll Cena in pre-school."

She whips her head around and looks at him in disbelief.

"Okay, where is my husband and what has Abby done with him?"

"Cee needs to be in a learning environment and around other children her age so she can learn how to socialize better. But we have to do our research first", he adds quickly. "I'll have some of my friends in DC investigate whatever school we choose."

She shakes her head and smiles because he is so protective of their daughter. She wonders what he is going to do when Cena starts to date.

"And Liv, I'm sorry that my parents harassed you about having a career - they had no right."

"I love your parents, Fitz. But they have different ideas on what my role as your wife should be."

He nods as he looks out at the mountains.

"Do you like it up here – in the mountains?"

She inhales deeply and smiles.

"I do. I like that it's so peaceful – so quiet. I can think up here, Fitz. I like the fresh air and the animals and all of the different kinds of foliage. And of course I like swimming in the lakes. It's all really wonderful", she says dreamily.

Seemingly in deep thought, he nods repeatedly. And for a few minutes they sit in silence and listen to the birds sing.

"How about we buy a vacation home up here? We can come here with the kids and this can be your getaway whenever you need some time alone. Would you like that?"

She lifts his hand to her lips and kisses his palm. She has missed their closeness and their talks.

"I would like that very much. And Fitz, it should be a place where the two of us come to spend time alone – no children, no family."

He nods and holds her tighter.

"How far along are you?" Rubbing circles on her stomach.

"Three-and-a-half months", she says softly.

He closes his eyes regretting how much of the pregnancy he has missed.

"Are you having morning sickness this time?"

"Not too much. Nothing like with Cee".

He nods and rubs her stomach.

"Do you want another girl or a boy?"

"I don't know. I guess I just want him or her to be healthy."

"Me too", kissing the side of her neck again.

Several minutes pass and he holds her closer before asking what has been bothering him all day.

"Tell me about the depression – when it first started", he says softly. And she stiffens because it is painful to think about that dark place she knows her mind is capable of going. So she remains silent for awhile before telling him when the mood changes started.

"It started when I was pregnant with Cee - when I was seven months actually. I didn't understand what was happening, Fitz. One day I was fine and the next day I didn't want to get out of bed. I was anxious about so much back then. I thought I was losing you. I thought you no longer loved me. I thought I was doing everything wrong. I thought I was going to be a horrible mother. It all scared me."

"Livvie …"

"I tried to push through it but each day I felt like I was being pulled deeper and deeper into a fog. I didn't want to do anything. My desire for life was gone. But after Cee was born I returned to myself – mentally and emotionally."

And the tears run down her face.

"I'm so ashamed."

"Hey, hey", he says, turning her face to look into her eyes. "You have nothing to be ashamed of."

"Fitz, it was a dark and scary time. If it weren't for Abby –"

"She's been a good friend."

"She has. She helped me to understand what was going on and encouraged me to talk to you and my doctor."

He nods.

"I didn't want to burden you. Your business was just beginning to take off and I didn't want to distract you. Hell, I didn't even know how to explain it to you."

"What did the doctor say?"

"It's called antenatal depression, which I'd never heard of. I know woman suffer from post-partum depression, but I had no idea …. There is medication – antidepressants - to quell the symptoms but the effects on the baby are unknown. I couldn't take the chance with our baby, Fitz."

"I hate that I wasn't there for you back then", kissing her temple.

"As I said, when I delivered Cee all of the symptoms went away – I was back to myself."

He nods, pondering everything she has said. He plans to research antenatal depression so he can be more aware of the symptoms and know what to look for this time.

"And now - how are you feeling?"

Again she remains silent for a few minutes.

"It came back, Fitz. It came so early this time", and her body begins to tremble and the tears fall down her face in sheets. "There was so much happening and we weren't in a good place when I realized I was pregnant again."

"Aww, sweetheart. I'm sorry. Tell me about it."

"After our last argument it felt like everything was coming down around me. I felt like I was falling apart."

She closes her eyes because she needs to tell him everything, but she is afraid. She is afraid he will not look at her in the same way. She is afraid he will hate her. She is afraid he will not want her to be around their daughter.

"You're going to hate me", pulling the wad of tissues from her pants pocket and wiping the stream of tears from her face.

"I could never hate you", kissing her bare shoulder and gently encouraging her to continue.

She stands from his lap and walks over to the other end of the patio and he looks at her in bewilderment. She inhales deeply, wrings her hands, and looks up at the mountains. She wishes she could be as strong as they appear.

"I needed to leave our home for many reasons Fitz - not just because we weren't in a good place – not just because of the arguing and fighting."

He stares at her back with a questioning expression.

"I left because I needed to protect our daughter – to protect Cena."

He frowns as he watches her grab the black wrought-iron railing tightly.

"I began to have dark thoughts early on this time. They were really bad thoughts, Fitz."

He stands from his seat, walks toward her, but does not touch her. He needs to give her space to express whatever is troubling her.

"I had thoughts of hurting my daughter – our daughter, Fitz. And it scared me so much. I knew immediately I could no longer stay in our home - could no longer be around my own daughter. So I called Rev. Walker and Abby and we all met at Dr. Perry's office. And that's when Dr. Perry said suggested I go away - to be in a stress-free environment for awhile. He recommended that I come here – to Mirage." Her body trembles as she begins to cry uncontrollably at the painful memories.

Fitz goes to his wife immediately and embraces her and wonders how the hell he could have missed all of this.

"I can't come home, Fitz. I am so scared", she says with a trembling voice.

"You're going to be all right. We're going to get through this together" cupping her face and kissing away her tears.

"I miss my family. I miss you and Cena so much."

"We'll work this out, okay?"

She nods with pouty lips and he thinks how much she looks like Cena in this moment.

"Will you stay tonight?" She asks tearfully.

"Of course. Of course. I'm not going anywhere."

 **XXX**

Fitz lay awake in bed looking up at the ceiling while Olivia is cuddled in his side sleeping. He thinks about her depression and that at one point in their marriage she was in such a dark place she no longer wanted to live. He shakes his head when he thinks that she recently had thoughts of harming their daughter. And he realizes that Abigail is right. What kind of husband is he not to know that his own wife was depressed? How could he be so damn blind that he could not see that she was suffering? Well the blinders are now off. He has to protect his family and he cannot do that as long as he is traveling – as long as he is away from them. Until they can get a handle on Olivia's health, traveling for work is done. None of it matters if his family is not healthy and whole.

Fitz scheduled an 8:30 conference call with Dr. Perry in the morning because he wants the doctor to explain Olivia's condition to him and the plans for helping her to get better. He also scheduled a 10:30 am appointment with Thaddeus so he can better understand the kinds of treatment Olivia has been receiving since she has been at Mirage. When they return home tomorrow he will call Bennie and get his medical opinion about Olivia's condition.

 **Day 1**

Fitz holds Olivia's hand as they sit on the sofa in the living room talking to Dr. Perry through the speakerphone.

"I am so glad you are now plugged into Olivia's health, Fitz. Olivia has tried to go it alone but she needs your support."

Fitz nods and gives his wife an encouraging smile.

"I will do whatever is best for my wife, Dr. Perry."

"Good – good. Well, Olivia is suffering from what is called antenatal or antepartum depression. It's a mood disorder that can occur at any time during pregnancy. One in every 10 women will be depressed at some point during pregnancy and around one in every 30 will be depressed during pregnancy and the postnatal period."

Fitz nods as he listens intently to Dr. Perry. This is all new to him.

"It is only within the last 20 years that prenatal depression has been associated with pregnancy. Before this, postnatal depression was the only depression linked to pregnancy. Women who seek help for prenatal depression are often told it's just their hormones – which offers very little help to the suffering mother-to-be."

Fitz frowns.

"Some mothers-to-be have often described prenatal depression as a nine-month-long tunnel of doom, anxiety, and despair. For some women being pregnant is not a joyful and happy experience at all."

"With Olivia's first pregnancy the onset of depression didn't occur until she was well into her third trimester. While in the beginning her symptoms were mild, but they got progressively worse up until the time she delivered."

Fitz clenches his jaw because he saw no signs of her being depressed back then.

"Once Olivia delivered Cena she was back to her normal self."

Olivia looks at her husband and nods, confirming everything that Dr. Perry is saying.

"So Dr. Perry, what causes antenatal depression?" Fitz asks.

"Well, the causes fall into three major categories - arrears, physical, emotional and social."

"And the cause of Olivia's depression?"

"Well, we screened Olivia and it seems like the cause of her depression is more emotional and social."

"Say more, doctor."

The furrow in Fitz' brow deepens as he leans forward and rests his arms on his bent knees. He is trying to understand everything Dr. Perry is saying.

"Well, there are emotional implications of bringing a new life into the world. The first-time pregnancy involves a complete life change, whether this is social or psychological. The mother-to-be may have gone from being someone's daughter or aunt to being a mother. Problems with their partner and parents may be magnified during this time, and the relationships with friends may change overnight, all of which can cause more stress on a women. Even if the mother is already a parent, the fear of how she will cope with having another child can cause feelings of depression."

Fitz nods and beckons Olivia to sit on his lap. He wraps his arm around her waist and kisses her cheek as they listen to the doctor.

"Also, women are under more pressure today to succeed in the world of business, and it can be hard for them to juggle a full-time job along with a family. The important thing is for women to remember it isn't impossible to have it all. It just becomes easier if they don't try to have it all at once. There is nothing wrong with having a career break or not wanting to return to work right after the birth of the baby. Every women has different needs, but all mothers-to-be must stay calm and relaxed as much as possible."

"So how do you expect this place – Mirage - to benefit my wife?"

"Since Olivia's depression is caused mostly by the emotional stress in her environment, I thought it would be beneficial if she removed herself from what is causing the stress and anxiety."

Olivia lays her head on Fitz' shoulder.

"Mirage is a highly regarded retreat that provides the space and support for people who need a respite from their daily lives. At Mirage, Olivia is attended to by a trained and dedicated staff who provide healthy food choices, exercise routines, and counseling sessions. Just being in this beautiful environment will also help Olivia to reduce her stress. Olivia can also meet with counselors to discuss her anxiety and learn techniques for managing the things that trigger her stress."

"I see", Fitz says, rubbing his hand up and down Olivia's arm.

"It has also been helpful that Rev. Walker is involved to provide Olivia with weekly spiritual support while she is staying at Mirage. This has truly been a team effort, Fitz."

"Dr. Perry, Olivia wants to come home. Do you think that is a good idea?"

"If Olivia is going to be in a stress- reduced environment and have all of the other support I mentioned, then I see no reason why she cannot return home."

"Thank you, Dr. Perry."

"And one more thing Fitz. You should meet with the staff at Mirage to understand the program they have designed for Olivia. If she goes home then she should try to stick to the same routine as much as possible."

"Thank you again doctor", Fitz says before disconnecting the call.

Fitz leans back on the sofa and pulls Olivia with him, holding her tighter. And they sit in silence while he collects his thoughts.

"Did I do this to you? Did I put all of this stress on you - cause the anxiety?"

"It's not just one thing, Fitz."

"Are you sure you want to come home? Do you think you're ready?"

"I want to come home, Fitz. I miss you and Cee so much."

He nods.

 **XXX**

A half-hour later they walk hand in hand across the courtyard to the main building to meet with Thaddeus Collins for their 10:30 appointment. Fitz knocks on the office door and Thaddeus walks around his desk to greet the Grants.

"Good morning, Mrs. and Mr. Grant", Thaddeus says, extending his hand to Olivia. Then he extends a handshake to Fitz, who readily accepts the gesture, and Thaddeus smiles thinking what a difference a day makes.

As Olivia and Fitz settle into the two plush chairs in front of Thaddeus' desk, the founder of Mirage offers them something to drink and they both decline. Thaddeus walks behind his desk and sits in his leather chair.

"Well Mrs. Grant, I understand you have decided to go home", Thaddeus smiles kindly.

"Yes, I have. My husband and I spoke with Dr. Perry earlier and he said he can support my going home if certain conditions are met."

"I see", Thaddeus says, nodding as he looks between the two. "Well, Dr. Perry is an excellent physician who cares about his patients very much. So if he thinks you are ready to go home then I support his decision wholeheartedly."

"Do you have a copy of Olivia's routine since she has been here? Dr. Perry would like for Olivia to follow the same regimen when we get back home."

"Of course", Thaddeus says with a professional smile as he reaches across the desk for the black leather-bound portfolio with Mirage emblazoned on the cover in gold lettering.

"Mrs. Grant", you have made significant progress during your stay with us and we would like for that progress to continue once you return home."

"I would like that too, Thaddeus."

"In addition to your personalized schedule, we have also included in your portfolio a list of reputable counselors in your area. All of them provide couples counseling as well", Thaddeus says, looking over at Fitz.

And Fitz nods.

"However, before you leave us, I would like to offer you both the opportunity to spend some time with one of our therapists who specializes in couples counseling."

Fitz and Olivia look at each other in surprise. They certainly were not expecting this offer.

"Of course the service and the additional stay will be a gift from Mirage."

Still shocked by the unexpected offer, Olivia and Fitz continue to stare at each with their mouths hanging open.

"We at Mirage are invested in our guests remaining whole and healthy so we won't have to see them here again", Thaddeus smiles kindly. "We are not in the business of just making money. We truly want to help make our guests lives better."

Thaddeus takes in the couple's expressions before continuing.

"While Mrs. Grant has made amazing progress as an individual, I think in order for her to sustain ongoing health and wellness you both need to be on the same page. I know you were not expecting this, but I hope you will consider my offer."

Olivia looks at Fitz pleadingly and he sees the anxiety in her eyes.

"Thank you for the offer Thaddeus. I am willing to do anything I can to support my wife."

Olivia squeezes Fitz' hand and smiles brightly.

"Good", Thaddeus exclaims. "I will have the concierge return Mrs. Grant's luggage to your villa. And please, do not hesitate to request anything you might need from our staff during your extended stay."

"Thank you Thaddeus", Olivia says happily.

"It's our pleasure to serve you Mrs. Grant - Mr. Grant."

Thaddeus stands from his chair and buttons his suit jacket. He extends a handshake to Olivia then to Fitz.

"Thank you Thaddeus - for everything. And I apologize for my behavior yesterday."

"Already forgotten, Mr. Grant", he says as he escorts the couple to the lobby.

"By the way, you will be working with Avril Denne´, our best couples' therapist on staff. I will warn you in advance, however, that her methods are somewhat unconventional – but very effective."

 **XXX**

Olivia and Fitz return to their villa and discuss the gift that Thaddeus has given them as they enjoy a leisurely lunch on the sunlit patio. This is the first meal they have enjoyed together in quite some time and it feels wonderful being together again and doing something normal without arguing. At 1:00 pm they walk hand in hand across the courtyard to the Calming Building for the first of two sessions with Avril Denne´.

Avril Denne´ is a certified therapist who specializes in counseling couples and families. Until recently, Avril smoked two packs of cigarettes a day. Now, she only chomps through a pack of yellow No. 2 pencils each day to distract her from resuming her old habit. She has worked at Mirage for the past 12 years helping guests to learn techniques to rebuild and restore their relationships. Her colleagues think she is peculiar and question some of the bizarre counseling methods she uses with the guests. However, Thaddeus relies on Avril immensely. Although he has received a few complaints about Avril's methods, from staff members and guests, he retains her because she is the most effective therapist at Mirage. And when he offers a couple the gift, he usually assigns Avril to them because she can help to transform them in the shortest period of time. Bizarre methods be damned.

Born in England where she lived with her parents and two brothers, Avril moved to the States after graduating from university with a certificate in Family Counseling. She was drawn to the field of family counseling because she saw as a child the damage that dysfunctional parents can do to their children, especially when there is no outside support. So as an adult she wants to provide families with the support they need and hopefully help to prevent other children from having to grow up in a house with parents that bicker all of the time.

Avril usually has a limited amount of time to work with the guests at Mirage so she likes to get down to business as quickly as possible. She does not have time or the desire to coddle them because the guests usually have a problem or problems they need to deal with immediately so they can resume their normal lives.

At the beginning of each session Avril always lays down the rules of engagement. And the first rule is to tell the truth. The second rule is not to interrupt when the speaker is expressing their thoughts and feelings.

 **XXX**

"So, Fitz is the problem?" Avril summarizes when Olivia finishes speaking.

"What?" Stunned by the woman's unfiltered assessment.

"You said – well you both said that Fitz' need to control you is the problem in your marriage. Correct?"

"Well – yes", she stammers. "To some degree."

"Is that right, Fitz?"

"I've been unfair to Olivia – have had some unrealistic expectations", he says stoically.

"I see. So now that you know who the problem is in your marriage you can now go back home and resume your life."

Fitz reaches for Olivia's hand and smiles.

"Yes", Olivia beams brightly. "But I was hoping first you would give us a few tips so we can better communicate when we get back into our normal routine."

"Is that what you want, Fitz?"

"Of course. Anything that will help us to get back on track."

He smiles at Olivia and she smiles at him. Avril studies the two and nods her head.

"Well, you might not want to get back onto the same track you were on since that track has led you straight to Mirage."

"Excuse me?" Fitz says, taken aback by the woman's brazenness.

"You two think you have identified the problem and all you need are a few _tips_ to help you to move on with your lives. Well you're mistaken."

Their eyes are wide in astonishment as they look at the pencil-chomping woman.

"Fitz, you're willing to fall on your sword – take the blame for everything that is wrong in your marriage - and you think that is admirable. But it's not - nowhere close to being admirable. But you want Olivia to come back home so you're willing to be the fall guy."

Fitz squints at the woman. He cannot believe that this stranger would dare to speak to him in that manner.

"And unfortunately Olivia, you are more than willing to allow your husband to believe he is the blame for everything that is wrong in your marriage."

"That's not true", she says defensively, glaring at the woman.

"Well that is what you said. And in this room only the truth will be spoken. You two will need to be completely honest with each other if you want to have a chance at saving your marriage. And right now neither of you is being honest."

"I'm sorry …" looking at the woman's name tag as he stands. "I'm sorry, _Avril_ , but this so-called gift is not what we need. Come on Olivia, let's get the hell out of here."

Olivia grabs her purse and begins to stand.

"You'll be divorced in two years if you walk out of that door. Is that what you want for your children?" Avril asks looking at Olivia's growing belly.

Olivia is stunned by the woman's prediction and her hand instinctually rubs her stomach.

"The choice is binary. You either walk away from each other now so you don't spend the next few years making yourselves and your children miserable. Or, you take this gift and learn how to transform yourselves and your marriage. There is no third option."

They both look at the rude woman with raised eyebrows, thinking she certainly cannot be a certified therapist.

"You two aren't being honest with each other. Hell, you've been pretending for so long I don't think you even know how to be honest."

"Come on Olivia, let's go", reaching for his wife's hand.

Olivia realizes this is their moment of truth as she looks back and forth between Avril and Fitz' outstretched hand. She knows if they do not take this opportunity – this gift – then they could possibly end up divorced in a few years.

"Olivia, let's –"

"We're staying", she says, looking at Avril. "We need to do this. We need help."

Fitz pinches the bridge of his nose and glares squarely at Avril as Olivia begins to sit back in her seat.

" _Fine"_ , he growls as he takes his seat and shakes his crossed legs. He is fuming.

"Fine", Avril repeats. "Now that we've gotten past our first standoff, let's get to work. We have today and tomorrow, and we have a lot of territory to cover. So Olivia, tell me why is Fitz the problem in your marriage?"

"Well I didn't say –"

"Remember Olivia, this is a place where only the truth is spoken."

Olivia looks at her husband, who is wound as tight as an old clock, before speaking.

"I love Fitz, with all of my heart. And no matter what has happened I will always love him", she says, wringing her hands.

Fitz twists his wedding band and begins to retreat slowly into his mind, thinking he is going to be the target in these sessions.

"For me …"

She inhales deeply and looks at Fitz out of the corner of her eye and sees him engaging in his nervous habit.

"For me it started five years ago when we got pregnant with our daughter", she says quickly.

Fitz glances at her in shock because he thought their problems started just a few years ago.

"When we found out we were pregnant with Cena, well Fitz just became a different person. He began to make decisions without really consulting me or listening to my opinion."

"Give examples, Olivia. You have to be specific so Fitz can understand your perspective – what you were feeling at the time.

"Well, I loved our apartment. It was in the city – not too far from my office and the size was perfect for us. We had more than enough room for us and a baby."

Fitz looks at his wife wanting to respond but remembers the rule so he listens and waits for Olivia to finish sharing, from her perspective, the beginning of the demise of their relationship.

"But Fitz wanted to move – outside of the city – far away from my office. And he wanted to buy such a large house, which was not necessary at the time. It requires a lot of my time – too much of my time actually to maintain and I grew to resent it. In fact, I hated it for a long time. Fitz was – "

"Talk to your husband, Olivia. Tell him how you felt."

"The house was just too big, Fitz and you were hardly ever there, which made me feel lonely."

He looks at her in surprise because he had no idea that she hated their home. He knew she wasn't thrilled about the house, but hate it?

"And as Fitz and I discussed yesterday", she begins softly, "Over the last few years of our marriage you have become more controlling – more authoritarian."

"How so?" Avril asks, twirling the yellow No. 2 pencil between her fingers.

"Well, he – you tried to mold me into being someone I am not."

"Specifics, Olivia."

"Well, first you wanted me to give up my business. And I will never do that."

"That's not true", he interjects only to be stopped by Avril.

"Hold on Fitz. You'll have your chance."

He bristles at the woman's admonishment and shifts uncomfortably in his seat.

"You wanted me to be a stay-at-home mom, raise children, and take care of our home. While I enjoy doing all of those things I never wanted to do them full time."

Fitz looks at Olivia in shock.

"And …" Glancing over at her husband who is now looking down and picking at the imaginary lint on his his pants. Fitz and I don't have the same values when it comes to money. He is so obsessed with making money and money just isn't that important to me. I wasn't raised to worship money."

"Is there anything else, Olivia?"

"Well, I don't think Fitz defends my choices to his family – his parents. They think I should be a 1950s-type wife and not work. And they aren't shy about letting me know their opinions."

Fitz frowns deeply.

"Is there anything else?"

Wringing her hands and glancing quickly at her husband again, Olivia looks back at Avril.

"Well, I guess that's it. It was all of these things combined that have had a negative impact on our marriage. It wasn't just one thing" Olivia concludes.

 **XXX**

"So", Avril begins as she looks at an irritated Fitz. "Now we know all of the reasons why you're the problem in the marriage – at least from Olivia's point of view. Do you agree, Fitz, with what Olivia said?"

Fitz remains silent for a long while as the two woman stare at him. He feels like he is being double teamed.

"This only works if you participate, Fitz", Avril says looking at the man who looks like he is ready to explode.

Fitz sits up straight in his chair, clears his throat, and rakes a hand through his hair.

"I love my wife and will do anything for her – for our family."

"I'm sure that is true, but that does not answer my question. Do you agree with what Olivia just said - about why you are the problem?"

"No", glancing over at his wife who looks at him in disbelief.

"What?" Olivia says, stunned by his response.

"It's Fitz' turn Olivia. Continue Fitz."

"Well I agree with parts – a part", looking again at Olivia. "I could have – should have done a better job in handling my parents. I didn't realize until Abigail told me how difficult it has been for you dropping off Cena there every day. They had no right trying to make you feel guilty about your choices. Again, I am sorry for that."

Olivia smiles and reaches for his hand.

"Fitz, what say you about Olivia thinking you are controlling?"

He shifts again in his chair and thinks about the question for about five minutes.

"If I am to be honest", looking at Olivia. "When Cena came along I guess something in my brain switched. I became a father Liv – we became parents - and I wanted the best for our child. I wanted our daughter to feel the same kind of love and security I felt from my mother when I was a kid."

"Liv, I felt secure in knowing that my mom was there in the mornings to make our breakfast and ship us off to school and that she would be there for us after school as well. I loved the smells that filled the house with whatever she was cooking when I got home from school in the afternoons. I loved that she would make me a snack and sit in the kitchen with me to discuss my day. I felt safe and loved and I wanted that for Cee – for all of our children."

He looks at her and caresses her hand as he remembers the positive times as a child when he thought life was terrific, at least from his perspective.

"And I vowed that I would do everything within my power to provide you and our children the same kind of love and security I had and I didn't mind working hard to do it."

They look at each other.

"You know me, Liv. You know that family is the most important thing to me and you said family was important to you too. You said you wanted us to have a more traditional family too - maybe not as traditional as mine – but a bit more structured than your family. So we made a plan, Liv – together. And you agreed to that plan."

She looks at him slack-jawed because quite frankly she had forgotten about the agreement.

"We made an agreement before we were even married."

Olivia brings her hand to her mouth and closes her eyes.

"I remember us making the agreement just like it was yesterday. We were sitting on the patio at the old apartment and we talked about our future and where we both were at that time in our careers. Do you remember?"

Eyes still wide she looks at him and nods slowly.

"We agreed whose career would come first and whose would be delayed. We agreed that since my business was beginning to take off and yours hadn't gotten much traction yet that I would work my ass off to make it a success, and you would still work at your Foundation and we would start our family a couple of years after we were married. We knew it would take several years before we had any real success in the business. We both knew my traveling would be tough and that I would be gone a lot - but that was a sacrifice we we're willing to make – at least for the short term. Didn't we?"

And she nods.

"And I worked hard – not because I'm so obsessed with money Liv, but because I was trying to build a future for our family. Flying back and forth across the country almost every week is physically draining – you have no idea. Some days I would wake up and I honestly didn't know where I was – what city I was in. And I missed you and Cena so much. And I felt like I was missing out on so much because each time I came home Cena had changed in one way or another."

She looks at him trying to blink back the tears.

"And we agreed to have another child after Cena turned two. Didn't we?"

She nods and rests her hand on her stomach.

"But that was around the time the Foundation began to get some publicity and to take off – much sooner than either of us expected. And I was so happy for you and proud of you – always have been. But you began working longer and longer hours, which we agreed you wouldn't do, at least while Cena was still young and while I was traveling. But you seemed so happy – happier than I had seen you in such a long time so I said nothing about the long hours for a long while. Nor did I didn't push you on having another child."

She looks away from him and down at the floor.

"Once you started networking and interacting with local officials and donors - work became your primary focus – your priority. So two – three years passed and you never mentioned wanting to have more children and I understood that. I understood that your business was just beginning to get some traction and it needed your attention – but so did our daughter."

"You forgot about Cena so many times Liv because you were off working on another project and taking care of the community. You forgot that Cee was at my parents' house more times than I care to remember."

"And I'm so sorry you had to deal with my parents criticizing your choices - Liv - I really am. But have you ever once thought about how frustrating it was each time they called me to complain that you had once again forgotten to pick up Cena? How they were unable to contact you since you have a habit of turning off your phone?"

She wraps her arms around her body as the memories come flooding back to her.

"It was bad enough that they had to watch Cena, but for you to continually pick her up late or forget about her altogether was totally unacceptable. That's why I didn't want to put her in day care. I couldn't trust you to remember to pick her up. I didn't want our daughter to be forgotten at some day care center all evening. You know Cena, she would have been frightened, Liv. She would have thought that mommy and daddy didn't love her - that we had abandoned her. And I never want her to feel that way. And you know I couldn't just stop working to watch her. I already had too many commitments I was trying to juggle, so my parents were the best alternative."

"And your inability to keep your word was making our life chaotic. Things had gotten out of control, Liv. You forgetting about Cena, leaving in the mornings before either of us saw you, and coming home late in the evenings became intolerable. I was frustrated that you kept putting your work before our family over and over and over. And yes, I began to resent your work – not because I wanted you to be a stay-at-home-mom. I resented your work because you cared more about the Foundation and the people you supported than you cared about me and Cena. And yes I began to demand that you show up for our family - that you be present for our daughter. Cena deserved better."

"I know giving ultimatums, getting angry, and fighting with you was not the best ways to handle the situation; but quite frankly I was at the end of my rope and I didn't know what else to do - how to get you back on track. So, if you call that controlling – then yes – I became controlling."

Tears are falling down her face.

"I'm not innocent here Olivia, but neither are you. We agreed we would never let our careers interfere with us being a family. We agreed that family is more important than anything."

She cannot stop the tears from flowing.

"You changed the agreement Olivia, not me", he says in a staccato tone.

They stare at each other for a long while.

"Then why didn't you say anything back then?" She asks through the tears.

"Because I wanted you to be happy", he says in exasperation. "Because I knew I wasn't enough to make you happy. Because I knew having a family wasn't enough to make you happy."

"That's not true", she says weakly.

He takes a breath and shakes his head. He did not want to go down this road, revisiting past agreements. He wanted to leave the past in the past and concentrate on building a new future with his wife. But he has been letting things go for far too long and it has not served his family well. In fact, remaining silent has almost destroyed his family. The truth needs to be spoken, so he decides to release everything he has been holding inside for such a long time.

"I didn't feel like your husband any more, Liv. We rarely saw each other and when you were home you really weren't because you brought your work with you."

She wonders how she could have been so blind, so distracted that she could not see how miserable he was.

"The intimacy was gone. We had sex but we didn't make love – not in the same way – not in a long time."

And she looks at him in surprise.

"You seemed to only do it out of a sense of obligation or when you knew I was upset. But I love you so much I would take you any way I could get you. Being away from home gets lonely Liv, and when I get home I just want to be with my wife."

 **XXX**

"I'm sorry. I had know idea how you felt", looking into his sad eyes. "I guess I convinced myself that you and Cena were okay because we have so much. And I convinced myself the community needed more because they have so little. You called me on all of it but I couldn't or wouldn't hear you, Fitz. I guess I forgot to put on my own oxygen mask first", shaking her head realizing the ridiculousness of her thinking.

Fitz tilts his head slightly to the side, trying to understand what she is saying.

"Flight attendants always say in case of an emergency to put on your own oxygen mask first before trying to help others."

He thinks about how many times he blocked out the flight attendants' instructions.

"Fitz, I was so busy trying to help the people in the community I guess I failed to make sure we were okay first. I was so focused on helping others I took my eyes off of the two most important people in my life. I kept telling myself the long hours I was working weren't going to last long –that it was just for a short period – until my latest project was completed. But there was always going to be another project", she says sadly. "I failed you, Fitz and I failed Cena. Can you forgive me?"

"I love you Olivia", he says, leaning over and brushing her tears away. "I will always love you."

"But love isn't enough, Fitz. We can't rely just on love to make our marriage healthy", she says solemnly.

" _Stop saying that. Love is everything. Love is everything for me and I'm tired of everyone trying to diminish what love means to me."_

Astonished by his outburst, Olivia brings her hand to her chest and looks at him with wide eyes.

"Love is not just a word or a feeling for me, Liv. It's not just some silly emotional expression. Love is commitment. Love is family. Love is protection. Love is dedication. All of those things are wrapped up in love. And when I tell you that I love you I am saying that I am willing to lay down my life for you. I am saying that you are my everything. I am say that I will do anything in my power for you – for our family."

The tears are running down her face because she feels like she is seeing her husband for the first time.

"Livvie", taking her hand in his. "I remember the day and the hour I fell in love with you – when I committed myself to you – just like it was yesterday. And I have not stopped loving you and I never will – no matter how all of this ends," looking around the room. "And I didn't fall in love with you at one of the many beautiful sunrises or sunsets we shared together. It wasn't on one of the many vacations we went on. And it wasn't after we made exquisite love innumerable times."

He smiles at her weakly.

"I fell in love with you at Feingold's Furniture Store when I saw you bouncing up and down testing the cushions on the sofa for my apartment. Before we really started dating and I was still tricking you into go shopping with me."

She smiles as she remembers that day, but she had no idea how he felt at that time.

"Liv, ever since I met you I wanted to make you happy – wanted to protect you. Even though you exuded strength and confidence, you also allowed me to see the vulnerable side of you – and I liked that side of you too. And I just wanted to take care of you."

"Fitz, I don't need you to take care of me", she says softly.

" _I know you don't need me to take care of you, Olivia. How the hell do you think that makes me feel when you say it – when you show me every chance you get that you don't need me?"_

Her eyes bulge.

" _I am your husband, Olivia. I am supposed to take care of you. What is my role if I don't take care of you and protect you?"_

" _Fitz, I don't need you for my survival – I don't need you to take care of me. I don't need you to pay my bills - to fix the clogged sink - or to change the tire on my car. I can do all of those things for myself or hire someone to do them."_

His face reddens and his eyes brim with tears. He feels like she just stuck a knife into his heart so he looks away, trying to hide the hurt. Olivia reaches over and intertwines her fingers with his.

" _What kind of man am I if don't take care of you? Who the hell am I'm supposed to be if I don't do that, Liv?"_

"You are to be my partner, my lover, and my best friend in the whole damn world. You're to be my soft place to fall when everything around me is coming apart. When I have a terrific day at work and I am really proud of something I accomplished, you are to be the first person I want to tell. And when I have had a really crappy day, you are to be the person I want to call and hopefully get a hug and be told that everything is going to be all right."

He blinks rapidly, trying to hold back the tears.

"Babe", she says softly, but he does not respond. "Look at me", and he slowly turns and looks into her eyes with tears trickling down his face.

"I don't _need_ you for any of those things", looking intently into his eyes. "But I _want_ you. _I._ _Want. You._ I want you more than I have ever wanted anything in my life. I've wanted no one else but you since I saw you at your Welcome Home Party eight years ago."

He looks at her in surprise because she never told him that.

"I want you because I am selfish. I want you because you make me feel incredibly loved and happy – even with everything that is happening I know that you love me. And I can't imagine ever wanting anyone or anything else as much as I want you."

With the corners of his mouth turned down, he looks at her trying to understand what she is saying.

"Babe, you are so much more to me than a wallet. You're much more than what you can give me."

His face is still hard.

"So, no – I don't _need_ you - not in the traditional sense - but I _want_ you and there isn't a thing you or anyone else can do about it."

She swipes away the tears from her face and they stare at each other for a long while.

"Liv, I get that you don't _need_ me to take care of you - I'm not a Neanderthal. But you have to understand that I enjoy – I love doing things for you and Cena. It's about my need not yours. I love you and Cena more than anything and I want give you both the world. And you reject it all of the time – you reject me, Liv. You make me feel like what I want to give you is dirty. You act like it is all beneath you. You never wanted the house - I know that. But I was hoping in time you would grow to love it – not because of its size or where it is located - but love it because it is where we are going to raise our children."

She looks at him stunned.

"You won't let me buy you a car even though yours is barely working. You won't let me do special things for Cena because you say that I am spoiling her. It seems like you want to prove that you don't need me for anything – and that hurts."

"What?"

"Liv, you've been independent for so long – long before we were married – and you can't allow me to help you - you won't allow me to help you. How do you think that makes me feel, Liv – to be married to a woman who doesn't need or want anything from me? How the hell do you think that makes me feel?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to - I didn't know."

 **XXX**

Avril eyes the two who appear as if have just returned from war. She smiles to herself thinking this is the most honest these two have been with each other since they met. She thinks now that both of their truths have been spoken, it is time to get on to the work that will ultimately transform them.

"Olivia - Fitz, as a third party whose only stake in this matter is to help you to develop the skills for a happy and satisfying marriage, know that there is no right or wrong here. You both just see certain things differently. And it's okay that you view the world differently, but you need to learn how to manage through the differences rather than becoming combative with each other."

They both nod.

"Right now I want to recount for you what I heard both of you say – just the facts - without all of the details and emotions. Is that all right with you? Because it is important that you know what each has said and why."

They both nod.

"Then I want to ask the two of you a few questions. Okay?"

"OK", they say in unison.

"Before you two were married you created a plan for your future. And you both agreed to the plan."

They nod.

"At some point in your marriage the terms of the agreement were changed - intentionally or unintentionally - the plan was changed Olivia. Which means you two started operating from two different plans - the original plan that Fitz was still following and the modified plan which Olivia began following. The terms of the two plans were not in sync, which means you two were not in sync in how you were going about building your future. Your misalignment was fertile ground for all sorts of conflict to grow in your marriage. Did I get that right in 100 words or less?" The woman smiles for the first time this afternoon.

Olivia cocks her head slightly and squints at the woman and Fitz nods his head. He is happy that someone finally understands his frustration.

"Olivia, why didn't you tell Fitz that you changed the terms of the contract the two of you wrote together?"

Olivia responds immediately without having to think about her answer.

"Honestly Avril, I didn't think about the agreement – hadn't thought about it in a long time. I guess I forgot about it really and I just did what I always did before ..."

"Before what, Olivia. Finish your sentence."

"Before I was married. Oh my god", she says half to herself as the realization of her actions hits her. "When I was single I never had to worry about consulting anyone when making a decision about my life. I did what I wanted to do - when I wanted to do it. I would work at the office as long as it took to get the job done. So, when the Foundation began to grow and there was so much that needed to be done, I guess I started behaving the way I did before I was married – before I became a mother."

Handing Olivia the box of tissues, Avril allows Olivia's response hang in the air for a few minutes.

"And Fitz, you're an attorney, a renowned negotiator, who writes and negotiates complex contracts for some of the most prestigious multi-national corporations and brands in the world."

He looks at the woman closely, bracing himself for what is coming next.

"When you realized that Olivia had changed the terms of the original agreement without consulting you why didn't you discuss the matter with her immediately? Why didn't you let her know that you were not comfortable with terms of the new contract?"

"First, I don't manage my marriage the way I manage my business", he says defensively.

Avril will not be deterred by his defensive attitude, so she chews on her pencil and waits few minutes for Fitz to answer the question.

"Second, in my mind there was no new contract because the two parties never agreed to change the original contract. So for me, the original contract was still in force", he says somewhat smugly.

Avril smiles to herself thinking how easily it is for him to slip into his professional role.

"That's the point, Fitz", Avril says, pressing her thumb down up and down on the pencil's eraser. "So you didn't agree with Olivia's new contract?"

"Of course not", he says as if the question is the most ridiculous thing he has ever heard.

"So why didn't you discuss the matter with your wife?"

"I just wanted Olivia to be happy. And I never dreamed that we would get so far off course."

"Remember, only the truth will be spoken in this room, Fitz", looking at the irritated man.

Fitz shakes his crossed leg and twists his wedding band as he glares at the woman. And he feels Olivia staring at him, waiting for him to answer the question. So after a while he begins to speak.

"When I met Olivia I was intrigued by her. I had never known anyone like her before. She was a dynamo - so self-assured, independent, and confident. And the kind of passion she exhibited for her business was very appealing to me." He turns and looks at his wife before continuing. "And I still love all of those things about you", giving her that smirk that she has not seen in a long while.

"You were living the life you wanted, Liv. Your lifestyle was pretty much settled when I came along. You had everything in order and I really didn't know if there was a place for me in your life. And I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how I could fit into your life – trying to figure out what I could possibly bring to a woman who seemingly didn't need anyone."

Olivia looks at him in surprise.

"And you continued to be independent after we were married - making decisions about your life – our life - without consulting me."

Olivia furrows her brow.

"You rarely, if ever, consulted me on anything – and not just the Foundation. You pretty much did whatever you wanted to do – hardly ever considering my needs and feelings. And I said nothing for a long time because I loved you and wanted you to be happy."

His eyes glisten as he looks into her eyes.

"So I said nothing when you changed our agreement without discussing it with me first."

He pauses thinking he needs to speak the whole truth, no matter how painful or embarrassing it might be. He needs to say what has been haunting him for such a long time. The truth must be spoken in this room.

"And if I am to be honest", looking nervously around the room. "I guess I didn't say anything because I didn't want to risk losing you. I was afraid if I brought up the original agreement you would no longer want this – want us", wagging his finger between the two of them.

She is flabbergasted because she had no idea how he felt.

"Liv, a woman like you can really chip away at a man's confidence."

"Fitz –"

"Livvie, you are not responsible for my self-confidence. I get that now - I do." He leans over and swipes his thumb across her cheek, wiping away her tears. "We both have made mistakes. We both have allowed our careers to become more important than our family. And we both need to shed behaviors and insecurities that no longer serve us as a married couple."

He places his hand or her growing stomach.

"Our family is growing. We're having another baby on the way and you know how happy that makes me. But we have to do better babe - for our family. We have to be able to put all of this behind us and move on."

She caresses his face and nods in agreement.

"This was good – really good", Avril says, jumping up and doing a little jig as she rubs her hands together. "I love when we can get down to the real nitty-gritty."

Olivia smiles weakly at the quirky woman.

"Remember, we are not here to fix the blame on any one person - we're here to fix the problem. Today was about understanding each other's perspective. About stopping the pretending. About being honest and truthful. It was about you two coming clean with each other."

They both nod.

"Tomorrow, well that will be about something else. So go back to your villa, have a nice dinner, and get some rest. We have a lot of work to do tomorrow."

Avril walks to the door as Fitz helps Olivia from her seat.

"Thank you, Avril", Olivia gives the woman a genuine smile. "We will see you in the morning."

"Goodnight Avril", putting his hand on his wife's lower back and escorting her from the room.

 **XXX**

They are mentally and emotionally exhausted when they get back to their villa. They ordered dinner and took a long, hot shower. Now, as they sit on the patio eating their dessert, they reflect on their session with the very strange Avril.

"Avril is peculiar, Liv", scooping a spoonful of chocolate ice cream from the blue porcelain bowl.

"Are we slow learners, babe?" She asks, biting into a chocolate-covered strawberry.

"Apparently so. Apparently so." He shakes his head and really smiles for the first time in two months.

"I love you babe", she says, with a smile as bright as his.


	12. Chapter 12 Transformed

**Chapter 12. Transformed**

 **Gross negligence: Extreme departure from the standard of care.**

 **A/N:** Reader575, it's a sticky situation for today's independent woman, letting a man be a man without losing/compromising herself. BTW, I think you did call Fitz a pig. :-). SeptemberMom, Liv was not so quick to jump back into Fitz' arms. Notice how she took her time relaxing in the quiet room. Kandyse4olitz, there are always two sides to every story. Justbecauseican43, required reading? You're too kind. Ftksblog, what a nice compliment. Don't write for a living, just having fun. I have a real JOB. And Michelle, I'm not majoring in anything. Just having fun writing about my favorite couple.

Always enjoy reading the reviews. Also, appreciate the favorites and new followers. Here we go!

Wearing a plush, navy blue Mirage-issued robe Fitz sits on the lounge chair with his long legs stretched before him and sips the piping hot, black coffee. Relaxing and admiring the majestic mountains sprawled before him, he inhales and fills his lungs with the sweet, fresh air. As he reflects on the events of the past 24 hours, he now he realizes that Olivia leaving and coming to Mirage was the best thing that could have happened to their family. When he left John and Abigail's house he had no idea that two days later he would still be at Mirage and getting marital counseling. He cannot believe how things have turned out. Two months ago he thought his whole world was coming to an end. He thought he was losing his family. And now his wife is coming back home and they are in a much better place for the first time in a long while.

Taking another sip from the mug, he silently admits, albeit reluctantly, that Avril is right. If things had not changed between them, if they had not come clean with each other, they probably would be divorced in a few years. He shakes his head and runs his long fingers through his hair, thinking how differently it all could have ended. He glances at his watch and wonders when his laundry will be sent over, then he slides the phone from the table and calls his mother. He tells her that he and Olivia will be home later today to get Cena. He does not offer any details about where they are and what has transpired over the past two days, although she tried to ask, of course.

"Nice view", Olivia says as she walks onto the patio fully dressed.

"It is", beckoning her to sit on his lap.

"I'm coming home today", she says with a big smile, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"You're coming home", returning the smile and pecking her on the lips.

"I can't wait to see Cee. I've missed her so much."

"She's missed you too."

"How is she, Fitz? Is she confused? Has she wondered why her mommy isn't at home?"

"We talked about it. She was sad for awhile and was trying to be a big girl about it."

"But she's not a big girl, Fitz. She's my baby."

"She's fine now, Liv. She's going to be so happy to see you."

"What did you tell your parents – about where you've been – where I've been?"

"Nothing. We don't owe them an explanation."

"Your father –"

"Don't worry about my father - I'll handle him", kissing her again.

She nods, leans back, and looks at his robe.

"Where are your clothes?"

 **XXX**

As Olivia and Fitz settle into their chairs in the counseling room, they have no idea what to expect at their second and final session with their eccentric therapist. Yesterday's session was emotional and revelatory. In this small room, far away from their home, they learned more about each other in a few hours than they have in the eight years they have been together. In this room they began to stand in their truth and be honest with each other. Honesty is liberating. Honesty is cathartic. Honesty is respectful. Honesty is exhausting.

"So, how are my little reptiles doing this morning?" Avril asks, twisting from side to side as if she is warming up for an athletic event.

Taken aback by the woman's unusual question, Olivia and Fitz scrunch their faces as the pint-sized woman continues her gyrations.

"Sit down. Sit down", getting in one more twist before taking her seat. Sliding the yellow pencil from behind her ear, she explains her question.

"Reptiles shed their skin to allow for new growth and to rid themselves of parasites that have attached themselves to their body. Like a reptile, yesterday you began to shed a layer of skin - so to speak - which will allow you to grow individually and as a couple."

Mouths slightly agape, they nod and smile slightly, now understanding the woman's strange inquiry.

"You have begun to rid yourselves of the parasites called pretending, insecurity, and selfishness that were sucking the life out of your marriage."

They intertwine their hands.

"Shedding, or letting go of what no longer serves us is a natural part of the life process – it's the path to growth. It's a death of sorts", looking at the couple closely as they frown.

"Everything comes to be from out of its opposite. Your marriage was dead – or close to it. So letting old behaviors and beliefs to die will allow for new life in your marriage. You got?"

Amused by her use of analogies, they silently chuckle at the pencil-chomping woman.

"So, let me explain how we're going to spend the next few hours", now tapping the pencil on her wrist. "While yesterday was about opening up – showing your authentic selves - today – well today is about learning how to manage through the difficult times. Okay?"

They nod slowly.

"Good", twirling the pencil. "First, I'm going to teach you about three basic tools you will be able to use to manage through the kinds of issues Rev. Walker discussed during your pre-marital counseling sessions."

Their eyes grow wide.

"Don't look surprised – I always do my homework. And don't fear, the good reverend didn't reveal any specifics about your private sessions. He did, however, speak in generalities about the kinds of topics he typically covers during pre-marital counseling."

They nod, realizing they have not thought much about those sessions in recent years.

"Rev. Walker did a fantastic job counseling you – making you aware of the kinds of issues that, if not attended to properly, will cause you to suffer. Issues like gender roles, your careers, where you should live, who will be the primary caretaker of your children, how many children you will have and when, how your children will be educated, and the relationship you have with your in-laws will all cause strife and dissension in your marriage if you don't know how to handle them when they arise."

"However, information is not knowledge, and it's not enough. You need a set of tools to handle the difficult times, and you need instructions on how to use the tools during those challenging times. So, today I'm going to give you the tools and I'm going to tell you how to use them.

They are intrigued by what the woman is saying.

"After that, I'm going to send you two home – get you out of here so you can get back to that little girl of yours." And they both smile.

"Good, so let's get down to business. Turn your chairs to face each other."

 **XXX**

"The first tool is listening – not hearing – but listening. Listening is foundational to communication. You listen with your heart and hear with your ears. You have to actively listen when the other is speaking, and that means being fully focused on what is being said. It means responding in a way that shows that you truly understand how the other is feeling. It means giving your full attention and not developing a defense or a response while the other is speaking. That's why I didn't want you to interrupt each other during our session yesterday." They smile, thinking about how they always build their defense while the other is speaking.

For the next hour Avril guides them through an exercise where they practice listening to what the other is saying. Each has the opportunity to express a concern and the other has to repeat back what they heard. Avril helps them to understand that active listening does not mean agreeing with what is being said, but validating and empathizing with what has been said.

"The second tool is problem or conflict framing. You should know that conflict in a marriage – in any relationship - is inevitable. But it's how you manage the conflict that will determine the success of your marriage. Framing a problem allows you to focus – to understand and interpret what the conflict is really all about. It helps you to understand what is going on and what you should do about it."

They look at the woman curiously.

"Think about a frame around one of your family photographs. The frame allows you to focus on the most important things – the people in the photo – not everything surrounding it. So when you are framing a problem, you want to focus on the most important things related to the problem, not a whole bunch of mumble-jumble."

They nod in understanding.

"Let me explain further. It's important to understand that the lens through which you view a problem will determine how you respond to it. How each of you sees an issue is determined by your worldview – which is dictated, in part, by how you were raised and the life experiences you have had. So what one might see as a major problem the other might not see it as a big deal at all. And that's okay, you just need to listen and know where the other is coming from when you are discussing an issue."

Now they are confused again.

"Olivia, you were raised in a non-traditional family, whereas Fitz was raised in a more traditional family. And Fitz, politically you are a conservative and Olivia you are not. These basic differences are bound to cause conflict in your marriage."

"But we discussed our differences before we were married", Olivia interjects.

"Discussing them is one thing, but knowing how to deal with the problems that can arise because of those differences is something else." They nod in understanding.

Avril guides them through an exercise where they practice framing a problem. And to their surprise, they realize how they viewed the problem differently. What Olivia saw as a major problem, Fitz saw as a non-issue and did not think it required any discussion at all.

"The final tool I want you to leave here with today is decision making, which can be challenging when a couple needs to make a joint decision. Regardless of the type of decision you need to make the process is the same. Making decisions as a couple is not so much about what you decide on, but rather how you go about the process of making the decision. If you use the same process for each decision, in time, you will become experts at making decisions."

After Avril finishes guiding them through the decision-making exercise their heads are spinning. Although tired, they are also energized because they have learned how to apply new concepts that will help them through real-life challenges.

"So, that's all folks", Avril says, tapping the pencil on her temple. "If you use these tools you will see that the problems in your marriage will lessen", she says, staring at them for a few minutes. She loves when couples realize how inept they were at handling issues in their marriage.

"And by the way, these tools aren't to be used to solve every itty–bitty issue that might come up. Don't overuse them or they will become dull and lose their effectiveness. Use them to address the big rocks – the big issues. All righty?"

And they nod, thinking about how they have been doing so many things wrong.

"And, don't expect to change lifelong behaviors and beliefs overnight – it takes time. And things might feel a little weird for awhile as you adjust to your new skin – as you adjust to being a new way - but that's okay. And when you relapse – because there will be relapses", looking back and forth at the wide-eyed couple. "Don't be discouraged – it's to be expected. What's key is recognizing when you have fallen back into some of your old ways and knowing how to get back on track quickly."

Avril stands from her chair, slides the pencil behind her ear, and resumes her stretching routine. And after a few stretches, and with a rare smile, she opens her arms wide and invites the two in for a hug.

"Come on - come on - now give me a hug. You've earned it." After the group hug Olivia and Fitz begin to leave.

"And one more thing", Avril calls out as they walk toward the door. "Hire a damn housekeeper."

 **XXX**

As Fitz pulls onto the private road that leads away from Mirage, he pushes the button to let down the top on his convertible BMW. They smile when they are immediately enveloped by the openness.

"Fancy car", she says with a big smile and he nods and pulls onto the highway.

The two-hour drive down the mountains was the most relaxing time they have spent together in months. And talking about their problems is over, they did enough of that with Avril.

"Babe", she says, enjoying the warm breeze against her face.

"Hmm?" Totally focused on the highway.

"We have to do something for Thaddeus and Avril. Somehow try to find a way to thank them for the gift."

He nods in agreement as the breeze blows his hair every which way.

"Maybe we get Avril a case of yellow No. 2 pencils", laughing before the words can finish leaving his mouth.

She shakes her head and looks at him laughing at his own joke.

"Not funny."

"I thought it was pretty funny", smiling and showing a mouth full of teeth. He has not felt this good in a long time. "You saw how she chews through those things."

"What about Thaddeus? What should we get him?"

"A session with Avril?" He is laughing so hard that tears start to roll from under his aviator sunglasses and down his face. She shakes her head again.

"You're being silly."

"I am – and I love it."

"I can't wait to get back home", she sighs.

He nods as she picks up his phone from the cup holder and taps the Spotify icon. She searches for a song she thinks is appropriate for them right now; she's feeling blessed. She taps the screen and Marvin Sapp's, _Never Would Have Made It_ , begins to flow through the Bose sound system. They smile at each other and intertwine their fingers. Olivia leans back in the plush leather seat and listens to the rousing lyrics as her husband takes them home.

 **XXX**

Olivia wrings her hand as Fitz pulls the car into his parents' driveway. She is anxious about seeing her daughter because she is unsure how Cena is going to respond to her. Will she be upset and angry with her for going away? Or will she be happy that her mommy is back home?

She squeezes Fitz' hand as they walk up the steps that lead to the front door, and before Fitz rings the doorbell he turns to look at his wife.

"You have nothing to worry about, Liv. She has missed you and wants you back home. Okay?"

He kisses her on the lips and she smiles, thinking she can do this. She has to do this. She has to stop getting anxious about things that make her feel uncomfortable. A few moments after Fitz rings the doorbell, his mother swings open the door and a look of surprise spread immediately across her face, which she replaces quickly with a manufactured smile.

"Oh my goodness Olivia", bringing her hands to her mouth "You're _finally_ back."

"Stop it mother", Fitz says sternly. "We don't need or want the snide remarks. Not today - or ever. Do you understand?"

"I didn't –"

"You did. Now if we can come in we would like to get our daughter."

"Of course. Of course." His mother steps aside to let the couple enter the house.

"Good afternoon, Maura. Thank you for watching Cena for the past few days while Fitz was away. We both appreciate it." Olivia looks up at her husband and smiles.

Cena is playing with her toys on the floor in the family room when she hears a familiar voice and she takes off running in search of her mommy.

"We –"

" _Mommy. Mommy"_ , Cena yells as she runs down the hall at break-neck speed with the biggest smile on her face. But she stops suddenly and her eyes grow wide and the tears begin to fall when she sees her mommy standing with her daddy.

" _Cee!"_ Olivia shouts as she runs to her little girl and swoops her up. Olivia plasters wet kisses all over her daughter's face, kissing away her tears.

"Oh, Cee, mommy has missed you so, so much."

And the little girl continues to cry, wrapping her arms and legs tightly around her mommy's neck and waist and burying her face in her mommy's neck.

"You stay now, mommy?" The little girl mumbles into her mommy's neck.

"Mommy is staying. I'm not going anywhere. I'm never leaving again, okay?"

The little girl nods as her tears roll down Olivia's neck. The scene between mother and daughter is heartbreaking to everyone watching. Fitz walks over to his wife and daughter and embraces them both.

"Daddy, mommy says she is staying", Cena says with a big smile.

"Yes, mommy is staying", kissing his daughter on the forehead.

"I told you daddy - mommy come home because I'm a big girl now."

"You are mommy's big girl, Cee. But mommy was came back to her special girl because I love you so much. Never forget it, okay?"

Cena nods as Gerry walks down the hall to see what all of the ruckus is about.

" _Olivia?"_ Gerry says in surprise. " _You're back?"_

"Yes, Gerry. I'm back home with my family", she says happily.

" _For how long?"_ Grimacing at his daughter-in-law.

"Excuse me?"

" _You heard me. How long are you going to stay or are you planning on running off again? That little girl needs a mother who is going to be around for her, not someone who runs off to god knows where whenever she feels like it. I'm surprised she even knows who you are."_

Olivia looks at her father-in-law in shock while rocking her baby girl in her arms. Fitz steps in front of his wife and glares at his father.

"Olivia, take Cena out to the car. I will be out shortly", Fitz says through clenched teeth.

Cena peeks at her daddy thinking he must be upset because he only uses her full name when he is upset. Olivia carries Cena out to the car and buckles her in the car seat and she sits in the passenger seat wondering what is going on inside of the house.

" _This all stops today – now. Do you understand me?"_ Fitz says angrily, looking back and forth at his parents. _"You have no idea what Olivia has been through. And instead of being supportive you use this as another opportunity to be critical of her – to make her feel bad. I've allowed it for too long, but it stops now."_

His parents are stunned by the tone their son is using with them. Fitzgerald has never spoken to them in such a manner.

" _You will now and forever keep your opinions about my wife's choices to yourself - it's none of your business really. Am I making myself clear?"_

His mother nods, but Gerry does not back down so easily.

" _No it's not clear"_ , Gerry retorts angrily. " _You come in her grinning like a goddamn fool because your wife has decided to finally come back home. Well I'm not happy about any of this!"_

Fitz and his father are locked in a stare down and Gerry continues with venom dripping from his tongue."

" _And now you want to get up on your high horse and act all high and mighty. Well the hell with that. You weren't beating your goddamn chest all of these months when your mother and I were serving as your perpetual babysitter while your so-called wife was off doing her thing."_

Fitz balls his fists, closes his eyes, and inhales deeply. He wants to de-escalate the situation before things get too far out of control, before things are said that cannot be taken back. So he takes another deep breath and softens his tone.

"Dad, I – we appreciate you being here for Cena – appreciate everything you and mom have done for us. But watching Cena doesn't give you license to be cruel to my wife. I won't allow it any longer. And mom, it doesn't give you the right to try to force your values on her. She is not you and she never will be you – do things your way. And that's fine with me because I love my wife for who she is."

He stares at his parents with dark eyes.

"Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to take my family home."

Fitz turns to leave as Gerry begins to shout again.

" _You're a goddamn fool Fitzgerald"_ , Gerry yells before slamming the door.

 **XXX**

Olivia and Fitz are determined to make their first night back together as a family a special time for their daughter. She has had to endure so much and at such a young age. So tonight they decided to have have a picnic dinner on the deck and allow Cena to have all of her favorite foods, including tacos of course.

Cena has been clinging to her mommy ever since they got home. She wanted her mommy to hold her while Olivia prepared the food for Fitz to put on the grill. She wanted her mommy to hold her when they played with her toys as they sat on the blanket on the deck. When she realized her mommy was not leaving, she began to relax and enjoy the time with her parents. After dinner they played Cena's favorite games and after the third game Cena began to lose the battle with sleep so Olivia bathed her while Fitz cleaned the kitchen.

Fitz smiles happily as he stands in the doorway of Cena's bedroom watching Olivia brush and twist Cena's hair.

"Mommy, I don't cry any more when daddy combs my hair because I'm a big girl now", she says sleepily.

"Yes you are a big girl", Olivia agrees with the sleepy girl.

Fitz smiles, thinking he does not want Cena to be a big girl, not yet. He wants her to be his baby girl forever. He also thinks about how he will miss their special time together where he would brush and twist her hair. He has learned so much about his daughter during those times. He will have to talk to Olivia about allowing him to continue their routine although she is back home.

Together mother and father read Cena her favorite bedtime story until she falls asleep. And as the couple walk hand in hand down the hall to their bedroom, Olivia remarks how tired she is.

"I have a hot bath waiting for you. You've had a busy day", Fitz says.

"Thank you. I love this day, Fitz. You don't know how happy I am to be back home. And, I am so ready to soak in our tub - I've really missed it."

She takes his outstretched hand and they walk into the beautiful bathroom where they have shared so many wonderful moments. Fitz admires his wife's growing belly and her full breasts as she slides into the bath tub. He is ecstatic that he is going to be a father again. He begins to leave when she closes her eyes and moans as the hot water caresses her body.

"Don't go. Stay. Join me", stretching her hand toward him.

He nods and undresses quickly and Olivia moves forward, allowing him to slide behind her. She leans back into his chest and his hands immediately caress her protruding stomach.

"I've missed you so much", kissing her shoulder.

"I've missed this – missed us too."

"You're almost four months", rubbing circles on her growing stomach.

"Thank you – for defending me to your father – to your parents."

"Don't thank me. It was long overdue."

He kisses down her collar bone and she closes her eyes because he always has that effect on her. He caresses her breasts gently and she moans. He loves her breasts and loves them even more when they are full from pregnancy.

"Are they tender yet?" He ask softly.

"A little", enjoying his large hands fondling her breasts. "I'm okay."

"Turn around."

He learned the art of self-control, of holding back, when he traveled to the East while in the Navy, and he taught her the practice early in their relationship. So she straddles him and they stare into each other's eyes and begin their ritual of reconnecting. They breathe in sync, relaxing their mind and body. He slowly kisses every area of her lips, running his tongue around the interior of her mouth, reacquainting himself with the terrain. Then he glides his tongue behind her upper lip and she shivers and smiles. She rests her forehead on his then reciprocates his movements, running her tongue across his lips, kissing and sucking them gently before exploring his mouth. She smiles and places a hand over his heart and he places a hand over her heart, each feeling the flow of their love energy.

"I missed you so much", she says.

The energy of love flows to their most sacred places, but they hold back, allowing themselves to reach a place of inner peace and inner calm. A spiritual place where there is no stress and fighting. A place where there are no feelings of insecurity. A place where there is no need to control and no need to possess because they have consciously and willingly given themselves to the other. And they spend an eternity reconnecting, rediscovering, and reuniting.

"Let's get out. It's getting cold", she says, shivering slightly.

Fitz stands from the bathtub and quickly wipes the water dripping from his body and wraps the towel around his waist. Again, he marvels at his wife's growing belly, their growing child, as she stands in the tub. He helps her out and wraps a plush sheet towel around her body.

"Do you want anything – need anything before -?"

"No. I'm fine."

She finishes her routine of slathering lotion over her body then crawls under the plush comforter she has missed so much. Fitz turns out the lights and slides behind his wife, pulling her close. He kisses her shoulder and buries his face in her neck.

"I always love the way you smell", rubbing her belly.

"Mmm. That feels so good, Fitz."

"I dreamed about you all the time", he says breathlessly. "You were always in my dreams."

She brings his hand to her lips and kisses the palm tenderly. And after a few moments of enjoying the silence, Fitz speaks what has been on his mind for the past 24 hours.

"Liv", he says, continuing to rub her belly.

"Hmmm?" She says, thoroughly relaxed. She has not felt at peace and loved in such a long time.

"No more babies."

" _What?"_ She turns around, finding his serious eyes in the dark.

"I don't want you risking your health. I can't – I won't have that."

"Fitz, I just need to manage the stress – my anxiety."

"Olivia, we have Cena and another baby on the way. We are blessed."

"But you've always wanted more children."

"I won't risk your health because of my selfishness. I almost lost you - that won't happen again."

"We have to talk about this more, Fitz. Maybe we can find a specialist before we decide. Okay?" She kisses him deeply then cuddles into his side and falls fast asleep.

 **XXX**

Cena runs ahead of her father who is walking down the hall toward their bedroom balancing the breakfast tray for his wife whom he is sure is now awake thanks to their overly excited daughter.

" _Mommy. Mommy! Wake up mommy!"_ The little girl shouts as she jumps onto the bed and shakes Olivia's shoulder.

"Good morning, Cee. What has you so excited this morning?" Olivia asks, trying to sit up in the bed.

"Daddy cooked you breakfast", she spills the beans as Fitz walks into the room.

"Told you, mommy. I told you."

"Wow you were right, baby girl", looking at her husband and smiling.

"I'm a big girl mommy. I'm not a baby anymore."

"Oh, I forgot", Olivia smiles. "But the Tickle Monster can tickle big girls too."

"No mommy", Cee squeals, trying to escape her mother's tickles. "No tickles", the littles girl laughs out loud, showing her missing teeth.

"Breakfast time", Fitz says, setting the tray ono the nightstand.

"Daddy made you panny cakes, mommy." Looking at her mother with wide eyes.

"He did?"

The little girl nods her head vigorously.

"And I made a happy face."

"You did?"

"Show mommy the happy face, daddy." The little girl says bouncing up and down on the bed.

"Okay, Cee. But you have to stop bouncing so mommy can eat her breakfast."

Fitz sits on the side of the bed and gives his wife a good morning kiss.

"Hi", he says, smiling at his sleepy wife.

"Hi."

"Pucker daddy", pursing her lips and her daddy accommodates.

"Let's give mommy space to eat, Cee."

"You make good panny cakes, babe", Olivia says and she and Fitz burst out laughing. And Cena tilts her head as she looks at her parents, wondering what is so funny.

 **XXX**

After breakfast Olivia went back to sleep for a few more hours, which gave Fitz and Cena time to clean the kitchen and plan activities for the day.

"So what do you want to do today, Princess?" He asks as he washes the dishes in the copper farmhouse sink.

"I want to go to the park with mommy", she exclaims.

"Can daddy come too?"

"Do you want to feed the ducks with me and mommy?"

"I would love to feed the ducks with you and mommy. Now pucker."

The Grants spend the afternoon at the park feeding the ducks and reconnecting as a family.

And Olivia and Fitz sit on the bench watching their daughter go up and down the slide. Cena is so happy and carefree and they want her to stay that way. They want her to feel safe and assured that her mommy is not going away again.

"How are you feeling today?" Lifting her hand from the bench to his lips.

"I feel fine. The baby was a little active earlier."

He smiles.

"Are you feeling any sadness?"

"Not at all. I am so happy to be back home with you and Cee."

He nods.

"Liv, I need you to tell me right away if things change. I don't want you to deal with this alone."

"OK", she says softly, looking over at Cena on the swing. "She's getting so big, Fitz."

"She is. She didn't even ask us to give her a push to this time. I don't want her to grow up too fast, Liv."

They watch in silence for awhile as Cena swings higher.

"When do you think you want to go back to work?"

"I don't know. I have to call Mona later and let her know that I'm back."

"She has done a good job managing things while you've been gone."

Olivia looks at him curiously.

"I stopped over at the office a few times. The first time to find out if she knew where you were."

"She didn't. I didn't want to put her in the position of having to lie – to anyone."

"I know. Then I stopped over a couple more times to check if she needed anything. I told her to call me if she ever needed any help."

"Thank you, babe. There is so much I want to have in place before going back to work and before the baby comes. We have a lot of decisions to make, Fitz."

"I know. We have to call an agency next week to start interviewing to get us some help around the house."

She nods.

"Let's start researching pre-schools next week too. Once we have a short list we can send it to Chuck in DC so he can investigate each one before we make a decision. Of course Cena will have to like whichever one we choose."

"Of course", nudging him playfully. "She'll be okay, babe."

He nods, still not convinced that any school is going to be good enough for Cena.

"I've been reading through the list of therapists Thaddeus gave us. I want to start calling them next week. I don't want too much time to pass without having the support we need."

"When is your next checkup with Dr. Perry?"

"In two weeks."

"After Cena is in bed tonight let's look at our schedules and sync them up. I want to be by your side for all of your appointments. I won't be oblivious to what is going on this time."

"Fitz, you can't be with me all of the time, you have work to do. You've worked too hard building the business you love and I won't let you jeopardize it."

"None of that matters if my family isn't happy and safe – if you are not okay."

A tear rolls down her face because he is being the man she always knew he could be.

"I don't want to be the cause of your business suffering because I –"

"Hey, hey", pulling her onto his lap. You are my wife. You are fine. And you are everything I have ever wanted."

"You always wanted more children, Fitz."

"I want you more, okay?" Looking at her intently and wiping the falling tears from her face.

 **XXX**

Fitz is scheduled to meet with Bennie for lunch to discuss what is going on with Olivia and to get his medical opinion. He wants advice from someone he trusts. As Bennie sits in the booth waiting for his brother to arrive, he wonders what is so important that Fitz needed to meet with him right away. He looks up from his phone and sees his brother rushing into the restaurant.

"Sorry, I'm late Bennie. My conference call went longer than I expected."

"No problem. How are you? How are you managing things?"

"Things are complicated. Liv is back – been back for a few days now."

"Wow. How do you feel about having her back?" Sipping his water.

"I love my wife, Bennie. I'm happy my family is back together."

Bennie shifts uncomfortably in his seat.

"Does she plan on staying?"

"Of course she does. She's happy to be back home, that's what I wanted to talk to you about."

"You want to talk to me about your wife's happiness?" Looking at his brother with disdain. "Well count me out. What Olivia did to you and Cee is wrong - disgraceful really. And now she wants everybody to jump because she has decided to come back from doing whatever – with _whomever_. Well I won't support that kind of selfishness", he says adamantly.

The brothers who share the same eyes look at each other for a long while.

"You still haven't gotten over her choosing me", looking at his brother in disbelief. "Good god, it's been over eight years, get the fuck over yourself."

"Fuck you, Fitz"

" _No, fuck you Bennie. I'm tired of your shit. I didn't take Olivia from you. You can't be jealous of something you never had."_

The brothers scowl at each other and the other patrons turn around to see who is causing the disturbance.

" _I came here to talk to you about helping my wife and your friend, but all you want to do is beat up on her - to judge her without knowing the whole damn story - all because you couldn't fuck her."_

Bennie jumps across the table and tries to grab his brother in the collar but Fitz pushes him away quickly.

" _Fuck you, Bennie",_ Fitz yells as he storms out of the restaurant.

And Bennie is left to bear the stares of the other diners. So he orders a scotch and spends the afternoon thinking about the encounter he had with his brother, who he still loves and respects. As Bennie sips on his third scotch, he admits to himself that Fitz is right, Olivia was never his to lose. She never knew he had deep feelings for her and that is his fault. He needs to stop punishing his brother and Olivia for his shortcomings. It is time he moved on. He takes another sip and wonders what his brother wanted to talk about.

 **XXX**

It has been three weeks since Olivia returned home from Mirage and Fitz and Dr. Perry have been monitoring her emotional stress closely. They want to prevent, if possible, her prenatal depression from returning. Olivia is so thankful that she has so much support from her husband this time. Their sessions with Avril helped her to understand how important it is to share her fears with Fitz and to ask for help before she begins to feel overwhelmed and anxious. So now she shares everything with him, no matter how insignificant she thinks it is. As she leans back in the chair in the study of their home, she smiles because everything is so much better for them now. She and Fitz are closer than they have ever been and that makes her really happy.

Cena is now in a pre-school that Fitz had investigated thoroughly before enrolling his Princess. He got emotional when his little girl went to school for the first day. And, he cannot believe she will be going to kindergarten next year. Olivia shakes her head when she thinks about the number of days Fitz sat in the hall outside of Cena's classroom watching to see how she was adjusting to her new environment. After the third day, the headmaster called Olivia and politely requested that Mr. Grant refrain from _'hanging out in the hall outside of Cena's classroom.'_ He said Mr. Grant was making Ms Kirk, Cena's teacher, nervous and his presence was not helping Cena to adapt to her new environment. Of course Fitz was livid when he learned he had been banned from the hallway. He threatened to go to the school and give Headmaster Frankel a few choice words.

Now that Cena is in school Fitz and Olivia began interviewing housekeepers to help them with the household chores. They have interviewed than eight candidates the agency sent over and Fitz is not satisfied with any of them. Olivia is becoming frustrated and so is Becky Tomlinson, the manager of Happy Helpers.

"Mrs. Grant, I just don't know if Happy Helpers will be able to find someone to meet all of Mr. Grant's requirements. We have sent over eight of our most experienced helpers, some of whom have worked for the most prestigious families in the area, but none of them seem to meet Mr. Grant's requirements." Becky sighs heavily in exasperation.

"I understand, Becky. You have done a fantastic job and I'm certain anyone of the helpers would be capable of meeting our needs. I will talk with my husband this evening and get back to you tomorrow. Okay?"

"I hope you don't think we are not doing our very best to satisfy you and Mr. Grant. But it has been two weeks since you started interviewing candidates."

"You have done a terrific job, Becky. I will get back to you tomorrow. You have a good day."

Olivia disconnects the call and leans back in her chair and sighs.

"Is everything all right?" Fitz asks, walking into the study with a kitchen towel thrown across his shoulder.

"I just finished talking with Becky from Happy Helpers."

"Great", he says excitedly. "Does she have more candidates for us to interview?"

"Babe", Olivia begins as she walks from behind the desk to where her husband is standing. "There is no one else for Becky to send out for an interview."

He looks at her perplexed.

"Babe, we have to make a decision about one of the many very good helpers we've already interviewed."

"Maybe we should contact another agency?" He says oblivious to the real problem.

"No babe, it's not about the agency", wrapping her arms around his waist and pulling him close. Her almost five-month pregnant belly rubs against his stomach and he scrunches his face because he does not understand.

"Fitz, the requirements you gave the agency are very narrow, and quite frankly no one will ever be able to satisfy them all."

He tilts his head and frowns at her.

"Babe, whenever we get close to finding someone who meets most of your requirements you change your mind at the last minute."

"I'm not changing my mind, Olivia. I'm amending the requirements to reflect some critical expectations I have for someone who is going to spend a significant amount of time in our home. Is anything wrong with that?" He asks defensively.

"Yes, there is. You changing your mind really isn't about any of the candidates' qualifications, it's about you not wanting a helper."

"That's not true. I want to get us some help around here." He starts to pull away from her embrace but she holds on to him tighter.

"And I don't doubt that. But I do believe you are somewhat hesitant about having a stranger in our home. And consciously or unconsciously you have been hindering the process."

Not liking the accusation that has been hurled at him, his face hardens and his breathing becomes shallow. He narrows his eyes and grimaces before responding.

"Fine, call Becky and select whoever you want", he says in defeat.

She smiles at his sulking face.

"How about Hildie?"

He looks up at the ceiling for a few moments as if he is trying to recall Hilde's resume and the details of the private investigator's report on Hildegrand Granger.

"Hildie is fine", he finally says in submission.

She smiles because he is really trying to use the techniques Avril taught them.

"Now pucker, babe", standing on her tip-toes.

He deepens the kiss and starts to back Olivia against the desk until he hears the smoke detector beeping.

" _Shit!"_ He exclaims and rushes from the study, through the family room, and into the kitchen. And Olivia rushes behind him to witness the latest catastrophe.

" _Dammit"_ , he growls, grabbing the kitchen towel from his shoulder and waving it around in an effort to clear the smoke.

"Open the door, Liv", he yells as he pulls open the window.

"What are you cooking now, Fitz?" Olivia asks as she stands outside on the deck doing her best not to laugh at her husband flailing the towel around and choking from the smoke.

"I was cooking that recipe you and Cena wanted from last night's episode of _Chef's Knife_ ", he says in frustration, throwing the scorched sauce pan into the sink.

"Well it smells awful."

"That's because it's burnt. I worked all afternoon on that recipe", he says in disappointment.

He looks up at the annoying smoke detector that is still beeping loudly before stomping from the kitchen and joining Olivia on the deck, who is laughing hysterically.

"Fitz, you have become a really good cook, but even the best has an occasional mishap", she says still laughing.

"Well I guess we'll be grilling hot dogs and hamburgers tonight", he frowns as he looks over at the grill.

"Cena will love that."

"Let's sit out here for awhile - until the smoke clears." He pulls Olivia onto his lap and rubs her belly.

"This is nice", taking in the colorful scenery she and Abby planted over the years. "I love our home, Fitz."

"We don't spend enough time out here."

"Well, we'll be spending a lot of time out here next weekend because we're having Abby's baby shower on Saturday."

"You mean you ladies will spend a lot of time out here. John, Cena, and I are going out."

"Where are you going?"

"Haven't decided yet."

"How are things going at the office? Enjoying the peaceful scene in the middle of the afternoon with her husband.

"I don't know what took me so long to do it, Liv."

"Well, Avril helped us to see a lot of things differently, babe", leaning against his chest.

He nods as he thinks about what Avril said about the importance of him having a consistent presence in the home. She helped him to understand that being home more often is critical to the stability of their marriage and is essential to raising a well-adjusted daughter. He now understands the importance of Cena seeing him in the home so they can retain the emotional bond they developed over the past few months.

Fitz has hired Geoffrey Tynes, an extremely bright, Harvard Law-trained attorney to assume some of his case load. Hiring Geoffrey allows him to focus his attention on the most important clients, those he has had the longest. And Sandra, his office manager, will handle the day-to-day operations and all of the administrative duties. Fitz cannot believe how much his stress has been reduced and how much more time he has to spend with his family. He wonders why he did not think about hiring a staff sooner.

 **XXX**

"It's absolutely beautiful back her Liv", Nora says as she sets the table for Abigail's baby shower. It's a perfect day for a baby shower."

"Thank goodness the forecast didn't call for rain. Abby loves the outdoors so I wanted to have the shower out here today."

"Well this deck is certainly big enough, but I'm not surprised", she says, continuing to set the table.

"What do you mean?" Olivia asks, focused on decorating Abigail's chair.

"Well, the Captain _always_ has to do things in a big way. This house is all him."

"Nora", Olivia says, walking over to her sister-in-law and placing a hand on her arm to stop the young woman's movements. "Your brother is a good man – a good husband and a good father. He's loving, kind, and full of humanity. I know you two have your differences, but please don't talk about him that way – at least not while I'm around. Okay?" She smiles politely and pats Nora kindly on the cheek.

Nora eyes Olivia closely before responding.

"OK", she says, smiling sheepishly.

Two hours later the deck is filled with the Grant women and all of Abigail's friends and some co-workers. The talk is lively as they all eat, share stories about Abigail, and play games.

"I'm not wearing that stupid hat, Olivia. Charlotte loves to post everything on Facebook. I'll never live it down if the people at work see me wearing that thing."

"I promise I won't post a thing", Charlotte says, picking up her phone from the table.

"You better not or I'll grease your nursing shoes when I get back to work."

"Well I hope you don't mind Olivia, but I already posted pictures of your beautiful home", Tanya says, flipping her long braids. "Your home is absolutely beautiful."

"You shouldn't post pictures of someone's home without getting permission", Nora snaps at Tanya. "Did you show the address? You'll have all kinds of nuts showing up here."

Tanya is stunned by Nora's outburst.

"I'm sorry Olivia, I meant no disrespect. I just wanted people to see that I'm spending my Saturday afternoon in such a beautiful home.

"No problem, Tanya", Olivia says kindly.

"And I didn't show the address either", Tanya turns and gives Nora a look that could kill. "I'm not an idiot."

Nora rolls her eyes at the woman.

"Olivia", Diane begins, trying to break the tension. "How do you maintain this big house _and_ work?"

"Well, Fitz does a lot of the cooking, and that's a big help. As a matter of fact, Fitz wanted to prepare all of the food for the shower but I told him that was a little ambitious."

"Fitzgerald? Cook? Humph, I don't believe it", Abigail says with disdain.

"Fitz has become a really good cook, Abigail"

Abby looks somewhat shocked because her friend seems to be more protective of her husband these days.

"Well, I wouldn't want John to cook anything for me. Well, maybe I would if he could cook", she chuckles.

"And fortunately we now have Hildie - she's a really big help."

"Hildie? Who's Hildie?" Maura asks curiously.

"Maura, Fitz and I decided to get someone to help us around the house. Hildie is absolutely wonderful – a godsend actually."

"Or should we say a Fitz-send", Nora laughs too loud.

"Well, I didn't have a Hildie or help from anyone when I was having babies. I had four and I did everything by myself."

Nora looks down at her plate.

"Well, Jonathan already knows that we're going to get some help when I go back to work. Olivia, you have to give me the name of the agency you used.

Olivia nods and smiles, remembering how their search process was elongated because of her husband.

"You're going back to work, Abigail?" Maura asks in surprise.

"Of course, Maura. Right after my six weeks of maternity leave are over."

"Who is going to take care of the baby?"

"Uh – day care?" Abigail throws her head back and laughs out loud showing a mouth full of food.

Nora pokes at the tomatoes in her salad.

"We have onsite day care at the hospital", Charlotte says. "And thank goodness, because after being on maternity leave for six weeks I was glad to get back to work. It's the best of both worlds really. I can work doing what I love and any time during the day I can go down to the day care and check on Ian."

"So what are you going to do Kimberly when you and Kenneth have a baby? Are you going to stop working at that cushy job and making all of that money to stay home with a baby?" Debra asks.

"Not at all. Kenneth and I have already discussed it. It'll be day care for us too. It's just unfortunate my company doesn't have onsite day care. I'm jealous of Abigail and Charlotte."

"I find it interesting that you young ladies are so comfortable leaving your children so soon after they are born and having other people to take care of your homes", Maura says in disbelief.

"Mom, please", Nora whines.

"Mrs. Grant –

"Which Mrs. Grant?"

Olivia and Abigail respond in unison as they hold their stomachs and laugh as if they have not said this line at least a thousand times. Kimberly shakes her head at the two laughing women and turns back to the original Mrs. Grant.

"Mrs. Grant", and Kimberly gives Olivia and Abigail a look that says, _don't do that cornball joke again_. Olivia and Abigail snicker.

"I work in a field where the technology changes so quickly. If I took off a few years – for any reason - my skills will be obsolete when I returned to work. Besides, I love what I do too much to just sit on the sidelines and do nothing."

"Well, I hardly call taking care of your family and home sitting on the sidelines and doing nothing."

Kimberly grows quiet out of respect for the older woman.

"Mom, will you just stop?" Nora insists.

"I think it's time we start opening the gifts", Olivia says brightly as she stands from her seat. "Put on the hat, Abigail."

 **XXX**

"So, how are things going with you and Liv?" John asks as the brothers sit on the park bench watching Cena glide down the slide.

"I don't want to be overly optimistic, but things are good – we're good. I'm glad to have my family back together, John. I learned a lot when Liv and I were up at Mirage."

"That's good."

"We had couples counseling while we were there, which neither of us expected by the way. In some strange way, Liv leaving was the best thing that could have happened for our marriage."

"Wow. That's saying a lot."

"It is. The experience helped us to see each other in a totally different light. It was emotional and exhausting, but it was necessary."

"I'm happy for you, bro. Hey, what's the matter with Cee-Cee? She's looking a little sad."

Fitz looks over at his daughter who is sitting at the bottom of the slide watching the children ride around the circle on their bicycles.

"I don't know. Maybe she's getting tired."

The two brothers walk over to the slide where they see the little girl looking down at the ground and twisting her little fingers.

"What's the matter Princess – are you tired?"

She shakes her head _no_.

"Did you hurt yourself, Cee-Cee?" John squats to be eye level with the pouting girl.

"Do you want to go home, Cee?" Fitz asks, now bending down in front of his daughter.

Cena shakes her head _no_ and looks over at the children who are laughing as they whizz around the park on their bicycles. The two men follow her line-of-sight and realize what has Cena feeling sad.

"Do you want to ride a bicycle, Cee-Cee?"

She nods her head vigorously.

"Well, I'm glad you bought your Suburban, John. It seems like we have to go buy a bicycle."

"Come on Cee-Cee, let's go get you a bicycle."

"Yay", Cena squeals, clapping her hands.

"What color do you want?" John picks up his niece and they begin to walk toward the parking lot.

"Red", she says excitedly as she bounces in her uncle's arms.

"Not pink, Cee-Cee?"

"No. I like red now, Uncle John."

"Then red it is", John says as he straps his niece into her car seat in the back of the truck.

"I like riding in your truck, Uncle John. It's so big."

"I'm glad someone likes it", John whispers to his brother. "Abigail hates it."

 **XXX**

The three walk through the toy store in search of a bicycle for Cena, and as they approach the display of bicycles Cena squeals when she sees the object of her desire. Fitz and John look at each other and smile as the little girl runs, at full speed, to the bicycle that has caught her eyes.

"Is this the one you want, Princess?"

With eyes as wide as ever, Cena nods her head up and down.

"Yes daddy. Pleeeease", looking up at her father with a face he can never resist.

"OK, let's go find someone that works here."

"Can I ride it at the park, daddy? Pleeeease?"

"I think they assemble bicycles here, Fitz. It shouldn't take too long."

Fitz nods.

"But we have to get you some safety gear first. Okay?" He knows Olivia will kill him if he did not bring Cena back home in one piece.

"OK", Cena agrees quickly, although she has no idea what safety gear is.

As Cena's new bicycle is being assembled, they look for a helmet for Cena.

"I think this one is perfect. What you think Cee-Cee?"

She nods vigorously as she looks at the red helmet with yellow and black skulls and cross bones.

"Now we have to get some pads", Fitz says as they walk down the aisle.

"She's going to need elbow pads, knee pads, and a chest pad too", John says as if he is an authority.

An equally clueless Fitz nods and grabs everything from the shelves the men think Cena will need to be safe while riding her bicycle. He grabs the red elbow, knee, and chest pads with skull and cross bones that match the helmet.

"Do you think we should get training wheels?" Fitz asks John.

"No way. We'll have her riding solo by the time the baby shower is over."

Back at the park Fitz and John hold the red devil bicycle upright while Cena climbs onto the seat dressed in her safety gear. And the other children come over to admire Cena's new bicycle.

"Cool bike, Cena."

"Yeh, and the pads too. I'm going to ask my dad to get me some just like that."

Fitz and John high five each other, proud of their selections. After about 45 minutes of practice, Cena rides shakily around the circle with the other children.

 **XXX**

Oh my god", Olivia screeches and grabs her chest when she sees her little girl walking onto the deck looking like a member of a motorcycle gang.

"Mommy", Cena screams as she runs over to her mother. "Daddy and Uncle John buy me a bike and it's red and I have a helmet and it's red too and I ride my bike in the park and the other children think I'm cool", she says all in one breath.

"Cena, take a breath and calm down", looking at her daughter in shock.

And Cena repeats her story for everyone at the baby shower to hear because she is so excited.

"Daddy and Uncle John buy me a bike and it's red and I have a helmet and I ride it in the park and the other children think I'm cool."

"What are you wearing, Cena?" Maura asks in disbelief.

"Daddy and Uncle John buy me pads and the children think they're cool too", she says excitedly.

The women are all in shock as they stare at Cena who is covered with skulls and cross bones.

"Oh my god Liv, she's actually wearing a black leather jacket", Abigail says in shock.

"That was my touch", John smiles proudly.

"You're not coming anywhere near this baby", Abigail says, rubbing her stomach as she glares at her husband.

"Cee, you look hot. Are you hot wearing all of that stuff?" Nora asks.

"No. I'm _cool_ Aunt Nora."

And all of the adults laughs out loud.

"Fitz, take off all of those pads – and that jacket too. She might be _cool_ but she's making me hot just looking at her."

"I want that jacket for myself", Tanya says, flipping her braids.

"Come here, Princess. Let me get you out of your gear."

"I'm a biker now daddy", Cena says happily.

Fitz looks at his beaming daughter in shock, wondering what he has created.

 **XXX**

Olivia is sitting on the sofa in the family room with her swollen feet propped on top of the coffee table and balancing a huge bowl of popcorn on her stomach. Fitz sits in the chair across from her and Cena sits on the floor between his legs while he brushes and twists her hair.

"Babe, I hope you're paying attention to this episode of _Chef's Knife_ because I want you to make that dish for me", plopping a handful of popcorn into her mouth.

"Daddy, make me that dish too", Cena says pointing to the TV screen.

"Okay Princess, but you have to be still so I can finish your hair", glancing at the TV screen.

"Babe, you've really gotten good at that. Cee's hair looks beautiful."

"It took me a while to get the hang of it – thank goodness for YouTube."

"And you've become such a good cook too. Dinner was terrific."

"Well, I quickly realized that Cena and I couldn't survive on chicken nuggets and PB&J sandwiches so I started watching some of those cooking shows you forced me to watch back when we were dating."

"It definitely has paid off. Babe, what would you think if I got my hair braided like Tanya's?"

"Who's Tanya?" Concentrating on Cena's hair.

She rolls her eyes.

"Babe, she was at Abby's baby shower. Don't you remember?"

"No. I was too busy with my little Biker Princess. Right Cee?"

Fitz and Cena have compromised on her new nickname. He could not imagine never calling her his Princess because she now wants to be called a biker. So they both agreed Biker Princess would be her new nickname.

"Right daddy."

"So what do you think – about me getting braids?"

"It's your hair, Liv. You can do whatever you want with it."

"Well don't you have an opinion? Do you like braids – don't like braids? She persists.

"I think braids can be beautiful. I see all kinds of styles when I'm traveling. Just don't expect me to braid Cena's hair. Those styles look complex."

She shakes her head.

"Do you want more grape juice?" He asks, looking at her empty glass.

"Yes, please", shaking her wine glass at him.

"Come on Cee, the Queen is thirsty. Let's get mommy more juice."

"Biker Princess wants juice too, daddy."

As Fitz and Cena walk into the kitchen to get refills of grape juice, the doorbell rings.

"I'll get that babe", Olivia yells as she pushes her five-month pregnant body from the sofa. She waddles to the foyer and is stunned when she opens the door and sees her mother-in-law standing outside on their front step.

"Maura? Is everything all right?" Rubbing her stomach.

"May I come in, Olivia?"

"Of course – of course", stepping aside to allow her mother-in-law to enter the foyer.

"Come in and have a seat. We were just watching TV."

As Maura sits on the sofa, Fitz walks into the room carrying glasses of grape juice for the Queen and the Princess. He stops abruptly when he sees his mother sitting on the sofa. Cena is skipping into the room behind him. He glances quickly at Olivia then back to his mother.

" _Grams_ ", Cena yells when she sees her grandmother sitting on the sofa. The little girl runs over to her grandmother and jumps on her lap.

"There's my Cena. Grams misses you so much."

"Mom? What are you doing here?"

"Can't I come to visit my son and his family?"

"Of course - anytime. We just weren't expecting you."

He walks over and gives Olivia her juice, sits on his chair, and sets Cena's juice on the table next to him.

"How are you? Is everything okay?"

"I'm fine. Everyone is fine. Everything is fine," rubbing her hand up and down Cena's arm.

"Come Cee. Let daddy finish your hair."

Cena jumps off of her grandmother's lap and points to the TV.

"Grams, daddy's gonna cook that for me and mommy."

"You cook Fitzgerald?" His mother looks at him in surprise.

"He has become a good cook", Olivia chimes in.

"I need to help around the house more", he says matter of factly. "Plus, I enjoy cooking."

"Daddy makes me panny cakes, Grams."

"I know he can make panny cakes, but that dish on TV looks pretty complicated."

Cena sits on the floor between her daddy's legs and he resumes combing her hair.

"I could never get your father to comb Nora's hair, let alone cook", admiring the man her son has apparently become.

"It would have been nice if I had some help around the house when you kids were growing up."

Fitz and Olivia look at the woman in surprise. Maura has always given the impression she had everything under control and did not need or want anyone's help around the house.

"It was hard raising three rambunctious boys and a little girl. Each of you always needed so much of my time."

Fitz and Olivia look at each other, silently wondering if something is wrong with the woman.

"And taking care of that big old house was a job. Gerry just had to have that house, but he was clueless about how much work it takes to maintain it."

"Mom …" Fitz says slowly, wondering if something has happened between his mother and father.

Maura Grant seems to be oblivious to her son calling her as she stares blankly into space saying words she has swallowed for the past 45 years.

"I never got any time to myself - never. My every waking moment was spent taking care of you kids, Gerry, and that house. Don't get me wrong, I love you all very much, but I never had any _me_ time. Your father really didn't believe in any of that new age stuff for women. He believed a women's place was in the home, and that's where I stayed."

A lone tear rolls down her cheek.

"Babe, it's past Cee's bedtime."

He gets the hint quickly and tells his daughter to give Grams a good night kiss.

"Pucker, Grams."

"I love you, Cena."

"I love you too, Grams", running back to the table and drinking the rest of her grape juice.

Fitz carries Cena upstairs for her bath and bedtime story as Olivia slides across the sofa and takes Maura's hand in hers.

"Maura", looking into the woman's eyes who has the same eyes as her husband and daughter. "What's the matter? What's wrong?"

"Olivia, I owe you an apology for all of these years."

Olivia crinkles her brow.

"I was unfair to you. Oh, I was polite about it - most of the time. I judged you for your choices - for exercising your freedom to choose the kind of life you wanted. I judged you for not being a stay-at-home mom. I judged you for having a career. I judged you for not having a home-cooked meal on the table every night when Fitzgerald came home. I judged everything about you, which I'm sure contributed to the strife in your marriage. Thank god my son loved you and his little girl enough to fight for his family.

"Maura, you don't have to do this."

"I do. I owe this to you and to Fitzgerald."

Having heard some of what his mother has said, Fitz walks into the room, sits on the sofa next to his wife, and drapes his arm around her shoulders.

"Olivia - Fitzgerald I am here to apologize for my actions. I was wrong – have been wrong for some time. If I am to be honest with you both, my behavior toward Olivia was about jealousy – plain, old-fashioned jealousy. Olivia, I saw in you everything I wasn't. Everything I missed out on. Everything I never had the opportunity to do. You have a career that you are passionate about and you didn't sacrifice your career to have a family. You showed me that a woman can have both, and have both at the same time, especially when you have a husband who is willing to cook and comb his daughter's hair." She looks at her son and smiles weakly.

"Mom, I had no idea you were so unhappy."

"Fitzgerald, I needed more - wanted more - but I didn't have options back then. My parents didn't believe that girls should go to college. They thought girls going to college was a waste of money. They said it would take money away from my brothers who were going to college. They thought my role in life was to become somebody's wife and have children. So that's what I did for the last 45 years."

Olivia squeezes her mother-in-law's hand.

"Many times I thought about packing a bag and just walking away while your father was at work and you kids were at school. But I had nowhere to go and I didn't have any marketable skills. I had no way to support myself", she says sadly.

Fitz is astonished by his mother's confession.

"Olivia, when you left for those few months I silently applauded you for your courage – for doing what I never had the nerve to do, but I denigrated you publicly. And for that I am so sorry because I had an idea of why you left", Maura says looking at her son again.

"You know it's taboo for a woman – a mother to leave her family. She is called every nasty name under the sun if she does. But when a man does it he is somehow given a pass. The responsibility of a family and a job are too much for him some would say. Then he gets to show up 15 years later after the kids are all grown - wanting to be the hero -– after all the hard work has been done."

Fitz looks at Olivia again, thinking how he almost lost his family and feels sad that his mother did not have the options his wife had.

"Have you talked to dad about any of this?" Fitz asks solemnly.

With an eerie calm, Maura looks at her son for a long while before responding.

"Fitzgerald, I have left your father."


	13. Chapter 13 Full House

**AN:** **Amanda J.** , you are right on so many points. And, the techniques Avril taught Olivia and Fitz have universal application. **Fatiti** , Cena is a hoot and she's COOL too :-). **Bujuman** , you're right, Gwendolyn enlightened Maura at the families' meet and greet and she had further regrets at Abigail's baby shower. **Cleo** , Did Fitz and John have to buy all of those pads for Cena? **Reader575** , Maura had to come clean so she could grow and move forward. **Guest** , several older women in their 60s have told me about their experiences similar to Maura's. **Guest** , your father is right, you can't expect to change the man after marriage. He is who he is. Also, Rev. Walker told Liv during counseling she needed to take care of her man, modern woman or not. Glad you all are still enjoying the story. Here we go!

 **Chapter 13. Full House**

He has been awake for hours, laying on his back with his hands folded behind his neck, and staring at the ceiling. His mind has been racing, flooded with thoughts provoked by the bombshell his mother dropped in the middle of their family room earlier in the evening. He looks over at his sleeping wife who is laying with bent knees and curled into her pillow. He smiles and shakes his head slightly because unlike him, she obviously is not having a problem sleeping. She never has a problem falling asleep, especially when she is pregnant. He reaches over and pushes the nightgown's thin, white strap onto her shoulder then looks back up at the ceiling.

He sighs heavily when he thinks about his father because not too long ago he was that man. Not too long ago he was that man whose wife had left him without notice or discussion. Not too long ago he was that man whose wife had left him alone with their daughter. The similarities of their situations are uncanny and he knows the heartache his father will feel when he discovers that his wife has left him.

Although they are now in a much better place, the memories of those two months of not knowing where his wife was, of not knowing if she was coming back, still haunt him. A tear rolls down his face and onto her neck as he thinks about how much he missed her being in their bed. How much he missed their closeness. How much he missed her scent. He distinctly remembers visiting every phase of loss and grief and he never wants to feel that kind of pain again. He never wants to feel that depth of loneliness and uncertainty.

Needing to be close to his wife, he wraps his body around hers and nuzzles his face in her neck and inhales deeply. He drapes a leg over her widening hip and kisses tenderly down her collarbone, down her bare shoulder. Intoxicated with desire, he slides a hand under the silky nightgown and caresses her warm breasts. He enjoys their fullness and knows they are probably tender, so he massages gently. He brushes his lips across her ear and runs his tongue down her neck, slowly losing himself in the burgeoning sensations. He kicks off his boxers somewhere under the covers, closes his eyes, and gasps silently when the tips of his fingers are coated immediately with her wetness.

"Mmm", she moans softly in her sleep.

"Turn over, Liv", his warm breath flowing softly into her ear.

"Hmm?" She responds sleepily at the sound of her name.

"Turn over", lifting up on one elbow and tossing his tee shirt onto the floor.

"Hmm – what?" Eyes fluttering open and trying to orient herself to her surroundings.

"Wake up baby. I need you", he says with urgent desire.

"Wh - What are you doing awake, Fitz?" She asks hoarsely. "Is something wrong?" Searching his eyes in the darkness.

"I'm fine. Everything's fine."

She looks at him with concern because a few hours earlier she heard his mother say those same words.

"I just need you, Liv", kissing her passionately. And she responds, scraping her fingernails through the hairs at the nape of his neck.

"Babe, don't you think this is kind of weird - with your mother sleeping down the hall?" She whispers, now fully awake.

"Sleeping is the operative word", he says breathlessly. "The sun is barely up - she won't hear a thing. Lift your arms", trying to rid her of the nightgown.

As she lifts her arms, Olivia wonders what the sun has to do with Maura's hearing abilities.

"I love when you're pregnant. Everything always feels so good - tastes so good."

"How long have you been awake anyway?"

"Not long", he whispers huskily, admiring her full breasts with wonder in his eyes. "I want to bite them."

"Don't Fitz, they're too tender", smacking him on the shoulder.

"I'll be gentle – I promise."

She squints at him in the dark.

"I promise", taking a nipple in his mouth and moaning as he kisses and licks tenderly.

"Fitz …" Running a hand through his hair as he suckles.

"Hmm?" Scraping his teeth across the nipple and she flinches. He runs his flattened tongue around the firm nipple, attempting to sooth the pain. Believing each breast deserves equal treatment, he kisses across her chest and suckles the other breast.

"What do you think your father is going to do when he realizes your mother has left?"

Not wanting to think about his father any longer, he kisses his way down to her stomach, running his tongue over the growing mound.

"I don't want to talk about him right now", he says breathlessly.

He slides down the bed and places his hands under her knees, pulling her down to the edge of the bed. Having her exactly where he loves her, he spread her legs wide and roams his tongue slowly around her juicy opening. He loves how she tastes.

"But what if he finds out where she is – that she's here?"

Fitz snatches the covers from over his head and looks up at his wife who is staring at the ceiling, seemingly in deep thought.

"Olivia, we're not going to talk about Gerry or anyone else right now."

"But –"

He pushes a long finger in deep and she gasps out loud.

"Oh my god Fitz", lifting from the bed and filling the room with _ahs_.

He rubs his nose up and down her slit and inhales. He loves everything about her. He opens her wide and licks and sucks voraciously.

"Mmm. So good. So good, baby."

"Too much Fitz – too much", squirming, trying to escape the tortuous pleasure.

"Stay with me, baby."

He holds her tighter, licking and sucking with extreme joy as her screams reverberate against the walls. With a pleased grin, he slides up the bed and pulls her on top. And she straddles him with her protruding, five-month pregnant belly and smiles and seductively. She kisses him tenderly, for an eternity, because she knows he is hurting. She knows what has kept him awake. She smiles again and runs her tongue around the palm of her hand and he closes his eyes in anticipation. She flattens the moistened hand over the swollen head, massaging him slowly, the way he likes it. Writhing in sheer pleasure, he mutters something unintelligible as she circles her moistened hand around and around and around. He licks his lips and slowly moves his pelvis, silently begging her to take all of him, and she does. He runs his hand slowly through her hair as her head bobs up and down.

"Oh my god, Liv. It feels so good."

And she continues to give him what he needs.

"Harder baby", squirming in sheer delight as she does wondrous things to him. "Now put it in. I need to feel you."

She slides onto him and his mouths falls open at the contact. He holds her hips and glides her up and down, and every nerve cell in his body tingle. He thinks this is how heaven must feel.

"You feel so good, baby", he moans as they pick up the pace. "Just like that, Liv. Ride it like that, baby."

He pulls her down and sucks her tongue with ferocity, thrusting hard and deep. And she meets each stroke with equal intensity. His release is powerful, allowing him to shed the residual feelings of fear, uncertainty, and doubt. The tension is now gone and he feels exquisite. He feels loved. He feels safe. Olivia curls into her husband's side and runs her tongue around his jaw and down his chin. And they kiss forever, as they come down from their high.

After laying in silence for several minutes, Olivia summons the courage to discuss what is bothering him, what has kept him awake all night.

"We have to talk about it Fitz", looking up at his relaxed profile."

"Everything is fine, Liv. I'm fine", rubbing his hand slowly up and down her arm.

"Everything isn't fine. You're not fine, which means we're not fine. Look at me and tell me what's wrong."

They lay on their sides, face to face, looking into each other's eyes. He closes his eyes and sighs. He really does not want to do this, not right now, not after the wonderful lovemaking they just shared.

"We have to talk about things Fitz – no matter how painful."

"It's just …."

She nods, encouraging him to continue.

"It's just – everything happening with my parents reminded me of some things."

She nods again, listening intently."

"I was thinking about my father - about how he is going to feel when he realizes that mom has left him."

She nods in understanding.

"I understand why you left – I do – I get it. But that doesn't lessen the hurt I felt all of those months. I was in a bad place for a while – devastated really. At the time I didn't know where you were. I didn't know why you left. I didn't know if you were coming back. And it hurt Liv – a lot." He raises his arm and lays the back of his hand over his face.

"Don't hide from me", slowly pulling the hand away from his face, and he looks at her with the saddest eyes. She runs her hand up and down his side. "What I heard you say ….", beginning to repeat what he just told her. "What I heard you say is that you were thinking about your parents and those thoughts triggered the feelings you had when I left."

He nods.

"What I heard you say is while you now understand why I left - the memories of my leaving are still painful for you. I heard you say that you were hurt and devastated when I left because you didn't know why I left, where I was, and if I was coming back. Did I get that right?"

"I'm fine Liv", still somewhat uncomfortable talking about his feelings.

"No – Fitz – you're not. We have to settle this – tonight. We can't have it hanging over us."

He nods, and she looks into his eyes a long while before continuing.

"Have you forgiven me?"

"Yes", he says without hesitation and she nods a few times.

"Are you still angry with me for leaving?"

"Honestly - I was for a long time - even after we got back home. But I'm not any longer."

She thinks for a long while about what he said.

"I will never leave our home again – never leave you again – no matter what. Okay?"

 **XXX**

A few hours later the couple walk into the kitchen holding hands and wearing the biggest smiles on their faces. Maura and Cena are hunched over the island's granite top playing a game on Gram's phone.

"Mommy – daddy" Cena climbs down from her stool and runs over to her parents.

"Good morning Princess", Fitz says brightly as he scoops up his daughter and pecks her on the cheek.

"Good morning daddy", pushing her index fingers into his dimples.

"Do I get a good morning kiss?" Olivia pouts, feigning hurt.

"Good morning mommy", wrapping her arms around her mommy's neck and giving her a kiss.

"Good morning, Cee. Did you have a good night's sleep?"

"I was scared", Cena says, poking out her bottom lip.

Maura listens to her granddaughter as she continues to play the game on her phone.

"You were?" Olivia asks with concern and Cena nods.

"Did you have a bad dream, Princess?"

Cena shakes her head _no_ as she plays with her daddy's hair.

"Cena came into my room just before sunrise, while I was reading. She got scared when she heard you screaming in your sleep Olivia, just like she says her daddy does sometimes."

Olivia's eyes widen and Fitz' face reddens.

"I'm sure you must be starved. So, what would you two like for breakfast this morning?" Smiling as she sets down her phone and walks over to the stove.

 **XXX**

After breakfast Fitz calls John and informs him about what is going on with their parents. He asks John to call Bennie and says he will call Nora. He wants them to come to his house this evening for a family dinner meeting. As Olivia and Fitz prepare dinner, Maura tries to help but they refuse to let her do anything. They tell her she should relax on the deck, play with Cena, or do absolutely nothing at all. But Maura does not know how to be idle or relax. She has not been idle in quite some time.

Maura looks around the dinner table at all of her children and shakes her head. She wonders if this an intervention and chuckles to herself at the irony of the situation because just a few months ago she was instrumental in staging the intervention for Fitzgerald. She thinks how much has changed since that day.

"Mom, is this temporary? Do you just need a break?" John asks, glancing quickly at Fitz who is holding Cena on his lap.

"No son, this is permanent. I need to start living the life I want. How are Abigail and Ethan by the way?"

John looks at his mother with wide eyes. He cannot believe she is asking about his wife and son at a time like this.

"They're fine - mom. They're fine."

"That's terrific, mom", Nora says, patting her mother on the shoulder. "I support you 100 percent."

"Thank you, Nora", gently squeezing her daughter's arm.

"Olivia and I want you to stay here as long as you like, mom."

"Thank you son. That's so kind of you and Olivia."

"You're family", Olivia says walking into the dining room carrying a tray of food, and Fitz smiles brightly. "And no taking care of us, that's why we have Fitz", nudging him playfully.

"That's right", kissing her stomach. "Let me help you with the rest of the food", jumping to his feet and setting Cena on her chair.

Bennie's eyes are wide as saucers. He had no idea Olivia was pregnant again.

"Hey, Ben", Olivia says cheerfully, wrapping her arm around her husband's waist. "I didn't hear when you came in."

"I haven't been here long", smiling weakly.

After dinner and dessert all of the Grants retire to the family room prepared to help Maura to develop a plan for her life.

"Children, I appreciate you wanting to support me, but I haven't thought that far yet. Leaving was the first step" she smiles dreamily while rocking Cena.

"Do you need money, mom?" John asks.

"Well, I suppose I will at some point."

"Well don't worry, I'll take care of that."

" _We'll take of that"_ , Bennie says emphatically, looking at his brother.

"Mom, does he know? Did you tell him before you left?" Nora asks anxiously.

"I didn't. I left last night while he was at a dinner meeting. I suppose I took the coward's way out."

"You're hardly a coward, mom. You were brave to stay with that man for so long", rubbing her hand up and down her mother's arm.

The wreath hanging on the inside of the front door vibrates from the incessant banging on the other side and the talking ceases immediately. They all look at each other and Olivia's hand instinctually moves to her stomach. She looks over at her mother-in-law and at her husband who is storming from the room. Although he empathizes with his father, he will not allow him to intimidate his mother. Fitz snatches open the door and comes face to face with a pair of angry eyes, eyes the two men share.

" _Where the hell is my wife, Fitzgerald?"_ Gerry growls angrily.

"I understand you are upset, but if you want to come into our home you will lower your voice or this will not end well", blocking his father from entering the house.

" _Are you threatening me?"_ Gerry bellows, face red with anger.

"I'll say it again, if you want to come into our home you are going to calm down and lower your damn voice. Is that clear?" Fitz says through clenched teeth.

Chest heaving, Gerry glares at his son for a long while. He is not accustomed to his son or anyone else speaking to him in such a manner.

" _Crystal."_

Fitz nods, steps aside, and allows his father to enter the house.

" _Where the hell is she?"_ Gerry demands angrily with spittle flying from his lips.

" _Mom is inside. But you will not threaten her. You will not bully her. Not in this house – not any more. This all stops now."_

" _Get the hell out of my way Fitzgerald"_ , Gerry growls as he pushes past his son and stomps down the foyer.

Fitz grabs the burly man from behind and throws him against the wall, and the painting they bought while on their honeymoon crashes to the floor.

" _I said this stops now!"_ Pressing his forearm against the man's windpipe. _"You either calm the hell down or get the fuck out of my house."_

With fear in his eyes and unable to speak, Gerry looks at his son and nods slowly. When they hear the raucous, John and Bennie run into the foyer where they see Fitz pinning his father against the wall and cutting off the man's oxygen supply.

" _What the hell?"_ John yells in disbelief. _"Let him go, Fitz!"_ Trying to pry his brother's arm from their father's throat.

Filled with rage, Fitz continues to apply pressure to Gerry's throat.

" _I said let him go, dammit!"_ John demands again, trying to pull Fitz off of their trembling father.

Fitz releases the man and steps back, horrified by how close he came to choking his father to death.

" _Shit!"_ he exclaims, raking his fingers through his hair. He glares angrily at his father then walks into the family room.

Olivia struggles to get to her feet and rushes over to her husband.

"Are you okay? Is everything all right?" She asks quickly with worry in her eyes.

"Sit down, Liv", he says in exasperation. He cannot believe what just happened.

"Fitzgerald, what's going on?" His mother calls out in fear as she rocks a sleeping Cena on her lap.

"Is that Gerry out there?" Nora asks bitterly.

"He's upset. He needs to calm down before coming in here", breathing heavily as he looks at his mother.

"Is he okay? Did you hurt him?" Maura asks with concern.

"Give me Cena, mom. I need to put her in bed."

" _Fitz"_ , Olivia calls to her husband in panic in fear.

"Sit down Olivia, please", looking at her pleadingly. He does not want her to get upset, to get stressed because of the commotion caused by him and his father.

Seeing the look of distress in his eyes, she nods slowly as she grabs ahold of the arm of the sofa and lowers her body next to her mother-in-law.

"I need to put Cena to bed", lifting the sleeping girl from his mother's lap.

 **XXX**

After John gets his father to calm down somewhat, Gerry storms into the family room where he sees his daughter and Olivia sitting protectively around his wife.

" _What the hell is this all about, Maura?"_ He growls.

"Sit down dad", John's says as he and Bennie walk into the room.

" _Are you all sitting around plotting against me?"_

"Sit down, dad", Bennie tries.

" _Shut up Bennie"_ , snapping at his youngest son.

" _That's why mom left. You're nothing more than a blustering bully. You've always been a bully."_

" _Watch your mouth, young lady."_

" _I won't watch my mouth, Gerry!"_ And the man's eyes widen. He feels like his daughter just slapped him.

" _I've kept my mouth closed all of my life while watching you boss mom around because of your antiquated beliefs."_

" _You have no idea what you're talking about!"_

" _I do_ ", Nora screams. _"I saw it all of my life. Not allowing mom to work outside of the house. Not allowing her to have a voice in any of the family's decisions. Not allowing her to grow and become the person she wanted to be. Not allowing her to be an equal partner in your marriage. Keeping her as your personal housekeeper. I saw it all and I never wanted to be like her."_

Fitz stands in the doorway with his arms folded across his chest listening to his sister. With tears streaming down her face Nora looks into her mother's eyes and takes the woman's small hands into hers.

"I love you mom but I never wanted the life you had. You were – you are a great mother but I watched you disappear and shrink over the years. I watched how you catered to _him_ and never got anything in return. I watched how you put everyone's needs ahead of your own and I vowed I would never let that happen to me."

Nora looks over at her father with disdain and continues.

"I don't know what took her so long to leave you."

"Maura", Gerry says, taking a few steps toward his wife. "This is none of the kids' business. Let's go home and talk about this."

"I won't be coming back home, Gerry. I will be staying here with Fitzgerald and Olivia as long as they will have me – until I can figure out what I'm going to do."

"You're welcome to stay here as long as you like Maura", Olivia says, rubbing the woman's back.

Gerry glares at Olivia and Fitz walks over to the sofa and sits next to his wife. He drapes an arm around her shoulders and looks at his father, daring him to cross the line.

"Gerry, you are a good man and have been a good provider for our family. We never wanted for a thing. You worked hard to make sure the kids and I had everything we ever needed – more than we needed really."

Gerry is angry and humiliated that he has to discuss such personal matters with his wife in the middle of his son's family room. The unthinkable is happening. But he knows if he is going to have a chance of saving his marriage he will have to put aside his pride and discuss publicly the private side of his marriage.

"But I have been unhappy for so many years. I always needed more – wanted more. But I knew I would jeopardize my marriage if I tried to pursue anything outside of the home – something that made me happy. And I wasn't willing to risk losing everything. I guess I was a coward", she says sadly.

Nora rubs her mother's back.

"And I don't blame you for not wanting to be like me Nora", looking at her daughter.

"Mom –"

"It's all right. I should have been a better role model for you. I should have been stronger. I should have shown you what is possible for women today. I should have had the strength to give you what Gwendolyn gave Olivia."

Gerry sneers at Olivia again.

"Gerry, I don't fault you - you're only doing what your father and his father did. They were good men - but they were of a certain mindset. You adopted their beliefs about family – about the role of the man and woman in a marriage. And I came from the same kind of family tradition - so I understand. Some men of our generation are unable to see women as anything more than a baby producer and housekeeper. It doesn't make you a bad person Gerry, it's just who you are."

Gerry looks around at his family and sees everything he worked so hard to build crumbling down around him.

"But I need more Gerry - I want more. I look around and see so many strong, bright women who managed to have a fulfilling career and a healthy family."

She looks at Olivia apologetically and Gerry eyes Olivia wondering what her role has been in causing this breach in his marriage.

"And I feel like I've missed out on so much. I feel like much of the world has passed me by."

" _So you're just going to leave our home – leave me after all of these years and do what, find yourself?"_ He spits out the words as if they have left a bad taste on his tongue.

"Yes", she says flatly. "I don't know what my future looks like but I'm excited about trying to figure it out. I'm more excited about that than I have been about anything in a very long time."

"We're all here for you mom", Nora says, wrapping an arm around her mother's shoulders.

"So what do you want to do, become like _her_ and that crackpot mother of hers?" He yells, pointing at Olivia.

Olivia's mouth falls open at her father-in-law's venomous accusation.

"Okay, that's enough", standing from the arm of the sofa and walking toward his father. "You need to leave our home - _now_."

"So you're all turning against me?" He looks at Bennie then John.

"You should go dad", John says solemnly. "I'll come see you tomorrow."

Gerry is angry and lashes out violently.

" _The hell with you, John. You can all go to hell for all I care."_ He yells as he looks at his wife before storming from the room. He slams the front door violently and the sound of wood crashing against wood reverberates through the house.

"Do you think he is going to be all right?" Maura asks nervously, looking over at John.

"He'll be fine, mom. I'll talk to him tomorrow - after he has had some time to cool down."

Maura looks at her son sadly and nods.

"I think we've all had a long day. Let's call it a night", Fitz says tiredly.

"I'll call you tomorrow Fitz", John says. He walks over to his mother and kisses her on the cheek. "I will come see you tomorrow, mom."

Maura smiles at her oldest child.

"Good night, mom", Bennie says solemnly, pecking his mother on the cheek.

"Don't worry Bennie, I'm going to be all right", Maura says, patting his cheek. "Don't worry."

"I'm so proud of you mom", Nora says, pecking her mother on the cheek. "I'll bring some of your things by tomorrow."

 **XXX**

When Olivia returns to their bedroom after checking on Cena, she sees her husband sitting on the side of the bed, hunched over, and holding his head in his hands. She sits next to him and rubs her hand up and down his back.

"Are you okay, babe?" Looking at him with concern.

"I just don't know what the hell is going on any more, Liv. Everything that I knew to be true – thought to be true - seems to be falling apart. My mother, who is sleeping down the hall in one of our guest rooms, has left my father after 45 years of marriage for Christ's sake."

"She'll be all right, Fitz."

"Am I to choose my mother over my father?"

"No babe, the choice isn't yours. This is between your mother and father."

"Liv, tonight I choked my father – the man I have loved and admired all of my life. I don't know if we can get beyond that."

"You will. You just have to give it some time", stroking his hair.

"Was it all a lie?" Looking at his wife desperate for answers. "Was everything I was raised to believe all an illusion?" He shakes his head, trying to reconcile everything that is happening.

"No babe, it was the reality at the time. Nothing stays the same. Everything must be allowed to grow and evolve or it will wither and die. Your mother is growing - transforming into the woman she needs to be."

"And what about my father? What's left for him? He thinks we're all against him."

"He has to decide if he wants to live the life he always had or if he wants to create a different life - hopefully with your mother."

"We just got back on track Liv and I want us to remain that way. I don't want any of this to disrupt what we have begun to build."

"We're going to be fine, babe."

"I don't want us to end up like my parents after 45 years. I want you to be completely satisfied in our marriage and in your career. Promise me if you ever begin to fee again –"

"I promise", she says softly, resting her head on his back.

"And I want Cena to grow up knowing that she can be anything she wants to be. I want her to have the courage and strength to pursue her dreams, regardless of what anyone else thinks."

"She will because her father won't allow her to settle for anything less", kissing him on the shoulder. "Let's go to bed babe, we're going to need our strength for whatever tomorrow brings."

"And Liv, if we have a boy this time - we have to raise him to respect and honor women. He should know that holding a woman back only makes him weak, not strong."

 **XXX**

The next morning Olivia peels Fitz' hand from across her stomach and crawls out of bed to empty her bladder for the second time before sunrise. She is five months pregnant and each day the baby presses on her bladder a little more. Unable to go back to sleep, she decides to go downstairs and prepare breakfast. She wants to make pancakes for Cena as a surprise and cook Fitz his favorite breakfast too. As she walks through the family room to the kitchen she hears Cena laughing hysterically.

"Good morning", Olivia says, somewhat surprised when she sees her daughter and mother-in-law faces covered with what looks like powdered sugar.

"Oh, good morning Olivia", Maura says, setting the sifter filled with powder sugar onto the counter.

"Mommy, me and Grams made French toast."

"Grams and I", Olivia corrects as she walks over to her daughter and gives her sugary face a big, wet kiss.

"I hope you don't mind, Olivia. I wanted to make something special for Cena's breakfast this morning. I also have something for you and Fitzgerald."

"Thank you, Maura. Remember, don't feel that you have to prepare our breakfast every morning. In fact, you shouldn't cook any of our meals. Fitz does most of the cooking now", taking a seat at the island.

"You're good for Fitzgerald, Olivia. You have really changed him."

"We've changed each other Maura – all for the better."

"I'm glad to hear that. If couples don't grow together they will surely grow apart. I watch how you and my son interact - and it makes me happy."

"How are you doing, Maura? I'm sure all of this change is overwhelming for you."

"Not at all, Olivia", setting a mug of coffee in front of her daughter-in-law. "I've been planning this - my escape – for six years now."

Olivia looks at the woman in surprise. She thought Maura leaving Gerry was a spur-of-the-moment decision.

" _Six years?"_

"Yes Olivia", wiping the powder sugar from the island with the kitchen towel. "Ever since our families' meet and greet - before you and Fitzgerald were married."

Olivia tilts her head slightly and looks at the woman curiously.

"I listened to what Gwendolyn said about not staying in a situation that no longer serves you - so we can become what we are intended to be. I think your mother could see through my façade – could see that I was pretending."

"She never said a thing", Olivia says slowly, watching Cena devour her French toast.

"She wouldn't. She's too discreet – too kind to do that."

The doorbell rings and the two women look at each other anxiously, thinking Gerry might be making another appearance.

"I got it", Fitz yells as he jogs down the staircase.

"Good morning Captain", Nora says cheerfully, as she stands in a sea of suitcases and carrying several other bags on her shoulders.

Fitz looks down at all of the luggage then back at his sister. With lips quivering, the tears begin to roll down her face.

"Do you have room for one more, Captain?" Nora asks through the tears.

Fitz hugs his sometimes annoying little sister then wipes her tears away.

"Of course - any time. Come on in."

Fitz grabs all of the suitcases and sets them in the foyer. Nora removes the bags from her shoulders and sets them on the floor next to the suitcases.

"Well I guess we're going to need some breakfast after our early morning work-out", Fitz smiles, trying lighten the tension in the air. "Are you okay?" Looking into his sister's tear-stained face.

"He's such an ass. I don't want to live there anymore."

"You don't have to", draping his arm around his sister's shoulders and walking toward the kitchen.

 **XXX**

"Nora, what are you doing here so early?" Her mother asks in surprise.

"I couldn't stand living in the same house with that man any longer."

Fitz walks over and pecks Olivia on the lips and she wraps an arm around his waist and leans into his side. They both watch mother and daughter.

"Nora, he is still your father", Maura chides her impetuous daughter.

"He's an ogre, mom."

"How did he seem this morning? Is he okay?"

"Oh my god, mom. I can't believe you still care about him."

"Nora, he is still my husband. And you don't stop caring for someone just because you no longer share the same space with them."

Nora rolls her eyes.

"Liv, Nora will be staying with us for awhile", squeezing her shoulder gently.

"OK", sliding her hand across the granite top and rubbing Nora's arm. "As long as you want, Nora."

"Thanks, Liv."

The doorbell rings again and Nora looks at her mother with wide eyes.

"I'll get it", Fitz says, pulling away from Olivia's embrace.

"No, I'll get it. That's probably Hildie", standing from her seat and rubbing her husband's back as she leaves the kitchen.

 **XXX**

Two weeks later Olivia and Fitz sit in the waiting room of Dr. Perry's office for her monthly check-up. He looks around the room and smiles when he sees another expectant father sitting nervously with his wife. This must be their first one Fitz thinks to himself.

"How are you feeling, babe?" Wrapping an arm around Olivia's shoulders.

"I'm feeling fine. Terrific actually."

"I'm sorry that my family has invaded our home."

"I really enjoy having them around, Fitz. It's like having the kind of family I always wanted as a kid."

"Are you sure?"

"It's a good thing we have such a big house."

He smiles and kisses her on the cheek.

"How is Mona handling things at the office?"

"She's doing a fantastic job. She got a lot of practice managing things while I was away. And, I'm sure she appreciates the promotion to office manager. She deserves it, babe."

"Do you miss not going into the office every day?" he asks rubbing her shoulder.

"Not really. I go in a few days - when necessary – when I need to meet with someone. By the way, I'm meeting with Marcella next week."

"Are you comfortable doing that? Do you want me to be there?"

"No babe - everything is going to be fine. Mona says Marcella really wants to meet with me."

"If things start to get ugly –"

"It'll be okay", she smiles as she flips through the baby magazine.

He nods but remains silent for a few minutes.

"Let's go somewhere for lunch after our appointment. I don't want to go back to the house just yet."

She turns in the chair and looks at him with an arched brow.

"Is there something wrong, babe? Are you all right?"

"Things are just beginning to get a little tense around the house."

"Tense? What do you mean?" Furrowing her brow as she sets the magazine on her lap.

"Well, I think World War III might be ready to break out at our home and I don't want to be around when it does."

"What are you talking about? Has your father -?"

"No - nothing like that", running his hands down his face. "It's Hildie and my mom. Haven't you noticed how they go at it all of the time?"

"No - I haven't actually. But I'm not there during the day as often as you are."

"Well they do and it's starting to drive me crazy."

The look of frustration on her husband's face has her intrigued and she wonders what has been going on in her own home.

"What are they doing?"

"Hildie has threatened to quit -more than once by the way."

" _What?"_

"She says the _other_ Mrs. Grant – that would be my mom - is treading on her territory."

" _What?"_ Olivia is shocked by what she is hearing.

"Keep your voice down Liv", glancing over at the nervous-looking father.

" _What?"_ She repeats in a hushed voice.

"Apparently mom is trying to tell Hildie how to do her chores."

" _What?"_ She whispers again.

"And apparently mom has gone behind Hildie's back - more than once apparently - to redo or rearrange something Hildie had already done."

" _What_?" She says in a hushed voice and wide eyes.

"Will you stop saying 'what'", he says in an equally hushed voice while raking a hand through his hair.

"How long has this been going on Fitz and why is this the first I'm hearing about it?"

"It started shortly after mom moved in", rubbing his forehead. "And this is the first you're hearing about it because I didn't want to upset you. I wanted to handle it."

"Well, we can't lose Hildie. It took us too long to get her." She gives him a pointed look and he rolls his eyes.

"Mom just needs something to do with her time. This is the first time in – well in forever – that she doesn't really have anything to do."

"Babe, we have to come up with a plan that both your mother and Hildie can feel good about."

"Well, we better come up with something soon because Hildie –"

"Mrs. and Mr. Grant", the technician calls out to escort them to the examination room.

 **XXX**

After Dr. Perry performs the internal exam, Fitz helps Olivia to get dressed and they walk down the hall to Dr. Perry's private office.

"Olivia – Fitz, please have a seat", the doctor stands as he motions the couple to sit in the two chairs in front of his desk.

"So, the internal exam shows that everything is going well with the pregnancy. The baby is progressing nicely. Everything looks good and you are still on track to deliver in another three-and-a- half months."

The couple smile and squeeze each other's hand.

"And I assume you two still don't want to know the gender?"

"That's correct", Fitz says.

"That's fine. You'll know soon enough", Dr. Perry says as leans back in his chair.

"So tell me Olivia, have you been experiencing any more signs of depression?"

Fitz squeezes her hand tightly.

"No - not at all", Olivia says proudly. "Everything is perfect", she smiles and looks at her husband.

"That's good. Continue to keep your stress to a minimum and everything will be fine."

"I'm – we're in a much better place now."

"Good – good."

"And are you two keeping your appointments with the counselor?"

"Yes. Every two weeks."

"Excellent."

"Do you have any questions for me?"

Scrunching her face as if she is thinking hard about his question, Olivia finally says she does not have any questions.

"And what about you, Fitz? Do you have any questions?"

"No I don't, Dr. Perry. As long as Olivia and the baby are doing well I don't have any questions."

"Good, then I will see you next month", Dr. Perry says, standing from his chair and extending a hand.

 **XXX**

"How about we go to Stephen's for lunch today, babe?" Olivia suggests as they walk hand and hand through the underground parking garage.

"No Restaurant 52 today?" He asks in surprise.

"Not today, babe. I want pasta and Stephen's makes the best pasta."

"Better than mine?" He asks, somewhat hurt.

"Sorry babe, but better than yours."

As they approach the car she smiles and stops in front of the white Audi Q5 SUV.

"Thank you baby", wrapping her arms around his waist.

"For what?" He asks, furrowing his brow.

"For buying my new car. I just love it. Cena loves it too, by the way. Pucker baby", inserting her tongue into his mouth. They start to make out in the underground parking lot and they are getting aroused.

"Let's go check into a hotel and order room service", he says in a lust-filled voice.

 **XXX**

Olivia waits in the lobby of the luxurious hotel as Fitz registers at the front desk. She smiles because she feels naughty sitting in a hotel lobby in the middle of the afternoon and waiting to do dirty things with her husband. He grabs her hand and ushers her quickly to the elevator, and they enjoy the slow ride up to the 57th floor. Fitz nervously inserts the card into the door three times but the light remains red.

"Give it to me. Let me do it, babe", reaching her hand for the card key.

"I got it, Liv." He has no idea why he is so nervous. After all, he is with his pregnant wife.

" _Well I have to pee Fitz"_ , crossing her legs, trying to hold it in.

"Hold it a minute longer while I get this thing unlocked."

" _A minute?"_

He inserts the card into the lock one more time and pulls it out slowly, and the green light blinks. Olivia rushes into the bathroom and sighs in relief as she empties her full bladder. As she washes her hands, she stares into the mirror and smiles because she is so happy. She rubs her stomach and thinks that just three short months ago it felt like she was falling apart, that she and Fitz were falling apart. But they made it through the test and now here they are in a hotel, in the middle of the afternoon, ready to do all kinds of fun things to each other. When she walks from the bathroom she sees Fitz staring out the window with his hands in his pockets.

"I called mom to let her know we wouldn't be home until late tonight. She'll feed Cee and get her to bed."

"OK", she smiles and wraps her arms around his waist and stares out the window with him.

"This is a beautiful view, Liv."

"It is", kissing down his back.

He slides open the door and pulls her onto the patio. He sits on one of the wicker chairs with the bright orange cushions and beckons her to sit his lap. She wraps her arms around his neck and lays her head on his shoulder.

"After the baby is born, we have to get Joan to start looking at a summer home in the mountains", absently rubbing his hand on her belly as they look at the skyline.

"Yay", she squeals.

"You sound like Cee", kissing her temple.

"I feel like a happy, four-year-old girl. Thank you, baby."

"The sun will be setting soon", looking at the horizon.

"It's been a while since we shared a sunset together", she says somewhat sadly.

"I know. We can never lose ourselves again, Liv. We can't allow ourselves to get to the place where we forget to watch sunsets together. Okay?"

"OK", she says softly as she sucks on his ear.

"There it goes", he says in awe as the horizon slowly rises to consume the sun.

Olivia lifts her skirt and straddles him.

"I'll love you forever", caressing his face and making love to his mouth.

She strokes his crotch and he kisses her passionately and carries her to the bed and undresses her slowly.

"You know I love your body when you're pregnant", massaging her breasts gently as he kisses down her neck. "I love that they are so big", taking a nipple in his mouth and sucking tenderly.

"Wait", she says pushing him away and he looks at her confused. "You've said that a few times now", giving him a stern look.

"What?"

"About my breasts – about my pregnant body."

"What?"

"Will you stop saying 'what'?"

"Well I don't know what you're talking about", he says in exasperation, wanting to get back to the business at hand.

"You said – more than once – that you like my body – my breasts when I'm pregnant. So does that mean you don't like my body when I'm not pregnant", crossing her arms across her chest and leaning back against the headboard.

"I said no such thing."

"You say it all the time, Fitz."

"I don't."

"You do."

"I don't"

She reaches across him and slides her phone from the nightstand. She presses the Videos icon and plays one of several videos of him saying the dreaded words. His mouth falls open in shock and she bursts out laughing.

"You don't know how long I've been waiting to pay you back."

He snatches the phone from her hand, tosses it onto the nightstand, and pulls her back down onto the bed. He runs his tongue up and down her back and slowly slides in from behind, and she feels like heaven.

"You're mine, Livvie and I just want to fuck you all the time. Now record that."

And they ride each other hard, enjoying the feeling of being them again. And they laugh out loud because they are thoroughly satiated and extremely in love. And they know they can never share this kind of intimacy with anyone else. They have ruined each other.

The room has darkened because the sun has set long ago and they lay face to face with her leg draped over his hip. Eyes having adjusted to the darkness, they grin stupidly at each other.

"We have another appointment with Dr. Perry next month", winking at him.

"Date", dozing off when Olivia's stomach begins to growl. She covers her mouth trying to stifle the laugh.

"You promised me room service, Mister", poking him on the shoulder. And he pecks her on the nose then reaches for the phone.


	14. Chapter 14 House Rules

**Chapter 14. House Rules**

The two women stand just inside the doorway of the small office, Olivia with her arms folded across her chest and Marcella standing close to Mona and twisting the silver midi ring on her left index finger. Several months have passed since that dreadful night at the community center and neither knows how to greet the other, so they stare uncomfortably for what seems like an eternity.

"I'll leave you two alone", Mona says, interrupting the stare down before scurrying quickly down the hall to her office.

"Come in - have a seat, Marcella", stepping aside and gesturing toward the small, wooden chair next to her desk.

As she walks into the office, Marcella glances quickly around the space and thinks how similar it is to her own office at the community center, small and sparsely furnished with inexpensive and used furniture. The office does not match the image she had in her head of where Mrs. Grant worked. She expected something more fancy.

As Olivia slides onto her chair, Marcella eyes Mrs. Grant's protruding stomach and thinks the woman was pregnant when they had their showdown at the community meeting, and this makes her feel more remorse for the way she attacked the woman. The two women sit inches away from each other and Marcella fumbles nervously with her keys as Olivia tries to get comfortable on the hard chair. The chair seems to get harder each time she sits on it, a cushion is definitely needed. Watching Marcella finger the keyring, Olivia smiles inwardly because she notices for the first time how young Marcella really is, although her size and demeanor make her appear older and more intimidating. Up close, however, Olivia sees the young woman is probably about Nora's age, perhaps a year or two older. Olivia shakes her head thinking how similar the two woman are, young and petulant.

"It looks like congratulations are in order", Marcella smiles nervously and Olivia returns a polite smile and places a hand on her stomach.

Olivia knows the young woman is uncomfortable but she does not care, she is not willing to let Marcella off the hook too quickly. Marcella said some mean and spiteful things to her and about her family and she will not be so quick to forgive.

"What can I do for you Marcella? Mona said you wanted to meet with me", Olivia says in a clipped tone.

"This isn't easy for me, Mrs. Grant", Marcella says softly, looking at the woman she once viewed as her nemesis.

"Marcella, quite frankly I'm not too concerned with your discomfort", waving her hand in the air dismissively.

Marcella's winces at Mrs. Grant's harsh words. Not only can the petite woman take a punch, but apparently she can throw a good punch as well.

Punctuating each sentence with a jab of her index finger on the desk, Olivia unleashes the anger that has been lingering in her for all of these months.

"You said some really nasty things to me at that meeting, Marcella. You accused me of using the community for personal gain, and that couldn't be further from the truth."

"I know", Marcella says solemnly.

"I have spent my entire adult life helping those who don't have a voice, and I have established a business to do just that."

Marcella nods.

"Then you cross the line by attacking my family - and that's never acceptable to me."

"I guess I still have a lot learn."

"Being young is not a license to be rude and irresponsible. In fact, those behaviors just negate everything you claim you want to accomplish."

"You're right. What I said to you was mean and uncalled for - and I'm sorry for my behavior."

Steely eyed, Olivia looks at Marcella because the apology feels half-hearted, lukewarm at best. If Marcella is seeking forgiveness then she is going to have to do much better than offer a tepid apology. Marcella has to explain why she attacked her with such viciousness.

"Marcella, you can't treat people cruelly and then expect them to work with you or follow you just because you apologize. Sometimes the wounds created are too deep and an apology cannot heal them."

Marcella sees that Mrs. Grant is not feeling too magnanimous today and knows she has to do more than acknowledge her baby bump and offer weak expressions of regret. She knows if she is going to have any chance of getting Mrs. Grant's forgiveness and the help her community desperately needs then she will have to come clean. So she closes her eyes and inhales deeply before continuing.

"Mrs. Grant, when Mona bought you to your first Springfield Heights community meeting I knew right away that you were different – that you were unlike anyone I had ever seen in my community."

Olivia tilts her head slightly and scrunches her face, waiting for Marcella to continue.

"The way you looked. The way you dressed. The way you spoke. I knew immediately that you were different. There aren't any women like you in my neighborhood."

Olivia listens intently to the young woman.

"You were so smart, empathetic, and full of new ideas. And, if I saw all of those things in you, then I knew everyone else in the community saw them as well."

Olivia unfolds her arms, rests her hands on her lap, and leans back in the chair.

"Although you didn't speak often, when you did, the people actually listened. And you didn't have to force them– or threaten them to do so. They wanted to hear what you had to say. And you engaged with them – asked them questions and they asked you questions. Before you started attending the meetings they hardly ever asked questions – not that I encouraged them to do so."

"And I could see on their faces – in their eyes – that they saw the difference between what you had to offer them and the BS I had been peddling for the past two years. They could see that you were in a different league altogether - and so could I. So I needed to take you down – or at least try. But you're no pushover Mrs. Grant, and that surprised me. I was really taken aback when you stood up for yourself."

"Don't ever mess with my family, Marcella. I won't tolerate that from anyone."

"I know that now. But at the time I thought you were just this fancy lady from the suburbs who would cower and run back home."

Olivia cannot believe how much the young woman underestimated her. She wonders if others underestimate her as well.

"I thought if you just went home then everything could go back to the way they were, but that's not what happened. The horse was already out of the barn and there was no going back. After you left the meeting that night the residents defended you passionately. They were upset with me for attacking you and started talking about wanting me to step down as president of the organization. So you're right – I negated everything I was trying to accomplish." Marcella quickly swipes the tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

Silence hangs in the air for a long while as Olivia observes Marcella and processes what she has said.

"Marcella, I know it must have taken a lot for you to come over here and say these things, and I appreciate it, but –"

"I owed it to you Mrs. Grant, and I owe it to my community. I am truly sorry for the way I treated you and I hope that in time you can forgive me."

Although Marcella seems to be sincere, Olivia does not know if she can trust Marcella because people are not inclined to change so quickly. She senses the young woman is angry about a lot of things and that anger can unleash her mean streak at any time. So Olivia thinks hard about whether she wants to risk exposing herself to the emotional stress if things do not go well with Marcella. As much as she wants to help the residents of Springfield Heights, she is not willing to jeopardize the well-being of her unborn child and her marriage to do so. So she looks at Marcella's sad face for a long while before deciding.

"Marcella, you had no reason to feel threatened by me. I never wanted to replace you as the leader – I just wanted to help a community that is in desperate need. When Mona told me about the water problem in Springfield Heights and the effects it had on the residents – especially the children – I knew I had to do something – I needed to help in some way. That was always my motive – nothing more, nothing less."

"I understand that now."

Still unsure if she can trust the woman, Olivia nods slowly as she looks at Marcella.

"Marcella, if you are really willing to put aside our differences – leave the past in the past - then I am willing to help you to help your community."

A big smile spread across Marcella's face.

"I would like that, Mrs. Grant."

"I will warn you now, however, if things don't go well, I will walk away."

"I understand, Mrs. Grant."

"Good. I have a few ideas but I am going to need some time to think them through. How about I give you a call once I've worked it all out?"

"That would be terrific Mrs. Grant", Marcella smiles brightly.

As Olivia stands and extends a handshake to Marcella, there is a quick knock on the door.

"Sweetheart …" Fitz sticks his head in the office and glances quickly around the office. "I'm sorry, I thought your meeting was over", looking over at Marcella. "I stopped by to take you to Stephen's for that pasta you love so much."

"That sounds nice", smiling at her husband knowingly. "We were just finishing up."

"Then I'll wait outside for you."

"Wait a minute Fitz, I want you to meet someone. Fitz, this is Marcella Andersen. Marcella, this is my husband Fitzgerald Grant."

 **XXX**

Olivia and Marla are enjoying a leisurely lunch at Restaurant 52, their favorite restaurant, where they have not been in quite a while. This is the first time the two friends have seen each other since Olivia returned home and they have a lot to talk about.

"Olivia, you look absolutely beautiful. You are radiant - truly glowing."

"Thank you, Marla. I feel terrific."

"Well I am so happy for you."

"And how have you been, Marla?"

"Oh, I'm just fine. Things are heating up a Council, but it's that time of the year again."

"Some things never change", Olivia says as she sips on her iced tea.

"How are Gwendolyn and Calvin?"

"They're just fine. Unfortunately, they won't be able to come home when the baby is born", Olivia says sadly.

"Oh?" Marla responds.

"Their missionary work is taking them farther into the African Bush and they will be there for at least nine months."

"Oh my. Gwendolyn and Calvin have really immersed themselves into their volunteer work."

"They have", taking another sip of the iced tea.

"Well, you and Fitz make such beautiful babies and I'm sure it won't be long before they're here to see their new grand-baby."

"Thank you, Marla."

"By the way, how is that beautiful Cena doing?"

"Cena is doing well. I'm afraid she's growing up too quickly for Fitz' tastes."

"Well she is quite the charmer. And, she has her daddy wrapped around her little fingers."

Olivia looks at the woman curiously.

"Olivia, while you were away - taking care of a family matter", Marla says slyly, "Cena joined her father at the meeting with the officials and business people to discuss funding for your program. She won those men over in short order - they were really taken with her. And that husband of yours, well he did a fantastic job of selling your ideas. Cena and Fitz make a good team. By the end of the meeting everyone was ready to pull out their check books. Fitz is a good man Olivia - so smart. You should keep him."

"I plan to."

Olivia smiles politely, trying to hide her shock about Fitz presenting the proposal on her behalf, he has not said a word. Today she was prepared to ask Marla to reschedule the meeting with the officials and business people, which would have been a daunting task. She smiles and shakes her head slightly when she thinks about the circumstances that must have caused Fitz to bring Cena with him to the dinner meeting.

"So Olivia, have you developed a plan for spending all of that money?" Marla asks, rubbing her right temple.

"Are you all right, Marla? Olivia asks with concern.

"I'm fine dear, just a pesky headache that I can't seem to shake."

"You should see a doctor about that, Marla."

"I'm fine - no worries. So, about the spending plan."

"I'm working on it, Marla. I plan to have it all worked out before I go on maternity leave."

"You're looking pretty round Olivia. When are you due?"

"In three months", smiling proudly.

 **XXX**

Olivia and Fitz lay in the king-sized bed in the darkened bedroom trying to unwind from the day's activities. After spending another day at The Pope Foundation then having a long lunch with her mentor and friend, Olivia is physically exhausted. She could not wait to get a hot shower and crawl into bed after dinner. And, Fitz is mentally exhausted after spending his day in on conference calls with clients and Geoffrey. While he enjoys working from home, he is seriously considering working at the office a few days a week because things are not getting better between his mother and Hildie, who came into the study twice today to complain about the _other_ Mrs. Grant again.

"I love you so much", kissing him on the chin as she snuggles closer.

"What was that for?" Smiling in the dark.

"Why didn't you tell me that you presented my proposal at the meeting with all of the stakeholders?"

"We've had so much going on I just didn't think about it. You had already done all of the real work, I just needed to show up." He wraps his arm around her more tightly.

"With your assistant", she smiles playfully, poking him on the chest.

"You've been talking to Marla."

"I've been talking to Marla."

"I knew how important the proposal was to you."

"Thank you, babe", snuggling closer to him.

"Get some sleep, we have a long day tomorrow. We have our date night", smiling excitedly.

 **XXX**

Maura enters the kitchen fully dressed and ready to start breakfast for the family when she sees her son sitting at the island drinking coffee and reading something on his tablet. She thinks how much he looks like a younger version of Gerry.

"Good morning, Fitzgerald", walking over to the island and pecking her son on the cheek. You're up early today", pulling a mug from the cabinet.

"I think the baby was moving around a lot because Liv tossed and turned all night. I can't sleep when she can't sleep so I came down early to start breakfast before my conference call."

"What can I get you for breakfast this morning, mom?"

"The usual will be fine, dear", sitting at the island and sipping her tea.

"The usual it is", turning on the flame under the omelet pan.

"I can't believe you've become such a good cook, Fitzgerald."

"I enjoy cooking, mom. I rarely travel these days so I have plenty of time to practice."

"This kitchen is certainly a dream for anyone who likes to cook", looking around the high-end kitchen.

"I expect Liv and me to spend many years in this house raising our children, so I'll be doing a lot of cooking in here.

"How many children are you and Olivia planning to have?"

"We're stopping with this baby", he says flatly as he drops the butter into the pan.

His mother thinks it is odd that they are only having two children because Fitzgerald has always wanted a large family. Maura is a wise woman and she knows better to intrude.

"Of all the children I thought you would be the most like your father."

Fitz turns from the stove and looks at his mother with his face scrunched.

"Why would you say that?"

"Fitzgerald, ever since you were a young boy you have always wanted your father's approval. You adopted so many of his beliefs and mannerisms."

"I'm nothing like him, mom."

"Thank god for Olivia – she changed you Fitzgerald – all for the better."

"I love my wife mom – more than anything."

"That's good son. But you can't just say it, you have to show Olivia that you love her. A woman needs that – I certainly needed it. And Fitzgerald, be emotionally available to your wife."

He looks at his mother curiously.

"Some men keep their feelings bottled up - your father certainly does. He never shares what's going on with him or asks about my feelings for that matter. It's difficult to develop a bond with someone who is emotionally closed off. It gets lonely living with someone like that."

"I'm sorry, mom."

"Don't get me wrong son, your father is a good man – a good provider. But he has never been emotionally available in our marriage. And I don't blame him – that is - not in total. He never had a model for what that looked like. His father and grandfather were of generations – that Silent Generation - where men didn't talk about their feelings – let alone show them."

"You're courageous to start a new life separate from dad."

"I don't know how courageous I am."

"I'm so sorry that you've been unhappy for all of these years, mom. I always thought things were terrific in our house as a child. I guess I didn't think about it from your perspective - I just loved the feelings I got by having you at home all of the time."

"Fitzgerald, please don't think I didn't – I don't love my family – because I do. But I am more than my family. I have hopes and dreams that are outside of fulfilling the needs of my family."

"Could you really not pursue your dreams and be with your family? Did it have to be an either-or?"

"For your father it was an either-or. He didn't believe that his wife should work outside of the house."

"I'm sorry, mom."

"This is not your fault, son. It's just the way things were back then. Women couldn't get jobs that would have allowed them to support themselves. They couldn't get credit in their own name, and couldn't own anything without a man's signature to cosign. Women were pretty much forced to find a man - a husband - to function at a level above poverty."

Fitz frowns and thinks about male privilege.

"Few women left bad marriages. And if they did, they found it nearly impossible to survive as a single woman. The lucky ones who could get a job didn't get one that paid them enough to live a decent life."

"I had no idea", Fitz says.

"Divorce back then was seen as a negative, so women stayed married even if the marriage was a miserable one - or even outright abusive. A lot of married women were miserable back then."

"Was dad -?"

"No – never anything like that. Your father is a good man Fitzgerald. He provided us a nice life. And, if I am to be honest, I'd sooner chew off my right arm than leave the marriage that provide a nice life for me and you kids. There were a lot of so-called "happy housewives" during those days."

He looks at her curiously.

"Many women knocked back quite a few pills and alcohol to mask their frustration and unhappiness, Fitzgerald."

Fitz gives his mother a questioning look.

"No – I never did anything like that. Although being in an unfulfilling marriage had begun to wear away at my soul even back then."

Fitz sets his mother's plate on the island in front of her and squeezes her shoulder gently before turning toward the sink.

"You smile whenever Olivia comes into a room."

" _What?"_ Turning and looking at his mother with a look of surprise.

"You do – don't be embarrassed. She makes you happy and I'm happy for you."

"I'm very happy, mom."

"I don't recall your father's face ever lighting up when I entered a room."

"Mom –"

"I don't just want to be married Fitzgerald, I want to be fulfilled."

"Do you know what you want to do? Have you reimagined your life?"

"I haven't figured out that part yet."

"Well, we're here for you - whatever you want to do."

"This omelet is terrific, Fitzgerald", and he smiles proudly.

"Do you need anything at all, mom?"

"No – I don't need a thing. Thank you for asking though. But Fitzgerald, I do have a question."

"What is it mom?" Turning and smiling, happy he can do something for his mother.

"It's about Hildie."

 **XXX**

Nora walks into the kitchen carrying Cena on her hip, who has been virtually glued to Nora ever since the young woman moved in almost two months ago. Lately, Cena has been finding her way downstairs to the guest room where Nora is staying and crawling into her bed in the middle of the night. Hanging out with Aunt Nora makes her really feel like a big girl.

"Look who I found in my room again this morning?" Nora says, bouncing Cena on her hip. "Good morning mom. Good morning, Fitz", Nora says cheerily as she sets Cena on her stool.

"Morning Nora. Good morning Princess", kissing his daughter on the top of the head and walking back toward the stove.

"I'm Biker Princess, daddy."

Fitz looks at his daughter in surprise and his sister and mother cover their mouths, trying to stifle their laughter.

"Cena, where is your monkey?" Maura does not recall ever seeing her grand-daughter without the colorful but worn stuffed animal.

"Biker Princess doesn't play with monkeys, Grams."

"But Cee, you really love monkey. You've had him for so long."

"Big girls don't play with monkeys, daddy", picking up her glass of milk.

Cena is oblivious to her father's crestfallen face. Fitz is sad that his little girl seems to be growing up so fast.

"I'll have my usual for breakfast, Fitz", Nora says, trying to pull her brother from his haze.

"Sure- sure", still stunned by his daughter's announcement. "Do you want pancakes this morning, Cee?" Holding his breath and hoping she has not stopped liking her favorite breakfast food too.

"Yes daddy. I want panny cakes."

Maura smiles at her son as he runs his fingers through his hair and sighs in relief. A half-hour later a somewhat sleepy Olivia drags into the kitchen and smiles when she sees the kitchen is filled with her family.

"Good morning", Olivia yawns again.

Fitz smiles when he sees his wife walking into the kitchen with her belly leading the way. Her hair is pulled up into a messy bun and he thinks she looks absolutely beautiful.

"Tired? You were up a lot last night", rubbing her stomach as he gives her a kiss.

"A little. Good morning, Maura - Nora", she yawns again.

"Good morning, Olivia. Would you like some breakfast?" Maura asks.

"I'll get it, mom. What do want today, babe?"

"The usual, thank you. This baby had me up throughout the night. I lost count of the number of times I went to the bathroom."

"Give mommy a morning kiss, Cee."

"You're going to have a boy", Maura says nonchalantly, looking at her phone screen and playing her favorite game.

Olivia looks skeptically at her mother-in-law and Fitz smiles excitedly.

"Really? How do you know, mom?"

"When I was pregnant with you and your brothers I virtually lived in the bathroom. With Nora – nothing."

"Thanks mom", Nora says as she jabs the fork into her scrambled eggs. "These eggs are really good Fitz. So fluffy and with just a hint of cayenne."

He smiles proudly.

"Nora, remember you're watching Cena tonight while Liv and I go to Cooks."

"Got it. We're going to have fun tonight – right Biker Princess?"

Fitz rolls his eyes when he hears Cena's preferred nickname.

"Right, Aunt Nora."

"What's Cooks, dear?" His mother asks curiously.

Fitz' face lights ups as he tells her about the state-of-the-art, kitchen-classroom where guests come to enjoy chef tastings, culinary demonstrations, and cooking classes.

"It's for budding chefs like your son", Olivia says, pecking him on the cheek on her way to the coffee maker.

"Really? That sounds interesting", eyes lighting up.

"Each time we go Fitz comes home with a bag full of goodies. Tomorrow you can expect to see the pantry filled with your son's latest purchases and even a new pot or two."

"Not that I need any lessons, but I would love to go – just for the experience – of course."

Fitz and Olivia look at each with wide eyes because going to Cook is not just about Fitz learning a few new cooking techniques or buying new cookware, it is an opportunity for them to spend time alone together. It is a date night for them. Olivia gives her husband a you-better-handle-this look, and he nods slightly.

"Mom, this is by reservation only. If I had known you wanted to go –"

"Well Fitzgerald – this is the first I'm hearing about it."

"You'll go with us next time. I'll make a reservation for three the next time we go. Okay?"

"I guess it has to be okay. I'll just hang around here tonight with Nora and Cena", sighing in disappointment.

 **XXX**

Fitz can hardly contain his excitement as he and Olivia sit on the plush, island-height stools with 14 other guests in the demonstration kitchen.

"What are we cooking tonight, babe?" Olivia asks as she tries to get comfortable on the stool.

Fitz slides the menu from the stainless steel countertop and reads the list of dishes they are going to prepare with the famous chef.

"This is going to be good, Liv. I've been wanting to practice cooking with Chanterelle mushrooms for some time now."

She smiles, thinking her attorney-husband has found his new calling. As the chef begins to pull out the foodstuff needed for tonight's four-course meal, he starts to ask for a volunteer to help prepare the first course. Fitz' hand shoots up immediately, before the chef can finish asking the question. Olivia shakes her head and Chef Wilder looks at the excited man and smiles.

"Fitz?" Peering at the name tag. "Is that short for something?"

"Fitzgerald", beaming because of the attention he is getting from the renowned chef.

"Well Fitz, why don't you join me in the Chef's Circle?"

"Teacher's pet", Olivia whispers.

Fitz removes his jacket and joins Chef Wilder in the Circle. The other guests applaud and he smiles and waves as he stands next to the famous chef. Olivia shakes her head.

After the scrumptious dinner, Fitz and Olivia browse Cooks' pantry where he buys many of the ingredients used in tonight's recipes. Then they go to the bookstore where Fitz buys Chef Wilder's latest cookbook. And before leaving, they stop in the cookware store where Fitz buys the same copper sauce pan Chef Wilder used to make the béchamel cream sauce.

 **XXX**

"Babe, you were a really good sous chef tonight. Chef Wilder seemed to be impressed with your skills", she says as they sit in the upscale cocktail lounge they usually go to after class.

"You think so?" Fitz asks excitedly, sipping on his scotch. "I thought that woman and her husband sitting next to you seemed annoyed when Chef selected me again to help with the third course."

"They were just jealous, babe", sipping on her Virgin Margarita.

"That copper sauce pan is going to make a big difference the next time I make my béchamel, Liv. That's why it hasn't been turning out so well all of these times", nodding at this new information. Olivia shakes her head and thinks about all of the new cookware he has bought since they started taking cooking classes.

"Babe?" Looking at her husband who is flipping through the pages of his new cookbook.

"Hmm?"

"We have to find something for your mother to do."

He sighs and closes the book.

"I felt awful this morning when she realized she couldn't come with us tonight."

"Liv, our date nights are important to us. We can't take mom with us every time we go out. She went with us to the museum two weeks ago. And last week she planned for us to go to the movies together without clearing it with us first."

"I know. She just needs something to do – something she enjoys."

"Well I don't know what that is", running his fingers through his hair. "I've been racking my brain trying to figure out something for her to do and I haven't come up with a thing."

"Well, I think I might have the answer. The idea came to me while you were in the Circle with Chef Wilder."

He smiles proudly.

"When your mother and I were sitting on the deck the other night after dinner – while you were bathing Cena—she mentioned she always wanted to be a teacher."

"A teacher?"

"Yes – a teacher. Actually she got really excited when she talked about the classes she organizes at her church."

Fitz nods, vaguely remembering that his mother teaches Bible study classes at their church.

"Did you know your mother has been designing courses and curricula for Bible study classes – for years?"

"Well I knew she taught classes at our church, but I didn't know to what extent."

"Well, you remember when I met with Marcella last week?"

He nods.

"And I told you about the frank discussion we were having when you came in."

"I just wanted to make sure you were safe, Liv. Mona says that woman can be bossy."

"Marcella and other community organizers are enthusiastic and passionate about their causes, but they are inexperienced. They don't know how to engage officials – how to get their message across to the right people. They don't understand that effort doesn't necessarily result in outcomes. I'm thinking about providing training for her and other community organizers to help them develop the skills they need to accomplish their goals."

He nods, listening carefully, not sure what training community organizers has to do with his mother.

"Well, I think your mother could help to build a training program for the organizers – maybe design the courses."

" _What?_ Mom doesn't know anything about –"

"Mona and I can teach her everything she needs to know about supporting the community."

"You think she would want to do it – that it will work?"

"It has to work, babe. Hildie has given me two weeks to do something about the _other_ Mrs. Grant or she's out of there."

 **XXX**

As Fitz pulls into the driveway of their home he thinks it is odd that the house is dark. He wonders if his mother has turned off all of the lights again, a habit she has had since he was a child. When he brings the car to a stop, he looks over at his wife who is squirming in her seat.

"Hurry Fitz, I have to pee", Olivia says with urgency.

"You had two Virgin Margaritas tonight. You know you're going to be in the bathroom all night." He cannot understand why she continues to drink so much late in the evenings.

"I know how many I had", reaching for the door handle. "I don't have time to discuss it – I have to go."

"Well go, I have to get my sauce pan out of the trunk", sliding the key from the ignition.

Olivia rushes from the car and up the path to the front door. After fumbling with her keys, she finally unlocks the door and rushes down the foyer toward the powder room. With little time to spare, she flicks on the lights in the family room and lets out a loud shriek when she sees two bodies gyrating on the floor. Eyes wide and unable to move, she brings a hand to her mouth in horror.

" _Oh my god!"_

"Liv, what are you doing here?" Nora asks as she struggles to pull on her pants. A stranger reclining on his elbow waves to Olivia from the floor wearing nothing but a big grin.

Unable to form words of any sort and forgetting she has to pee, Olivia watches in shock as her sister-in-law pulls on her tank top. She turns away from the room when the stranger stands and begins to pull on his pants.

"Liv …" Fitz calls out as he walks down the foyer carrying his cookbook. "Did you – what's the matter?" He asks when he sees the look on his wife's face as she stares at a wall in the foyer.

"Did you not make it to the bathroom in time?" He asks chuckling.

Olivia continues to face the wall and points into the family room. Confused, he follows the direction of her pointing finger and his face reddens when he sees his sister pulling on her top and a strange man pulling on his pants.

" _What the fuck?"_

" _What are you doing here, Fitz?"_ Nora yells, running a hand through her hair.

" _Are you having sex in our family room?"_ He asks in disbelief.

"Chill out. It's no big deal", she says in annoyance.

" _Where the hell is Cena?"_

"She's in her room – sleeping", Nora says nonchalantly as she looks around for her earrings.

" _You – I want you the fuck out of my house – now!"_ He throws the cookbook on the sofa and grabs the young man who is trying to put on the rest of his clothes.

"Hey, chill out dude."

Fitz goes ballistic, twisting the young man's arm behind his back and pushing him toward the foyer.

" _Let him go, Fitz!"_

" _Shut the hell up"_ , he yells angrily, dragging the young man down the hall.

"Dude, you're hurting my arm."

" _You better be glad I don't rip it the fuck off. Don't you ever come back here again"_ , throwing the young man onto the lawn.

"How am I supposed to get home? Nora drove me here."

Fitz slams the front door and stomps down the foyer and into the family room where Nora is sitting on the sofa sulking.

" _You had no right",_ Nora screams at her brother.

" _I had no right? I had no right? You're fucking some asshole in my house - on my floor - and you say I have no right?"_

" _You can't tell me what I can't do – I'm not a child."_

" _You're a goddamn idiot – that's what you are. You bring a strange man into our home to fuck – with my daughter upstairs?"_

" _Cena is fine"_ , she yells with tears running down her face.

" _Are you fucking kidding me? You don't know what could have happened here. You're too stupid and too selfish – "._

" _I'm not stupid."_

" _Fitz!"_ Olivia yells, walking into the room after finally relieving her bladder.

" _No, Liv. I'm tired of her shit. She does nothing around here all day and now she puts our daughter in danger just because she wanted to get fucked."_

" _Devon's not a stranger."_

" _Shut the fuck up",_ he whips around and glares at his sister. _"Shut your goddamn, stupid mouth. You disrespected our home and you endangered our daughter. I won't have it."_

" _I did no such thing!"_

" _Are you too stupid to realize what you did?"_

" _I'm not stupid."_

"Nora, maybe you should go to bed now. We can discuss this in the morning", Olivia says, trying to diffuse the situation.

" _No, she's gonna clean up this shit tonight"_ , yanking his sister over to the table that is covered with food and drinks. He kicks Devon's belt that is laying on the floor by the sofa, sending it hurtling across the room.

" _You're hurting my arm"_ , squirming and trying to get out of her brother's grasp.

" _I should wring your goddamn neck!"_

Nora looks over at Olivia for help.

" _I said clean it up – tonight. And let her do it alone"_ , turning to Olivia, and she nods.

Fitz releases his sister with such force she stumbles and almost falls to the floor.

" _I'm going to check on Cena_ ", he says angrily as he storms from the room and up the long staircase.

"Liv …" looking helplessly at her sister-in-law with tears streaming down her face.

"Where's your mother – where's Maura?"

"She's sleeping", Nora says tearfully.

"Liv", Nora calls out as Olivia walks from the room.

"Not now, Nora."

"Talk to him, Liv. You're the only one who can calm him when he gets like this."

 **XXX**

Still angry from the events of last night and unable to sleep, Fitz and Olivia come downstairs the next morning much earlier than usual. Each in their own thoughts, they move silently about the kitchen. Fitz starts the coffee maker while Olivia pulls items from the refrigerator to prepare breakfast. He sighs heavily as Olivia rubs her hand up and down his back as she walks toward the stove.

"There are going to be some changes around here, Liv. I won't have her bringing strangers into our home."

"Calm –"

"Good morning", Maura says cheerfully as she breezes into the kitchen. "You two are up early this morning", turning on the flame under the tea kettle. "You must tell me all about Cooks. I tried to wait up for you last night but I got so sleepy."

Maura makes a cup of tea and sits at the island next to her son.

"I read all about Cooks online last night. It sounds so fascinating. I can't wait to go with you the next time."

As she blows on the surface of the steaming tea, Maura catches a glimpse of her son's hardened face out of the corner of her eye.

"Why are you two so quiet this morning? Did you not enjoy the cooking class?"

"We'll talk about it another time, mom", he says tersely.

"What's the matter Fitzgerald? What's wrong?" Maura asks worriedly.

Fitz continues to frown and look down at his tablet.

"Olivia, what's going on?" Turning and looking at Olivia who is scrambling Fitz' eggs.

Nora walks into the kitchen and plops onto the stool next to her mother and starts scrolling through her phone.

"Good morning Nora", Maura says.

Nora ignores her mother and continues to look at her phone. Realizing no one seems to be talking this morning, Maura looks around the kitchen at the angry faces.

" _In this house we speak when we enter a room. In this house we speak when we're spoken to"_ , Fitz snaps at his obstinate sister.

" _Aye, aye Captain. Good morning, Captain"_ , saluting her brother.

Maura looks back and forth between her son and daughter and Olivia closes her eyes and inhales deeply because she knows what is about to happen.

" _You're damn right I'm the Captain of my house",_ Fitz growls. _"And if you want to continue living here you're going to follow our house rules."_

" _House rules? I'm not in your private Navy. I don't have to follow your rules"_ , rolling her eyes as she continues to scroll through the phone.

" _No - but you're in our private home and you will follow our rules",_ glaring at her.

Nora throws her phone on the granite top, folds her arms across her chest, and sulks.

"What happened, Fitzgerald? What's going?" Maura persists

" _Your daughter was banging some strange man like a goddamn cat in heat in our family room when Liv and I got home last night. That's what happened."_

"Nora – you didn't", Maura gasps, grabbing her chest.

"Oh mom—please."

"Where was Cena? I thought you two were playing games when I went to bed?"

Fitz glares at the young woman.

" _Rule number one, you are not to have company without my or Olivia's approval."_

"You gotta be kidding. What am I - 12?"

" _Rule number 2, you will keep your bedroom clean and wash your dishes when you've finished eating."_

"That's why we have Hildie", she protests.

" _Hildie is here to help Olivia – not to pick up after you."_

Nora rolls her eyes.

" _Rule number 3 – you will get a job. Hanging around the pool all day with your girlfriends is over. Liv and I work here during the day and we don't need to hear you and your loud friends all afternoon."_

"You can't boss me around."

" _My house - my rules",_ he says adamantly.

"Well I don't have to live here."

"No – you don't. You can pack your bags and go back home and live with dad."

"You're an ogre. You're just like Gerry – that's why Liv left your ass."

" _Stop it! Just stop it, Nora!"_ Olivia screams, slamming her hand on the counter and turning away from the stove.

Maura gasps and Nora looks wide eyed at her sister-in-law. She has never seen Olivia lose her temper. She has never seen her sister-in-law so angry.

" _You violated our home last night – disrespected us. We trusted you with our daughter and you put Cena and your mother in danger by bringing a stranger into our home. And now you want to sit there and argue with your brother as if you're the victim. Well I won't have it."_

Nora collapses inwardly as Olivia yells at her. The rebuke stings, not because of the harshness of the words, but because who is delivering the words. Nora admires Olivia immensely. She admires her sister-in-law's strength, her passion, and her independence. Olivia is her idol. With eyes cast downward she pulls at a loose thread on her red, plaid robe as the tears stream down her face. Unmoved by Nora's tears, Olivia continues the reprimand.

" _You will not disrespect your brother – my husband ever again – not in my presence – and certainly not in his own home. That stops now. Do you understand me?"_

Picking at the lint on her robe, Nora remains silent and continues to look down at her lap, avoiding Olivia's eyes.

" _I. Said. Do. You. Understand. Me?"_

"Yes", Nora says meekly.

"Good, because we're not going to have this conversation again", she says with chest heaving.

Fitz rubs his hand from her silk-covered shoulder and down to her elbow. He will not allow this business with his sister get his wife overly stressed. Feeling her husband's warm hand on her arm, Olivia closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and sighs heavily to regain her composure.

"Nora", placing a hand on her husband's back. "Fitz and I love having you here and we want you to stay as long as you like – you're family. But if you cannot follow the rules he has laid out then you should go back home. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes", still looking down at her hands.

"Now, you owe your brother an apology."

Nora looks at Olivia in disbelief, then turns and glares at her brother for a long while. The lump in her throat is making it difficult for her to speak.

"I'm sorry, Cap –"

With an arched eyebrow and hand on her hip, Olivia squints at Nora.

"I'm sorry, Fitz."

 **XXX**

After the house rules are established and agreed to, Fitz retreats to the study for a conference call with one of his long-time clients who is insisting he come to Houston to handle a sensitive business matter. He runs a hand through his hair because he hates to leave Olivia at this stage in the pregnancy, and especially after what happened last night. But he knows how important the client is to the business and he cannot send Geoffrey, that would be an insult to one of his most valuable clients.

Olivia loves working outside on the deck where she can feel the sun on her face and listen to the musical sounds of the birds chirping. She smiles because it is so peaceful and relaxing out here. The huge chaise lounge is perfect for working because she can sit crossed-legged and spread her papers all over the firm cushion. She shakes her head as she thinks about how much has changed since their sessions with Avril.

As she finishes drafting the implementation plan to replace the pipes in the Springfield Heights homes, Olivia shudders when she thinks about interviewing contractors. She knows the process is going to be long and arduous and grows weary just at the thought, which is her signal that a break is needed. As she sets the tablet on the cushion, she reaches for the glass of raspberry iced-tea Fitz made for her. She knows the bathroom will be her refuge all night but she just cannot seem to stop drinking the stuff. She wonders what Fitz puts in the tea.

Leaning back against the cushion with her eyes closed and inhaling nature's perfume, Olivia thinks about everything that needs to be done before the baby is born, and she is excited about getting it all started. She thinks about the new wrap-around program she wants to start to support the children who have been affected by the lead-tainted water. She thinks about the training program she wants to develop to support community organizers. And, she thinks about the nursery, which they have not begun to furnish because Fitz is impeding the process. He wants to be involved in every decision.

Nora walks onto the deck bare feet and wearing cut-off jeans and a grey and pink striped tank top. Hurt and embarrassed by Olivia's tongue-lashing earlier, she has been holed up in her bedroom for most of the morning. Olivia looks up and lifts a hand to shade the sun from her eyes when she hears footsteps on the deck. Nora smiles weakly at her sister-in-law.

"Are you busy?" Nora asks meekly.

"Actually, I was just taking a breaking", patting the empty space on the chaise lounge for Nora to sit down. "I have so much work to do before the baby comes – before I go out on maternity leave."

"Have you decided on names yet?"

"I don't know why, but this time it's been really difficult for me to settle on a name – girl or boy", taking another sip of the iced tea.

"Mom says you're having a boy."

"If her gauge is the frequency in which I am peering then I am definitely having a boy."

They both laugh out loud.

"Liv …"

"What is it Nora?" Looking at the girl who seems to be troubled by something.

"I would never intentionally put Cena in danger. I love my niece too much to ever do that."

"But that's exactly what you did, Nora. I don't know Devon and neither does Fitz, and you bought him into our home when we weren't here."

"But I know Devon and he's a good guy."

"How long have you known him, Nora?"

"A few weeks. We met at the club one night when I was hanging out with my friends. He really is a nice guy, Liv."

"Okay, a couple things. One, you have no idea what kind of guy Devon is – not after knowing him for two weeks. He's a stranger to us. That's why your brother and I were so upset. We don't know anything about him and neither do you."

Nora starts to protest but Olivia raises her hand and stops her.

"Nora, Fitz is very particular about who comes into our home – especially who is going to be around Cena. Before Cena could go to school he had his friends from the FBI to investigate the school's history and every teacher and staff member who works there."

"Wow. I had no idea."

"And, before we could bring a housekeeper into our home he had their backgrounds investigated as well. Hildie barely made the cut."

"I didn't realize he was so protective."

"Well he is. So when he saw Devon in our home last night - and you two were … Well, I'm not going back over that - quite naturally he was upset."

Nora nods, finally understanding the gravity of her actions.

"Gerry never cared about me like that", she says sadly and Olivia tilts her head as she looks at Nora.

"The way Fitz interacts with Cee – playing with her, always telling her how much he loves her, taking her on daddy-daughter dates – he even combs her hair for Christ's sakes. Gerry never did any of those things with me."

Olivia smiles because Fitz loves being a dad and doing all of those things with Cena.

"I always felt invisible in our house growing up. Gerry never paid any attention to me. He completely ignored me actually. He and my brothers always did things together like going fishing, going to wrestling matches, or hiking. When I got older I started to see how he treated mom and I just figured he didn't like girls too much, which is kind of weird if you think about it."

"He's just from a different generation, Nora", rubbing the girl's arm.

"It's more than that, Liv. I saw my friends' dads do some of the things Fitz does with Cena and they're the same age as Gerry. I never felt like I belonged in our family. The boys got all of the attention – and they excelled at everything they did – especially the Captain."

Olivia gives Nora a look that says, didn't-we-already-have-this-conversation.

"I'm sorry, Liv. Old habits are hard to break."

"Practice – Nora – practice."

"You really love my brother don't you? Because everybody sure knows he's crazy about you."

"I love him very much", Olivia smiles dreamily.

"I always thought he would turn out to be like Gerry - more so than John or Bennie. He was always focused and not playful at all when we were kids. And everything always came to him so easy. He never had to work hard at anything really. All of my brothers are that way, but Fitz more so than any of them. I'm the only under-achiever."

"You just have to find out what you're passionate about."

"I have no idea, Liv. I see that you are so self-assured and passionate about your work and I admire you so much."

"Thanks Nora. That's so kind."

"I just know I don't want to be like mom and I don't know how to be like you."

"Nora", taking the young woman's hand in hers. "Your mother is a good woman – a strong woman. It takes a lot of courage to make a big change at this stage in her life. Don't judge her too harshly. Okay?"

Nora nods.

"As for me, I appreciate that you admire me – it's a wonderful compliment – but you cannot be like me – nor should you try. You can only be the best Nora you can be", smiling encouragingly at the young woman. "What do you want to do with your life?"

"I don't know. I'm not like the Cap – Fitz."

"Nora, your brother is smart, but he also works really hard."

Nora looks across the backyard at the colorful foliage as if she is trying to figure out the wonders of nature.

"And now Fitz wants me to get a job or go back to Gerry's."

Olivia rubs Nora's back.

"I'm scared Liv. I don't know how to do anything. That's why I'm always defensive and making snide comments. Mom let me get away with everything, so I didn't have to do anything. I guess she was too busy being miserable and Gerry just didn't care."

Nora lay her head on Olivia's shoulder and cries uncontrollably. And Fitz walks onto the deck and sees Olivia comforting his sister. Olivia shakes her head, signaling him to go back inside the house.

"Shhh. Don't cry. We'll figure out something for you – something you love doing. Okay?" Rubbing her hand up and down Nora's arm.

"OK", mumbling through the tears.

After a few more minutes of silently comforting Nora, Olivia pulls the young woman from her shoulder and looks at her pointedly.

"Now, let's talk about you having sex with strange men."


	15. Chapter 15

**AN:** I guess it's time to say I don't own anything Scandal related. Forgot to announce there would not be an update last weekend. Will not update when I am on vacation. Will let you know the next time there won't be an update. **Reader575** , the reference to a father coming back after 15 years was only intended to show that it is taboo for a woman to leave her family. Look at how Olivia was denigrated and she was only gone for two months. BTW, I don't have any plans to introduce Maura's primary family. **Cleo** , your reviews slay me. **KKimberly49** , glad you hung in there. **Guest** , that was not the first time they had sex since they returned from Mirage. Enjoy reading the reviews. Here we go.

 **Chapter 15. Working Girls**

Finding the right plumbing contractor to replace the old lead-based pipes in the 150 homes in Springfield Heights is proving to be a long and arduous task. The size and scope of the project requires Olivia to do her due diligence before awarding the contract to one of the plumbers on her list. After reviewing the qualifications of 20 contractors, only six made it to her short list. Now that she has completed a comprehensive analysis of the six prospective contractors' assets and liabilities she is ready to schedule one-on-one meetings to get to know each of them. The residents of Springfield Heights deserve a reputable and empathetic contractor to repair the long-standing plumbing problems in their homes. They have suffered long enough and Olivia will not risk disappointing them by hiring someone who is incompetent or untrustworthy. The people who donated money and government officials have entrusted her to hire the right person for the job. Her reputation is riding on the success or failure of this major project.

So, for the past few hours she has been sitting at the desk in their study drafting the letter to request a meeting with each contractor. She rolls her neck from side to side trying to remove the kinks formed from sitting for hours. Ready to call it a night, she proofreads the letter one last time before emailing it to Mona with instructions for sending it to the contractors. As she stands from the chair, she lets out a big yawn and the baby gives her a swift kick in the left side. She rubs her side and smiles, thinking that is definitely the signal for them to go to bed.

After checking in Cena, she walks into the bedroom, which is completely dark and cool, the way Fitz likes it. He is snoring lightly as she feels her way to her side of the bed. She is exhausted and cannot wait to fall into a deep sleep. So she curls into her husband's side, inhales the scent of his favorite soap, and waits for sleep to overtake her. As she begins to doze off, the baby gives her another stiff kick in her back, so she turns onto her left side, trying to get comfortable. But the baby kicks again, this time in her left side, and she turns back onto her right side. So the kicking and tossing and turning goes on and on for what seems like an eternity. Mentally and physically exhausted, she looks at the bright blue numbers on the clock sitting on her nightstand and sees that she has been trying to fall asleep for over an hour.

"Do you want another pillow?"

"No, that won't help. I can't sleep, Fitz. I'm so miserable", tears rolling down her face. "The baby is laying on my back and has been kicking me everywhere for over an hour. It's like a party is going on in there."

"Get up", rolling out of bed and walking over to the armoire where he pulls out a bathing suit. But Olivia curls tighter into a ball and continues to cry.

"I can't get up. I'm so big and bloated I won't ever be able to get up again."

Fitz pulls his distressed wife to the sitting position and begins to remove her nightgown.

"What are you doing?" She whines.

"We're going swimming."

"Swimming? I can't swim. I can't move."

"You don't have to swim. I'll carry you. Swimming will help you and the baby to relax. Then we can all get some sleep."

"Are you sure, Fitz?"

"Yes."

He has no idea if his plan will work but he has to do something to help his uncomfortable wife and playful baby relax. So he carries Olivia down the long staircase, out the French doors that lead to the patio, and down to the pool. He sets her on the edge of the pool and lets her feet dangle in the water.

"Where are you going?" She asks weepily, looking over her shoulder as he walks away.

Fitz pulls his tee shirt over his head and tosses it onto one of the chaise lounges. Wearing only his boxers, he walks back to the pool's edge and slides into the water.

"I can't swim, Fitz."

"Hold on to me", placing his hands on her hips and sliding her into the warm water.

Olivia wraps her arms and legs around him the way Cena does when she is sad or sleepy. With her belly resting on his chest he glides them through the water and chuckles when he feels a kick from their overly active baby.

"He is pretty active tonight", walking them around the pool.

"He?"

"Well you do pee a lot, Liv", and she rolls her eyes.

"I shouldn't have eaten that second helping of your dish tonight. He hates spicy foods." And they both burst out laughing at her reference to the baby's gender.

Fitz carries Olivia to the deep end of the pool so her belly is submerged in the water. He thinks the water should absorb some of the baby's weight, give Olivia the support she needs, and lull the baby to sleep. And, after about 45 minutes of walking and talking, the water seems to be doing its job.

"This is nice", resting her head on his shoulder.

"Do you think he's sleeping?" Fitz asks in a whisper, not wanting to awaken the baby if he is sleeping.

"I think so", she says softly. "He hasn't kicked for a while."

Fitz nods.

"I think I'm ready to get out now, Fitz."

He treads slowly through the water, letting the water wash across her stomach on their way back to the side of the pool. Feeling relaxed and a little sleepy, she smiles widely as she sits on the edge of the pool.

"Are you ready to go back to bed?"

"Pucker babe", wrapping her legs around his waist and pulling him close. They kiss deeply until Olivia shivers from the cool night air and goosebumps form on her arms.

"I'll get you a towel", climbing from the pool and walking toward the lounge chairs.

"Cena would be upset if she knew we were swimming."

"Well I hardly call what we just did swimming", pulling on his tee shirt.

"You know what I mean. She loves the water. She would stay in the pool all day if we allowed her."

"She would", extending his hand, pulling her to her feet, and wrapping the towel around her shoulders.

"I'll swim with her when I get back."

"Thank you, babe. I feel so much better now", standing on her toes and kissing him on the chin. "How did you know the water would work?"

"It just makes sense Liv", he says nonchalantly.

Olivia scrunches her face and wonders why he thinks it makes sense. She will have to Google it tomorrow.

"My flight is at 8:45 in the morning. I won't wake you if you're still sleeping. Okay?"

"Did you pack your bag?"

"I did."

"Did you pack your toothbrush?"

"I did."

"Did you pack -?"

"Liv, I'm good. I have everything I need."

"Well, wake me before you leave. You'll be gone for two days - I need to see you before you go."

"I hate leaving you when you're so close."

"I'll be fine, babe."

"Who's going to carry you around in the pool when you can't sleep?"

"I just won't eat anything spicy while you're gone", nudging him in the side with her elbow.

"I just –"

"Don't worry, babe. I'll be fine. We'll be fine."

"If Nora causes any trouble call me right away and I'll have John come over and throw her ass out of here. She can go back to dad's house and cause trouble."

"Nora seems to be in a better place now, babe."

He nods as they walk back into the house, unconvinced that his sister has changed her ways.

 **XXX**

Fitz going away on a business trip for two days opens up the opportunity for Olivia to make some headway buying more things for the baby. While she thinks it is wonderful that Fitz wants to be involved in every aspect of the pregnancy, shopping with her detailed-oriented husband is proving to be more challenging this time around. Being seven-and-a-half months pregnant with their second child, trying to find an appropriate contractor for Springfield Heights, and expanding her Foundation, do not leave her a lot of time to stand in the middle of the baby department and have long discourses with her husband about each item. Before they can buy anything he has to inspect each item carefully, discuss where each item was manufactured, and determine if they are cruelty free. He is driving her crazy because they have not made much progress since they began shopping together. She knows that the pace at which they are going the baby will be here and they will not have everything they need to welcome the little one home. So, whenever she gets the chance, like today, she shops alone, buying as much as possible and stashing her purchases in the unfurnished nursery.

On her way to the check-out counter, Olivia sees an outfit that is perfect for baby Ethan, so she adds it to the pile of clothes she already has for him. She really enjoys buying clothes for Ethan because the boys' clothes are so adorable.

As Olivia pulls into the driveway she knows Abby is going to be upset with her again but she does not care. She pushes the gear shifter to PARK and presses the button to allow the seat to glide back so she can move her protruding stomach from under the steering wheel. She walks to the back of the SUV and grabs the bags from the trunk and Abby swings open the front door, looking at her disapprovingly when she sees all of the bags Olivia is carrying.

"I see you finally got rid of that old jalopy", assessing Olivia's new vehicle.

"Hello to you too, Abigail", pushing her belly past Abby as she walks toward the family room.

Abby sneaks another peek at Olivia's new SUV before closing the door.

"Are you crazy? Have you gone completely mad?" Abby asks, flailing her arms.

"Yes and yes", Olivia laughs hysterically. "Where is my nephew? I want to squeeze his chubby cheeks."

"He ran to his room and hid under the crib when he heard his lunatic aunt was at the door with more stuff for him", relieving Olivia of some of the bags.

"Funny. Real funny, Abby."

"So when did you get the new ride?"

"Fitz bought it over a month ago. And I like it – Cena loves it."

"You see, having money is not such a bad thing after all, Olivia."

Olivia rolls her eyes at her sister-in-law.

"You seem to be in a good mood today, Mrs. Grant."

"I am. Life is good, Mrs. Grant."

They burst out laughing at their old joke.

"Look at this Abby. Isn't it just the cutest thing?" Smiling as she holds up the outfit with the red bow tie for Ethan.

Abby waves her hand dismissively because she has seen it all before. Olivia is always buying something for Ethan.

"So how much stuff have you bought for the baby?" Shaking her head as she walks toward the kitchen.

"Not a lot. I have to sneak and shop without Fitz because everything takes so long when he's with me."

"So things are now good between you and Fitzgerald?" Abby asks, returning to the room carrying a tray with a large pitcher of lemonade and two tall glasses filled with ice. Olivia's eyes grow wide as she watches Abby set the tray onto the coffee table.

"Things are terrific with us - couldn't be better actually", straightening her back as she watches Abby fill the glasses with lemonade. "He's out of town for a couple of days."

"So he's back to traveling?"

"No, just for special clients. Actually, this is the first time he's been away since we came back from Mirage. I miss him already."

Abby rolls her eyes playfully.

"I'm really happy for you", handing Olivia a glass of lemonade as she sits on the sofa next to her sister-in-law. "While I've never been a big fan of Fitzgerald –"

"Abigail -", Olivia says in a warning tone.

"Let me finish, Olivia", holding up her hand to stop Olivia's admonishment. "I wasn't a big fan of Fitzgerald before you went away, but he proved himself while you were gone. He did a fantastic job taking care of Cena. He gets big points for that."

"He even learned how to style Cee's hair and he still wants to do it", Olivia says proudly.

"Olivia, Fitzgerald loves you deeply. The man was devastated when I told him about your depression. He had no idea what you had been going through during your pregnancies. So I have forgiven him for being an asshole."

"There are two sides to every story, Abby. My hands aren't clean."

"As a married women I know there are always two sides to every story. And, because I know there are two sides to every story, and because I know how much you two love each other, I will refrain from being critical of Fitzgerald. He is your husband and I have to respect that. I will respect your marriage."

"Thank you, Abby. I appreciate that."

"Now, tell me what it's like having those other Grant women living in your home? I can't believe Maura finally got up the nerve to leave that man. I never would have seen that coming in a million years."

"It was pretty shocking when Maura showed up on our doorstep and told us she had left Gerry."

"And Jonathan says the old geezer came to your house raising all kinds of hell and Fitzgerald had to rough him up a little."

"Pretty much. He was quite upset, which is understandable if you think about."

"That man is from the Stone Age and he needs to get a grip. But I must say, Maura has finally done something to impress me."

"She's trying to find her way, Abby. This is a significant change for her."

"So what is she going to do? Does she have a plan for her life? She can't live with you and Fitzgerald forever."

"She's going to need some time to work things out. But, I have an idea that might give her something to do."

Abby nods, no longer interested in discussing their mother-in-law.

"So what is that spoiled Nora up to? Is she causing trouble yet?"

"I'll just say Nora has a lot of growing up to do."

Olivia shakes her head at the memory of seeing her sister-in-law and Devon on her family room floor.

"That's for sure", taking a sip of the lemonade. "To be honest, I think something's wrong with her Olivia. I've had my eyes on her for a while."

"Well there certainly is a lot going on with her", not willing to reveal Nora's confidences.

"Well don't let those women cause trouble in your home. Get them out of there if they start any funny business. You and Fitzgerald seem to be in a good place right now and you don't want them messing it up."

Abby looks over at the table next to the sofa when she hears Ethan's cries flowing through the monitor.

"I'll be back. I think your nephew might be hungry."

"Bring him down, Abby. I want to feed him", Olivia says excitedly.

When Abby leaves the room, Olivia eyes the tall, sweating glass of lemonade sitting on the rectangular-shaped bamboo tray. She has been trying to resist the urge to take a sip of the citrus drink because she knows Abby makes the best homemade lemonade, so she throws all caution to the wind and reaches for the glass.

 **XXX**

After enjoying a leisurely morning of shopping and visiting with Abby and Ethan, Olivia goes to the Foundation to prepare for her meeting with Mona and to work on the plans for the new services she wants to provide the community. She leans back in the chair, rubs her stomach, and thinks about how getting involved with the Springfield Heights water crisis has opened up so many opportunities for her to help people. The children who have been affected by drinking the tainted water will need ongoing testing and monitoring to determine the physical and emotional effects from being exposed to lead over time. She shakes her head and makes a note to call Dr. Marianne Harris to discuss the matter further. Glancing quickly at her watch, she makes another note to schedule a meeting with Marcella to discuss the training program.

"Are you ready for me?" Mona asks, tapping the doorframe with her red, ballpoint ink pen.

"Sure. Come on in Mona and have a seat."

As Mona settles into the hard chair next to Olivia's desk she smiles when she looks at her employer's round belly.

"Olivia, I really don't mean any disrespect but you look like you swallowed a watermelon overnight."

"I know, Mona. It's ridiculous. This baby has me eating and drinking and peeing all of the time.

"You're probably having a boy."

"Not you too", shaking her head. "Maura, my mother-in-law, says the same thing. She says that I'm going to have a boy because I pee a lot, and of course Fitz is thrilled by the prospect."

"Well that wives tale is just as good as any", Mona says, smiling and shaking her head.

"Apparently she peed a lot when she was pregnant with Fitz and his brothers."

"How do you think Fitz is going to handle having another child in the house? Everybody knows how much he adores Cena."

"He's excited. You know Fitz has always wanted a lot of kids", she says wistfully.

"You're lucky to have a mother-in-law who is willing to help when the baby comes. I didn't have that kind of support when we had David."

Olivia nods, realizing this is her opening to discuss hiring Maura.

"Speaking of my mother-in-law", Olivia begins slowly. "She's made some changes in her life recently and has been living with Fitz and me for about two months now."

"I had no idea." Mona says in surprise.

"Her daughter, my sister-in-law Nora, is staying with us as well."

"It sounds like you have a full house - and it's about to get fuller", looking at Olivia's stomach again.

"I actually enjoy having them live with us. It makes the house feel much more alive. I didn't have that when I was growing up. Sometimes it got a little lonely being an only child. I didn't want that for Cee."

Mona nods.

"But having someone live in your home, family or not, can prove to be challenging at times."

"You don't have to tell me. Do you remember when my brother Anthony moved in with me and Tom for a while two years ago - after he lost his job?"

Olivia nods, reflecting on that time when Mona was so stressed because her unemployed brother was causing problems in her home.

"Well, as you might recall, things were fine for the first few weeks after he moved in. But once he got comfortable he started showing his true colors. Anthony would hold onto the TV's remote control, which drove Tom crazy because he couldn't watch wrestling." And they burst out laughing.

"Anthony liked to stay up late at night watching TV in the living room with the volume up too loud, which upset Tom because we had to get up early in the morning and go to work. After a while, Anthony stopped cleaning up after himself. I guess he thought Tom and I were his personal maid service. Then he started coming home all hours of the night and bringing his newfound friends with him. Well that was the straw that broke the camel's back. Tom laid down the law and told him, in no uncertain terms, if he couldn't follow the house rules then he would have to leave. Thank goodness my brother found a job and moved out before any real damage was done to our relationship."

Olivia nods slowly.

"So, how long are your in-laws going to live with you?"

"I don't know. We haven't discussed it."

"Well, that's a conversation you might want to have with them – and soon."

Olivia nods again.

"Mona, my mother-in-law has never worked outside of the home in the 45 years she has been married."

"That sounds like a wonderful luxury."

"Everything isn't what it seems, Mona."

"That's true."

"Well, she needs something to do to occupy her time. She doesn't have too much to do so she wants to tag along with Fitz and me whenever we go out. While we don't mind her joining us sometimes …"

Mona nods.

"And, Hildie has threatened to quit because Maura is meddling in how she manages the house."

"It really does sound like your mother-in-law needs something to do."

Olivia inhales deeply and rubs her stomach before making her announcement.

"Mona, I was thinking about hiring Maura to help out here."

"Help out with what?" Mona asks suspiciously. "I thought you said she's never worked anywhere."

"Well, she has never had a paying or full-time position. But she has worked at her church for many years developing Bible study courses."

Mona folds her arms across her chest, tilts her head slightly, and gives Olivia a questioning look that says _what do Bible classes have to do with community service?_

"I was thinking, perhaps, that Maura could help us to create the training courses for the community organizers program I told you about."

"But she doesn't know anything about community services", Mona retorts.

"No, she doesn't. But I was thinking we could teach her whatever she needs to know."

Mona shrugs her shoulders and leans back in the chair.

"Olivia, I appreciate you letting me know your plans, but this is your call."

"Mona, this is our call. I won't do this if you can't support it – if you're not comfortable with the idea. You're the office manager – you make all of the day-to-day decisions for the Foundation. If you are uncomfortable with Maura working here then I'm sure Fitz and I can find something else for her to do."

Olivia has no idea what else she can find for Maura to do, but she will not force Mona to work with her mother-in-law. She respects and values her employee-friend too much. Mona taps the side of nose with her index finger and thinks about Olivia's idea for a while.

"OK"

"Are you sure, Mona? Please don't feel you have to do this."

"It might be fun having someone else around here since you're only in the office a couple of days a weeks any way. And, you'll be going out on maternity leave soon. So let's do it. Bring on Maura."

"And Mona, Maura will report to you. I will not interfere. Okay?"

"Thanks, Olivia. I appreciate you saying that."

Olivia smiles, happy she has fixed a problem for one of her in-laws.

"Now, I need your opinion on a different matter."

"Sure."

"Nora, my sister-in-law –"

"I don't know if I can take on two of them, Olivia", Mona says, raising her hands in protest.

"No – no – nothing like that. Nora needs to do something to fill her time as well, but not here."

"Once again, no disrespect Olivia, but do these women not know how to take care of themselves?"

"It's a long story, Mona."

Mona does not pursue the matter because she knows Olivia will give her all of the details when she is ready.

"Mona, I was thinking about asking Marcella if she could use some help at the community center – if Nora could work there."

"Well, I don't know Nora, but Marcella is dedicated to her work and I'm sure she can always use an extra pair of hands at that community center."

"That's what I was thinking. Thanks Mona, I'll talk to Marcella later. Now let's back to business. What does the schedule look like with the contractors tomorrow?"

"We have three scheduled in the morning, after you drop off Cena at school, and three in the afternoon."

"It's going to be a long day."

 **XXX**

Olivia is feeling a little sad as she walks down the hall toward their bedroom after reading Cena a bedtime story. This is the first night they have spent apart since returning from Mirage and she is missing her husband desperately. She has become accustomed to having him around the house all of the time, especially at night. As she approaches the staircase, she smiles when suddenly she craves the raspberry iced-tea. She shakes her head because she has become addicted to the drink and has tried all kinds of tactics to get Fitz to show her how to make it, but he will not budge. Last week she went to the grocery store and bought all of the ingredients she thought were in the delightful drink and made a large pitcher of the tea. But what she made tasted nothing like her husband's version. Her attempt to replicate the flavorful drink only resulted in Fitz laughing hysterically as he watched her pour her version of the tea down the sink.

With a tall glass of the flavorful iced tea sitting on the nightstand, Olivia settles into bed with several pillows propped behind her back and begins reviewing the profiles of the six contractors she is meeting with tomorrow. She smiles and sets the tablet on her lap when she hears the familiar ringtone.

"Hi", she answers with the biggest smile, as she reaches for the sweating glass.

"Hi", he says with an equally broad smile stretching across his face.

"I miss you", she says in a whiney voice.

"How much?"

"More than I should", setting the glass onto the wooden coaster.

"What are you drinking?" Chuckling because he hears the ice cubes jingling in the background.

"I remember the time you used to ask me what I was wearing."

"Knowing what you're drinking is more sexy and entertaining. Now spill, what are you drinking?"

"That iced tea you make. Fitz, I don't know what you put in it – and you won't tell me by the way - but I can't stop drinking it. I know I'm going to pay later but I don't care."

He smiles as he leans against the headboard in his hotel room.

"So how are you feeling? Is Kix misbehaving tonight?"

"Kix?" Scrunching her face as she reaches for the glass again.

"We can't keep calling him _baby_. I figured since he likes to kick so much I thought Kix would be the perfect nickname."

"And it took you how long to think of that name?" She asks sarcastically.

"Do you have something better?"

"No. But isn't that the name of a cereal?"

"Does it matter?"

She shrugs her shoulders as if he can see her.

"And how is my Princess doing tonight?"

"Biker Princess is sleeping."

He frowns when he hears his daughter's new nickname. In fact, he frowns whenever he hears the name, but he makes sure Cena does not see him doing so.

"But not before she asked about her birthday."

"Her birthday? That's not for another five months."

"Babe, she is so excited about being a big girl. In her mind turning five seals the deal."

"She's growing up too fast, Liv. I feel like I'm losing my little girl."

"Well it's your fault."

" _What are you talking about?"_ He asks in disbelief.

"Ever since you and John bought that bicycle and all of the Hells Angels gear, she hasn't been the same. She really thinks she's a big girl – so it's all your fault."

"So the genie is out of the bottle?" Running his fingers through his hair.

"Yup", she says teasingly. "Speaking of genies, I spoke with Mona today about your mother working at the Foundation."

"What did she say? Is she okay with it?"

"She is actually. But I needed to reassure her that she will continue to make decisions about the day to day – that your mother will report directly to her."

"That's good. When does mom start?"

"We'll have to discuss it with her when you get back tomorrow. What time will you be home?"

"Not until after dinner. We can talk to mom then."

"And babe …"

"Hmm?" Looking down at his schedule for tomorrow.

"I'm thinking about asking Marcella to allow Nora to work at the community center in Springfield Heights."

" _What?"_ Sitting up in the bed.

"I think it's a good idea for Nora to volunteer at the center."

"Doing what?"

"I don't know, but I'm sure Marcella can find something for her to do."

"Marcella is tough, Liv. Do you think Nora can handle it?"

"It's time for Nora to grow up, babe."

 **XXX**

Olivia and Mona sit in the conference room reviewing the contractors' profiles one more time before their first appointment arrives. Although they have allocated one hour for each meeting, they are willing to let a meeting go longer or cut one short, if necessary.

"So what time is the first contractor scheduled to be here, Mona? I have a lot of questions for those guys."

"Colin Fairfax is scheduled to be here at 9:00. And it sounds like he is here on time", Mona says, standing from the table when she hears the door chime. "I'll bring him back."

After a grueling three-and-a-half hours of interviewing the three contractors, Olivia and Mona take a break for lunch to reflect on the interviews.

"Olivia, I don't know why that second guy even bothered to show up. I can't believe he thought he could come in here and change the quote he submitted in his response document", digging into her salad.

"He thought he could take advantage of two women", Olivia says as she dropping Phil Medici's folder into the wastebasket.

"Well, he's dealing with the wrong two women." And they laugh out loud until they hear someone clear their throat.

" _Charlie?"_ Olivia says in shock.

"Hello Olivia – Mona. I have been waiting out front for 15 minutes so I decided to come back and find you. I see everything looks the same", glancing around the small conference room.

The two women stare at Charlie with their mouths hanging open, wondering why Charlie is at the Foundation.

"May I come in?" Charlie asks as he stands in the doorway.

"What are you doing here, Charlie?" Olivia asks with an edge to her voice.

"I'm here for my appointment."

The two women look at each other perplexed.

"To discuss the quote I submitted for the Springfield Heights project", Charlie continues.

Olivia and Mona frown because neither one of them saw Charlie's company name on any of the documents they received. So they rifle quickly through the folders trying to find paper work for Charlie's company.

"I'm sorry, Charlie. We don't seem to have any formal documentation for your company. Therefore, we won't be able to meet with you today. You understand how the process works", Olivia says dismissively.

"Look again, Olivia. I responded to all of your requests with the appropriate documents - well before the deadlines."

Olivia stands from her seat and rests a hand on her hip."

"I see congratulations are in order", eyeing her stomach.

"You should go, Charlie. We don't have any documentation from Hardwell Plumbing and Heating", officially annoyed with the man.

"You should look at the documents for Chandler Corporation, Olivia. That's the name of my new company", smiling smugly as the two women look at each other in shock.

 **XXX**

After recovering from Charlie's unexpected visit to the Foundation and meeting with him for an hour to discuss his bid for the job, Olivia drove to the Springfield Heights community center to meet with Marcella. Bringing the car to a complete stop, she looks up at the graffiti-covered building and reflects on the last time she was in the parking lot. So much has happened since that fateful night when she sat in Fitz' car crying after her confrontation with Marcella. She rubs her stomach thinking she did not know she was pregnant at the time. She did not know that a few weeks later she would have to leave her family and home and go to a place located in the mountains to heal. She shakes her head and pushes the button, allowing the seat to glide back so she can slide her protruding stomach from under the steering wheel. When her feet finally touch the cracked asphalt, she thinks about the boundless unknowns the future holds. Five months ago she would never have imagined she would be walking back into this community center to discuss, with Marcella Andersen of all people, a program to train community organizers. And she surely never would have imagined she would ask Marcella to allow her sister-in-law to work at the community center.

"Mrs. Grant, it's so good to see you", Marcella says with a genuine smile as she looks up from her computer screen. "Have a seat - please", eyeing Olivia's stomach and thinking the woman looks like she is ready to burst at any moment.

"Hello Marcella", smiling just as brightly. "Thank you for making time to see me today."

"Anytime. The children don't start coming in until after school lets out. Besides, I'm excited to hear what you've come up with."

"The children?" Olivia asks curiously.

"Yes, we provide enrichment activities for the neighborhood children. We try to make the center a place for the children to come after school and on weekends. A place where they can feel safe. I know it doesn't look like much but we try to make the children's time here as educational and fun as possible."

"That sounds terrific. I had no idea. What kinds of activities do you offer the children?"

"We provide afterschool tutoring and mentoring, some organized sports, a few trips here and there, and parties to celebrate their achievements. Our goal is to halt the epidemic of poverty and despair in this community. To do that we have to start with the children."

Olivia nods, thinking there are more layers to the young woman than she imagined.

"Amir and I came here as children. This place gave us life since we didn't have much of a life outside of these walls", glancing reminiscently around the room. "I learned a lot here, Mrs. Grant. The love and support I got here encouraged me to go to college and pursue a degree in social work. I needed to find a way to give back – to help my community."

"Who is Amir?"

"He's an old childhood friend. We came here together many years ago when we were looking to get away from the violence on the streets and in our homes. What we found here was a home - our refuge. When I went away to college, Amir stayed here and worked with Mr. Coven, the community center's program director back then."

"Did Amir not want to go to college?"

"It's complicated, Mrs. Grant."

Olivia nods, knowing better not to ask any more questions about Amir. So she reaches into her briefcase, pulls out a folder containing the draft copy of her proposal, and hands it to Marcella. As Olivia explains the program, at a high-level, Marcella flips through the pages, scanning the text and nodding her head.

"Marcella, take as much time as you need to review the proposal and get back to me whenever you're ready to discuss. And feel free to add your value – any upgrades you think are necessary. When we meet again we can discuss your changes and a timeline for getting started."

"That's sounds great, Mrs. Grant. From what I've read so far it seems like you've covered everything. The training program sounds exciting. We can all use that kind of information over here."

"Good, but just read it more carefully and we'll discuss it at another time in more detail."

Marcella nods and begins to stand from her chair. She knows Mrs. Grant is a busy woman and does not want to take up more of her time.

"Marcella …" Olivia says, remaining seated.

"Is there something else, Mrs. Grant?" Looking curiously at the woman who is still sitting and resting a hand on her stomach.

"Yes there is. I would like to ask a favor of you."

Marcella knits her brow wondering what she could possibly do for the woman.

"Anything, Mrs. Grant. But I can't imagine what I can possibly do for you", slowly sitting back on her chair.

"I have a sister-in-law who is a few years younger than you."

Marcella nods, wondering what Mrs. Grant's sister-in-law has to do with her.

"Her name is Nora. She is living with me and my husband for a while and I want her to spend her time doing something productive."

Marcella looks at Olivia intently, still unsure what Mrs. Grant wants from her.

"I hope you won't think my request is a quid pro quo for the training program. I assure you, your decision will have no impact on our plans."

Marcella smiles inwardly because she has never seen the self-assured woman so nervous.

"OK", Marcella says slowly.

"Marcella, I was wondering if you could use some additional help here at the center.

"Well, I could always use more help around here, Mrs. Grant."

"Do you think you can find something for Nora to do here at the Center?"

"I'm sure I can, Mrs. Grant. But unfortunately I don't have the budget to hire another person. Amir and I are the only paid staff and he is only part time, although he works way more hours than he gets paid."

"Nora will volunteer her time – no salary will be required", Olivia says quickly.

"That must be nice, not to need money."

"It's not that simple, Marcella."

"It's just that people who live in Springfield Heights don't have the luxury of volunteering their time, Mrs. Grant. The people over here need to get paid when they work."

"I understand. I just meant you wouldn't have to worry about a salary for Nora. I will be responsible for her salary. You set her work schedule and projects and she will report to you with no interference from me."

"Wow. What a gift. But is there anything I should know about Nora before I agree?"

"Well, she's quite bright, but is still somewhat young. She needs to focus on something meaningful."

Marcella nods, thinking Nora is very lucky to have someone like Mrs. Grant who is looking out for her.

"OK, I'll will be happy to have Nora help out around here."

"Thank you, I really appreciate this. And Marcella, if things don't work out with Nora then you can terminate her at will."

Marcella nods as she watches Mrs. Grant walk down the hall. On her way out of the center, Olivia sees a young man setting up the chairs in the community room for tonight's meeting. She wonders if he is Amir.

 **XXX**

Fitz is disappointed that he is arriving home from his business trip after Cena has gone to bed. He hates when he misses bath or story time, but he will stop in her room and give her a good-night kiss after he and Olivia talk to his mother about her working at the Foundation. Having set his luggage and brief case on the floor in the foyer, he walks toward the family room where he sees his mother sitting on the sofa playing her favorite game on the phone.

"Mom?"

"Fitzgerald, welcome home", setting her phone on the coffee table. "How was your trip? Do you want something to eat?"

"My trip was fine and I grabbed something to eat at the airport. Where's Liv?"

"I believe she's in the bathroom again."

And they smile, hoping Olivia's bathroom habits are truly an indicator that a baby boy is on the way.

"So how are you doing, mom?"

"I'm fine, son."

"Good. Did Liv mention we wanted to discuss something with you tonight?"

Maura holds her breath, thinking perhaps she has overstayed her welcome and her son is going to ask her to leave his home.

"No, she said nothing. Is there something wrong, Fitzgerald?" She asks nervously.

"No – no – not all. There's nothing wrong, mom. Olivia and I just wanted to run something by you, that's all."

"I didn't know you were home", smiling brightly as she walks into the room. And Fitz is on his feet immediately, smiling just as broadly as his wife.

"I just got here", giving her a deep kiss and rubbing her stomach. "How are you feeling? Is everything all right?" He asks with concern.

"I'm fine."

"Good", pecking her on the lips. "Has Kix been misbehaving?" And she rolls her eyes at the nickname for their unborn child.

"The baby is fine – has been fine."

"Are you hungry? Do you want some dinner?" Still holding him around the waist.

"Fitzgerald ate something at the airport", Maura responds and the couple look at each other. "Although I'm sure whatever he had was just awful."

"It was fine, mom. Sit down, Liv", escorting his wife across the room and sitting next to her on the arm of the chair.

"Why do I feel like I'm in trouble?" Looking nervously between her son and Olivia.

"Not at all", Olivia interjects quickly, looking up at her husband and silently urging him to start the conversation.

"Mom, I've noticed over the last several weeks that you seem to be a bit out of sorts."

"Well Fitzgerald, I have left your father after 45 years of marriage. I guess that would make anyone feel out of sorts as you put it."

"I know - I understand. But that's not what I meant."

Although well known for his language skills, in this moment Fitz feels totally inept at communicating his thoughts to his mother. He cannot seem to find the right words to tell his mother she needs to find something meaningful to do with her time.

"Mom, you're used to having something to do – used to having something to occupy your time. But since this change in your life – well - you now have lots of free time on your hands."

Maura looks at her son curiously, not sure what he is trying to say.

"Mom, I – we – think it might be beneficial if you got out of this house and did something more with your time."

"Well son, I go out with you and Olivia occasionally."

Olivia looks at her husband who is struggling to help his mother to understand that she cannot rely on them to fill her time.

"That's just it, mom, you can't wait around for me and Liv. You need to do something that you care about – something you find fulfilling."

Olivia sees the hurt in Maura's eyes so she intercedes to help her husband to frame the situation better.

"Maura, what Fitz is trying to say is that you have so much rich knowledge to offer – knowledge that you can share with others."

Fitz nods in agreement as he rubs Olivia's back.

"But I haven't figured out what I want to do yet – what I can do", she says softly.

"Well, Fitz and I have an idea that might be of interest to you", Olivia says carefully.

Maura tilts her head slightly and looks back and forth between Olivia and her son. She feels like she is being set up for something.

"Maura, you told me that you _really_ enjoy teaching Bible study classes at your church."

Maura nods, continuing to eye Olivia suspiciously.

"And you said that you designed all the courses for those classes."

"I did. I tried to get Gretchen involved but she just didn't have the tiniest bit of interest. I told Minister Oswald but he said not to worry about Gretchen because he had faith that I could handle it all alone."

"Maura", Olivia says, redirecting her mother-in-law's attention back to the matter at hand. "I need someone to design training courses for a new program I'll be implementing at the Foundation. And, Fitz and I thought this might be a perfect opportunity for you to use the skills you honed over the years at the church."

Maura clutches her chest because she was not expecting her daughter-in-law to offer her a job. The thought of taking on a real job is downright frightening. She is not sure if she can do what Olivia needs and she does not want to be a failure.

"Olivia, I don't want to be one of your charity cases", she says defensively.

"Excuse me?"

"Well that's what you do isn't it - assist the unfortunate - the desperate?"

"Maura, the people I help are neither desperate nor unfortunate. While some might not have the financial and material means as their counterparts, they are not desperate. In fact, they are hardworking and proud people who are dedicated to their families and community. They are people who attend church regularly. They are people who choose to get up every morning, in the face of so many adversities, and fight for what they need. Do they sometimes need additional support because of their circumstances – because they don't have access to the same kinds of resources as those who are more fortunate? Yes."

"I didn't mean –"

"I know", not wanting to get distracted by Maura deflecting. "Maura, there's no shame in asking for help when it's needed. The position I'm offering you has nothing to do with charity. I have a real business need that must be filled by someone. Fitz and I just thought this might be an opportunity for you to do something you enjoy."

"Well, I don't know Olivia. I've only created courses for our parishioners. I'm not sure –"

"I'm sure you can do it, Maura. Mona and I will teach you everything you need to know about community service."

"Who's Mona?" She asks anxiously, now realizing she will have to work with someone other than Olivia.

"Mona is my office manager. She has worked with me ever since I started the Foundation. She's terrific and I think you two will get along just fine."

Maura's chews on her lower lip while twisting her wedding rings as Olivia promotes the benefits of working at her Foundation. She stares across the room at the speck of dust on the table and thinks Hildie needs to do a better job cleaning the house.

"Mom, you will be fine. Everything will be fine."

"Well Fitzgerald, I'm not sure if I will have the time. After all, I help out Hildie a lot around here. She needs my help."

"No she doesn't, mom. Hildie is a professional and can handle things around here without your help."

Maura glares at her son because he has just taken away her last excuse for not accepting Olivia's job offer.

"Maura, we don't want to force you into doing anything you are not comfortable doing. As I said, it's just an idea. Why don't you take some time to think about it? You don't have to decide anything tonight. If you decide working at the Foundation is something you might want to do then let us know. Okay?"

"Thank you, Olivia. I think I will need some time to think it over."

"And Maura, if you decide to work at the Foundation and later realize it isn't something you want to do, then you can back away at any time. The choice is always yours. Okay?"

"OK", Maura says, rubbing her décolleté absently.

 **XXX**

After Fitz quickly pulls back the tightly tucked comforter, blanket, and top sheet on his side of the bed, he jumps onto the cool, crisp sheet while Olivia yanks and tugs at the linens on her side of the bed.

"Babe, Hildie must have served a stint in the military."

He removes the watch from his wrist and sets it on the nightstand while Olivia continues to pull at the tightly tucked bed linens.

"What do you mean?" Leaning against the headboard and watching her finally climb into bed.

"While I appreciate that she makes such a neat bed, it takes me forever to get in it."

"Well I like how she makes our bed. It shows that she pays attention to detail."

"What does making a bed have to do with attention to detail?" Looking at her husband in amazement.

"Liv, in the Navy, having a well-made bed wasn't just about learning how to make hospital corners. It's about developing a soldier's discipline and attention to even the smallest details. It ensures that order is maintained in the barracks, which allows the enlisted to concentrate on more important things."

"Are you saying you never liked the way I made our bed?"

"I said no such thing", he responds in surprise.

"Well you never praised my bed-making skills the way you're praising Hildie's."

"But I praise all of the wonderful things you do in our bed", giving her that stupid smirk and she rolls her eyes.

"So how do you think the conversation went with your mother?" Rubbing lotion on her hands.

"She's obviously nervous about going to work, but she'll get over it. So what are we going to do about messing up this well-made bed?" Pulling her on top of him and kissing her deeply.

After all of these years she still does not understand how he can pivot so quickly from one topic to the next.

"Babe …" She says breathlessly as her fingernails scrape the hairs at the nape of his neck.

"I don't want to talk about my mother right now", sliding the nightgown straps down her shoulders.

"You know I have to hire a plumbing contractor for the Springfield Heights project?"

"Mhmm", gently licking circles around her breasts and silently hoping they remain this size after the baby is born.

"Well, you wouldn't guess who put in a bid", closing her eyes as his tongue travels down her body.

"Can't guess - don't want to guess", he mumbles as he zeroes in on his target.

"You remember Charlie don't you?"

Well the mention of that name just killed his libido, so he sighs heavily and gently rolls her back onto the bed.

 **XXX**

The conversation Maura had with her son and Olivia has been playing on a loop in her head since she left them sitting in the family room last night. The idea of working outside of the home has unnerved her terribly, causing her to toss and turn in bed all night. She is uneasy about working in a business environment, and with a stranger. She does not know if she can do it. After hours of fretting over the idea of becoming a working woman, she finally crawls out of bed long before the sun rises and goes to the kitchen to start breakfast for the family. As she mixes the batter for the waffles, she continues to think about working at the Foundation. The idea is both terrifying and exciting. On the one hand she is afraid of embarking on the unknown. While on the other hand she is excited about getting up every morning and going to work to produce something that can be useful to others. As she pours another cup of tea, Cena walks into the kitchen carrying the gift her father left on her nightstand last night.

"Good morning Grams", Cena says as she climbs onto her stool.

"Good morning, Cena. Why are you up so early this morning?"

Cena's face brightens when she thinks about her day.

"I'm going on a trip today, Grams. I can't wait."

"Where are you going, Cena?"

"I forgot", playing with the new gift.

"So why are you so excited if you don't know where you're going?"

"Because I've never been there before, Grams. It's going to be fun."

Maura leans against the counter and looks at her granddaughter for a long while and _thinks out of the mouths of babes_. If her four-year-old granddaughter can get excited about the unknown then surely she can as well. She sets Cena's breakfast in front of her as Olivia and Fitz walk into the kitchen.

"Somebody's excited about their trip today", Fitz says, kissing Cena on top of her head.

"Cee, you're up so early this morning", giving her daughter big smushy kisses on each cheek.

"My trip is today, mommy."

"I know and I have to pack your lunch", Olivia says through a yawn. "Good morning, Maura."

"Good morning, Olivia – Fitzgerald."

"Good morning, mom", pecking his mother on the cheek on his way to the coffee maker.

"Where is Cena going today?" Maura asks as she sets a plate of waffles and sausage in front of Olivia.

"Oh, she's going to the farm. And guess who's going to chaperone?" Patting her husband on the butt while Maura's back is turned.

"I see. Well Cena certainly is excited about her new adventure today."

"Cena loves trying new things, mom. She's a real daredevil. Right Princess?"

"I'm Biker Princess, daddy", swinging her legs as she washes down the waffles with her milk. And Olivia chuckles when Cena corrects her father.

"Olivia" turning from the stove and holding the spatula in her hand. "I've decided to take you up on your offer to work at the Foundation. I think I'm also ready for a new adventure."

"That's terrific, mom", Fitz says excitedly.

Nora drags into the kitchen and takes her seat at the island.

"Good morning, everyone."

"Good morning, Aunt Nora."

"What's that you're playing with, Cena?"

"Daddy bought me a Biker Princess - just like me", holding up her new toy.

Olivia looks at her husband in shock.

"If you can't beat 'em, join 'em", shrugging his shoulders.

"Do you like it Cee?"

"I love it daddy."

"What's going on with you, mom? Why are you so happy?"

"I have a job Nora", Maura beams as she sets Fitz' plate in front of him. "I'm going to work", she says proudly.

" _You have a job, mom?"_ Nora exclaims in disbelief.

"And so do you", Olivia says, looking at her slack-jawed sister-in-law.


	16. Chapter 16 First Day

**AN** : Thanks for continuing to follow, review, and favorite. On vacation next week so no update for two weeks. Here we go!

 **Chapter 16. First Day**

Sitting in his car in the driveway of his parents' home, his childhood home, John stares at the huge brick, Colonial-style house, reflecting on what life was like growing up in what some would call an all-American home. He leans back against the plush leather seat, rakes his fingers through his hair, and lets out a heavy sigh as he thinks about the wonderful and not-so wonderful times he shared in this house with his family. While generally life was good growing up here, celebrating birthdays, holidays, and going on family vacations; however, there were times when living in this house was absolutely unbearable. In fact, one might say it was oppressive and, at times, bordering on abusive, although never physical. He still is not sure if the good times outweighed the bad times, and maybe it does not matter now. But back then, well, he could not wait to go away to college. So, when he was graduated from high school at the age of 18, he left home in search of a kind of freedom he had never known.

When Fitz informed him that their mother had left their father after 45 years of marriage, John was not surprised because the man lorded over her the same way he controlled his children. As the firstborn he had a bird's-eye view of his parents' relationship. He saw how his father dictated to his mother and how she complied with her husband's every demand. And, he saw how his mother began to retreat inward, losing the light in her eyes year over year. Well now the chickens have come home to roost. His father has lost everything he ever held dear, everything he worked so hard to control.

Fitzgerald Thomas Grant the Second has many admirable qualities: hardworking, a great provider, and a strong sense of family. But he is also a tough authoritarian who, at times, can be boorish, a bully some might say. He had high expectations for his children and set strict rules and expected his family to follow his rules unconditionally and without explanation. In socializing his children to the values and beliefs passed down to him by his father, he exerted an inordinate amount of control over them. His style of parenting lacked the warmth, unconditional love, and nurturance that children need to thrive and become confident and independent.

Early in his teenage years John decided he never wanted to be that kind of man, the kind of man who needs to control his family with an iron fist. He wanted a home where his children would enjoyed coming to. He wanted his children to revere him, not fear him. He wanted his children to achieve because they were motivated to do their best, not because they feared the wrath from their father if they did not perform well. He also wanted a strong and independent wife who wanted to be with him because she loved him, not because she was a victim of her circumstances.

John thinks about the indelible imprint his domineering and demanding father has left on his psyche. He shakes his head when he thinks about the small fortune he has spent trying to erase the effects of Gerry Grant from his mind. But some stains can never be fully removed really, just faded enough so they no longer have control your life.

Finally summoning the courage to exit the car and face his father, with sadness and trepidation he walks slowly up the stone pathway that leads to the front door. Hesitating on the doorstep for another minute before ringing the doorbell, he shakes his head again at the irony of it all.

John looks at his watch after ringing the bell for the second time, thinking his father should be home at this time of the day. And, when the door finally swings open, he is stunned by the image standing before him. Disheveled, unshaven, and smelling of scotch, Gerry Grant looks like a beaten man.

"Dad? What the hell?"

"What are you doing here, John? What the hell do you want?"

Both men stare at each other for a long while before Gerry turns and walks down the hall to the family room. John follows his father down the hall and stops in the doorway of the family room when he sees what lay before him. He has never seen the house in such disarray, the place is a mess. Half-eaten food in fast food containers is strewn across the coffee table and an empty bottle of his father's favorite scotch sits on the table next to his favorite chair. A glass toppled over on the table oozes the last of its contents onto the hardwood floors. Unopened mail and other papers are scattered on the floor and accent pillows from the chairs and sofa are thrown about the room. Guilt washes over John because he has not checked on his father in weeks. Frankly, he has avoided coming here because he did not want to experience the confrontation that is about to unfold.

"Dad …" He says sadly, wondering if the family room has become his father's bedroom.

"What the hell do you want, John?" Slumping down into his chair.

"What's going on here, dad? This place is a mess. You look horrible."

"Mind your damn business and go back home to that mouthy wife of yours", he growls before his chin drops to his chest.

"I'm not going anywhere until you get cleaned up – until this place is cleaned up. You can't live like this."

"I can do whatever the hell I want."

"See, that's the damn problem", John screams. "You've been doing things your way all of my life. You've been dictating and calling the shots for everyone. Well where the hell has that gotten you?"

"You will not speak to me that way. I am your father", slurring his words.

"Yes, you are my father and I love you, but you need to learn how to listen to someone else for once. You're losing everything. Your wife – mom – has left you and now you're living alone in – in squalor", looking around the room. "So you need to listen - you will listen to me."

Hung over from days of drinking and too tired to argue with his son any longer, Gerry runs his long fingers through his thick, white hair and sighs heavily.

"I've lost everything I worked for my whole life, Johnny. I worked my ass off to give you kids and your mother a good life. And now everyone is gone. Everyone hates me and I don't understand why. Your mother has left me after 45 years because she's not fulfilled. I don't even know what the hell that means", wiping the spittle from his chin with the back of his hand. "She had everything - I gave her everything. She didn't have to work for a damn thing. Just take care of you kids and this house. What more did she want?"

"Dad, mom wanted – needed to be more than a caregiver and a homemaker. She needed to find a way to express her God-given talents and gifts – to live up to her potential. But you wouldn't allow it. You kept her in this house, limiting her to cooking, cleaning, and having babies. She needed more dad."

Gerry shakes his head from side to side, still not understanding.

"Dad -" Pushing the papers aside so he can sit on the sofa across from his father.

"Nora calls me an ogre. She left too you know?" Looking at his son with bloodshot eyes and tears now streaming down his face. "My little girl has left me, Johnny. They're both living over at Fitzgerald's. He took them in."

"Dad, you have been a good father and a good provider. But you were always tough, unyielding. To be honest, it was difficult living with you at times."

"Oh, so you hate me too?" He growls.

"Dad, I don't hate you - nobody hates you. You just have to realize you cannot try to control everybody and everything. You cannot make people bend to your will. You have to allow people to be themselves – to let them make decisions about their own lives."

"Everything was fine until Fitzgerald married Olivia. That mother of hers is a damn nut."

"You can't blame your problems on Olivia and Mrs. Pope. You controlled everything and everyone in this house ever since I can remember. Our family wasn't a democracy, everything always had to be your way. No one had a voice in making any family decisions, not even mom. No one can live under that kind of oppression forever.

"So now you're saying I oppressed my family?"

"Dad, we all had to acquiesce to you demands. If you don't allow people to grow they will wither and die, or they will rebel. You didn't allow room for mom to grow. You didn't allow room for her to pursue things that brought joy to her life. She was dying slowly in this house. We kids were able to leave and build our own lives, but mom was stuck here until she decided to take control of her life.

"Take control of her life, by living with Fitzgerald? How the hell is that taking control? She just moved from here, where I took care of her, to Fitzgerald's house where he is now taking care of her."

"Mom has a job now. She is working – doing something productive – doing something that makes her happy."

"Working? What the hell can she do?" Looking up at his son in surprise.

"She's working at Olivia's Foundation."

"That woman can't seem to mind her damn business. Fitzgerald is going to find that out soon enough", Gerry snarls.

"This is not Olivia's fault. You have to see your role in mom leaving."

"I just want things to go back to the way they were, Johnny."

"That won't happen, dad. Mom has changed. Now you have to decide if you're going to change."

Gerry looks at his eldest child blankly because he does not understand what he needs to do to change.

"Now let's get this place cleaned up and get you cleaned up", John says, looking around the room and not quite sure where to begin.

 **XXX**

Fitz drains the last of his coffee and walks over to the copper farmhouse sink and washes his mug while Nora sits at the island scrolling through her phone.

"I can't believe that mom still goes to church where she could see Gerry", Nora says in disgust, still looking at her phone screen.

"She says dad hasn't been there since she moved out", setting the mug on the dish rack.

"You do realize this house looks like a shrine to Cena?" Continuing to scroll through her phone.

"What?" Turning to his sister as he dries his hands on the dish towel.

"Come on Fitz, look around. There are pictures of Cena all over the place, at every stage of her life - every birthday, every holiday, every vacation, every-everything" flailing her arms in the air.

"Cena is our child, Nora. Would you suggest we have pictures of someone else's child displayed in our home?" He asks sarcastically.

"Well, she won't be your only child for much longer. You need to start thinking about how the Princess is going to feel when she is dethroned."

"What are you talking about, dethroned?" Frowning at his sister with hands on his hips.

"Fitz, I was the youngest of four children and I felt like I didn't exist. I was always left out of everything."

"What are you talking about?" He has no idea where this conversation is going and frankly he does not have a lot of time to find out. He needs find Olivia so they can get going.

"Being in a house with three high achieving brothers made me feel like a second-class citizen. Dad gave all of his attention to you boys. He didn't love me like a son."

"Nora …" For the first time he is beginning to gain some insight into his complicated little sister.

"Cena is a daddy's girl, through and through. You and she have such a wonderful bond, it's a beautiful thing to watch."

Fitz smiles because Cena is truly his Princess.

"She has you wrapped around her little fingers you know?"

He thinks that is probably a true statement, but he does not care.

"Do you think the two of you would've been as close if Liv hadn't gone away?"

"I would like to think so Nora, but I was doing a lot of traveling back then. I knew I was missing out on a lot with Cena."

Nora eyes her brother closely.

"Liv going away was a good thing for our family, if that makes any sense?" He says reflecting on that time dark time in their marriage. "It was good for our marriage, but it also gave me the opportunity to spend time with my daughter and get to know her."

Nora nods, thinking the Captain has really changed. She always thought he would be like Gerry.

"At first I wasn't sure if I could take care of her alone, and honestly it was tough going for a while. But in time, I realized why Liv wanted Cena to remain with me and not let her stay with mom and dad. I wouldn't trade that time with my daughter for anything in the world."

"That's terrific, Fitz."

"Nora, I never knew you felt that way as child. I'm sure dad loved you."

"I'm all right", waving her hand in the air dismissively. "I just don't want Cena or the new baby to ever feel unwanted or unloved."

Fitz looks at his sister intently.

"I'm just saying, if you have a boy, make sure you continue to love Cena - love them equally."

Fitz nods, wondering what else he does not know about his sister. He looks at his watch and frowns, wondering what Olivia is doing. He grabs his suit jacket from the back of the chair and pecks his sister on the cheek before going to look for his wife.

"Come on Liv, we're going to be late", yelling from the bottom of the staircase as he slides on his suit jacket.

"Mommy's in the bathroom", Cena says, sitting on the bottom step and rolling Bicycle Girl back and forth on the step above her.

"Don't you two look nice this morning", Maura says, walking down the stairs when she sees her son and granddaughter waiting in the foyer. "Where's Olivia?"

Fitz gives her a look that says, _where do you think?_

"Fitzgerald, I think it's lovely that you attend church with your family. It's important for a family to worship together."

"We try to go to church every Sunday, mom. It's important to Liv so it's important to me."

"That's good, son. Cena, are you taking Biker Girl with you to church today?"

"Yes, Grams. I want to show it to Deon."

"And who is Deon?" Maura asks curiously.

"He's my friend. We play on the computer together at church. Deon says I'm pretty, Grams."

Fitz throws his head back and rolls his eyes and Maura chuckles. She knows Fitz is having a hard time watching his little girl grow up. And, the idea of her playing with boys scares him to death.

"Olivia, we're –" He begins to yell again.

"I'm here. I'm here", holding onto the railing as she walks carefully down the stairs. "There's no need to yell, Fitz. Good morning, Maura."

"Well, we're going to be late if you stay in the bathroom all morning."

 **XXX**

As Fitz drives his family to Triumph Tabernacle, Cena's announcement that she is going to show Biker Girl to Deon continues to bounce around in his mind.

"What do you know about Deon?" Pushing the shifter into third gear.

" _What?"_ turning and looking at her husband curiously.

"Deon is creeping around Cena. I want to know what you know about him."

"What do you mean creeping? You make the child sound like some sort of pervert."

"Well he told Cena that he thinks she's pretty", he says in a hushed voice.

"So?" Not interested in her husband's nonsense this morning. He is so protective of his Princess.

"So? Is that all you have to say?" Glancing in the review mirror at Cena playing with Biker Girl.

"Fitz, please. You know Cena and Deon have been friends since before either of them could walk."

"That's my point", he says with fervor, as if he just caught a plaintiff in a lie on the witness stand, and she looks at him as if he has lost his mind. "They're older now Liv, we have to be careful."

"You're being ridiculous. There's a spot over there", pointing to the empty space as he drives into the church's parking lot.

"Cena will sit with us today. She will not be going to Sunday School with _Deon_."

Olivia rolls her eyes and exits the car while Fitz lifts Cena from the car seat and carries her across the parking lot to the church.

"Good morning Mrs. Grant – Mr. Grant."

"Good morning Melissa", they say in unison.

"Good morning, Cena. Don't you look pretty this morning", Melissa says smiling brightly.

"Good morning, Miss Johnson. I have a new toy", shaking Biker Girl at her Sunday School teacher.

"Wow, she looks like a real daredevil", Melissa says, clutching her chest and feigning fear.

"She's Biker Girl and I'm Biker Princess."

Melissa smiles politely.

"Are you ready for Sunday School, Cena?" Melissa asks, reaching for the little girl who Fitz is still holding tightly in his arms.

"Yes", Cena says excitedly. "I'm going to show Deon my Biker Girl."

"Well let's go. Deon is already in the back."

"Yay", Cena says happily and Fitz' face hardens.

"Thank you, Melissa. We will see you after the service is over", Olivia says, trying to refrain from laughing at her husband's hardened face.

"I'll bring her to the sanctuary, Mrs. Grant."

"Give mommy and daddy a kiss Cee", Olivia says, puckering for her little girl.

"Only kiss mommy and daddy, Cena", Fitz says firmly.

 **XXX**

Council President Marla Briggs now saves two seats next to her since Fitz has started joining Olivia at the Sunday service. She rubs her left temple and smiles when she sees Olivia and Fitz walking toward her.

"Good morning Marla", Olivia says as she slides onto the pew next to her friend.

"Good morning Olivia. Good morning Fitz."

"Good morning, Marla. How are you today?" Holding his hand over his tie as he sits next to Olivia.

"I'm fine, thank you. It's so good to see you both this morning."

"Well we're running a little late this morning", grinning at his wife and she rolls her eyes.

"I'm sure it's getting more difficult for you to maneuver, Olivia. It looks like you're ready to deliver any day now."

"I'm fine, Marla", sticking out her tongue at her grinning husband.

"A little birdie told me Rev. Walker has prepared a powerful sermon for this morning."

Olivia nods as the choir begins to sing, lifting God up in praise, as Fitz flips through the program to see the topic of Rev. Walker's sermon. Marla and Olivia clap and wave their hands in the air as Fitz begins to taps his foot and pat Olivia's thigh. After the greeting and offering are finished, Rev. Walker stands and delivers his powerful message, which shocks the congregation. After the closing song and prayer, the congregants begin to file out of the sanctuary, many hurrying to the parking lot to beat the traffic jam, while others gather in the hall, away from the sanctuary.

In the hall and the parking lot is where the real business takes place. This is where families are discussed. This is where business is discussed. This is where politics are discussed. As Fitz stands in the hall, half-listening to Olivia and Marla catch up, he scans the space for Melissa and his daughter.

"Olivia – Fitz, it's so good to see you on this delightful Sunday morning."

"It's good to see you too, Rev. Walker", absently rubbing her stomach.

"Hello, Rev. Walker", Fitz says, extending his hand. "It's good to see you as well. That was an interesting sermon you delivered this morning."

"Interesting is putting it mildly", Marla says, rubbing her left temple.

"The atmosphere in our country is charged with such hate and nastiness, Fitz. The Lord called me to preach about what's been happening in our politics over these last few months. While I don't usually preach politics from the pulpit, but I felt it necessary to share the message the Lord delivered to me. Our congregation needs to know that they deserve a virtuous leader – someone of high morals and who cares about them."

Not wanting to get into a discussion about politics, Fitz nods and smiles politely.

"Good morning, good morning", Congressman Guildord says, smiling like a politician as he joins the group. "Good morning, Rev. Walker. That was an intriguing sermon you delivered this morning."

"Good morning, Congressman", extending a handshake. "I hope it resonated with everyone, especially our public officials", Rev. Walker smiles serenely.

"And Marla, how are you doing? It's been awhile", the Congressman says boisterously.

"It has, but that's because you spend so much time in Washington these days."

"Well, I get back home to my constituents as often as I can", smiling broadly and Marla returns the same politician smile.

"Olivia, it has been awhile", thinking the woman looks like she is ready to burst in any minute.

"It has. How's the family, Congressman?" Smiling politely.

"They're fine – just fine. They're around here somewhere", looking around the hallway.

"Congressman Guildord, I believe you know my husband, Fitzgerald Grant."

"I do. Our paths have crossed once or twice down in Washington. How's it going, Fitz?" Reaching for a handshake.

"It's good to see you again, Congressman."

"Here you are", Melissa says, leading Cena by the hand with Deon following close behind."

"Hello, Cena. You look absolutely adorable", Marla says. "And your hair looks beautiful."

"My daddy comb my hair." Cena announces loudly, reaching for Fitz to pick her up.

Marla looks to Olivia for confirmation and Olivia nods, confirming Cena's claim. Marla brings a hand to her chest and looks at Fitz admiringly.

"Fitz, you're a man of many talents. A fantastic business negotiator and a hairstylist as well."

"This is as far as my hairstyling skills go, Marla. I won't be opening a salon any time soon."

"Never say never, Fitz."

"Hello Mr. Grant", Deon says, looking up at Fitz with his big brown eyes and extending his small hand. And Fitz looks down in disbelief at the pint-sized Romeo.

 **XXX**

After they return home from church, Fitz prepares a light lunch while Olivia and Cena are upstairs changing into their bathing suits. Fitz sets up lunch on the deck then goes upstairs to change into his swimming trunks. By the time he gets back out to the deck, Cena has finished her lunch and is eager to go swimming.

"You have to wait a bit for your food to digest", Olivia says, looking at her husband devour his food.

"You know that's only a wives' tale", Fitz says, wiping his mouth with the napkin.

"No it's not", she retorts. "Everybody knows you have to wait at least a half-hour to swim after eating or you can get cramps and drown."

"Well does that rule just for swimming or does it apply to the bathtub too? Do you have to wait to take a bath after eating? It's all water."

"I'm not going to debate you, Fitz", sliding on her sunglasses and leaning back onto the chaise lounge.

"Is it time yet, daddy?" Cena yells as she runs back over to her parents.

"Yes, Princess. We can swim now. Let's go."

Fitz and Cena hold hands and jump into the pool and Olivia rolls her eyes behind her sunglasses as she reads her book. After about an hour of playing in the water, Cena is thirsty and ready for something to drink.

"Daddy, I want something to drink", Cena yells while splashing around in the pool.

"Stay there babe", Olivia says, looking up from her book. "I'll get it for her. Do you want something?" She asks, struggling to her feet.

"Just water", dipping back into the water to swim a few more laps.

"Come with me Cee", waiting for her daughter to climb from the pool.

Olivia's cover-up flows open, revealing her almost eight-month-pregnant belly, as she walks into the kitchen to get the drinks. And Cena follows close behind her mother with her red flip flops squishing on the tiled kitchen floor.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, Cee?"

"When is the baby coming?"

"In another month", turning from the refrigerator and setting the pitcher of raspberry iced-tea and a bottle of water onto the island top.

Cena does not quite know how long a month is but it sounds like it is a long time because mommy's stomach has been big forever.

"I don't like that tea, mommy." Cena scrunches her face as her mother fills the glass with her favorite drink of late.

"But you drink it all the time when daddy gives it to you", looking at her daughter's serious face in disbelief.

"I want something else to drink."

"OK. You can have whatever you want", thinking more raspberry iced-tea for her.

"Apple juice", Cena says cheerily.

"Apple juice it is", walking back to the refrigerator.

"Mommy?"

"Yes Cee?" Staring into the cool refrigerator thinking Fitz needs to go food shopping.

"How long is the baby going to stay?"

"What?" Whipping around and looking at Cena's innocent face. "What do you mean, Cee?"

"I don't want the baby to stay with us all of the time."

"Why not?" Olivia asks in surprise. She and Fitz have been meaning to talk to her again about the baby but they have been so busy. There has been so much going on and time has gotten away from them and now she feels awful as she looks at her daughter's sad face.

"Deon said you and daddy won't love me any more when the baby comes", she says softly, looking down and twisting her fingers.

" _What?"_

"Deon said you and daddy are going to send me away. Deon said the baby is going to take all of my toys. Deon said the baby is going to cry all of the time." She says quickly and the tears begin to run down her face.

"Oh, sweetheart, that just isn't true", setting the apple juice onto the counter. "Mommy and daddy love you more than anything, and we will never stop loving you, no matter what", wiping the tears from her daughter's face. "And we will never send you away. Okay?"

"Really?" She asks in amazement.

"Yes, really. The baby will be so tiny and won't be able to do anything, so I'm going to need my special, big girl to help me with the baby. Okay?"

Cee nods excitedly.

"And the baby won't take your toys either. Okay?"

And Cena nods.

"But the baby will cry sometimes because that's what baby's do. Okay?"

"Will my daddy be the baby's daddy too?" She asks with confusion in her eyes.

"Yes, he will." Looking at her daughter closely, realizing she and Fitz really have not done their job to prepare Cena for the baby.

"I don't want daddy to be the baby's daddy", Cena says quickly.

"Why?" Olivia is stunned because she was not expecting this response.

"Because daddy is my daddy", Cena say adamantly.

"Well sweetheart, daddy will always be your daddy", cupping Cena's face. "But he will be the baby's daddy too. But you want to know what daddy told me?"

Cena shakes her head up and down with eyes wide, waiting to hear the secret.

"Well", trying to squat to be eye level with her daughter. "Well", whispering as if she is telling her daughter a secret because she knows Cena loves secrets. "Daddy told me that you will always be his favorite Biker Princess."

"He did?" Beaming brightly.

"He did", praying for the first time that Maura is right about her having a boy.

"What's taking my girls so long? I'm thirsty." Fitz says as he walks into the kitchen with water dripping from his hair.

"Daddy, daddy", bouncing happily. "I want to swim with you again."

Taken aback by his daughter's enthusiasm, Olivia gives her clueless husband a look that says _we have to talk later_."

 **XXX**

Instead of carrying Olivia all the way downstairs and outside to the pool, Fitz filled their deep Jacuzzi tub with warm, lavender-scented water to relax her and their baby who is active again tonight. As they lay in the bubbling water enjoying some alone time together, Olivia tells Fitz about her conversation in the kitchen with Cena.

"I told you we needed to keep our eyes on that little Romeo. He's been filling Cee's head with all kinds of horrible tales about what it's like to have a sibling. I knew he was bad news, Liv."

Olivia just shakes her head as she leans into him, enjoying the water cascading over her stomach.

"And now we have to do damage control. We have to reassure her that we won't send her away when the baby comes. Who says things like that any way?"

"Babe, calm down, There's no need to go into lawyer mode. Deon is only five - children make up all kinds of things."

"Well he's a bad influence on Cee. And why does she listen to him anyway? She's too impressionable."

"You're just jealous, babe."

" _Jealous?_ _I'm no such thing."_

"You are. You're jealous that a little boy has influence over your Biker Princess." Olivia chuckles.

"This isn't funny, Liv. I don't see why you don't understand that we have a serious problem here."

"The only problem we have is we didn't talk to Cee again about what it means to have a new brother or sister before Deon got to her. Cena has been an only child for almost five years, quite naturally she's going to have some fears."

"Nora said something like that", listening intently as he strokes her breasts.

"What do you mean?" Trying to twist her body to turn around and look at him.

"Well, she noticed how many pictures there are of Cee around the house."

"What does she expect?" She says defensively. "Cena has been our only child."

"That's what I thought at first, but I think Nora might have a point. Cee isn't going to be an only child in another month, Liv. She's going to be the firstborn, the older sibling. I don't want her to be afraid and think she will be invisible once Kix comes, especially now that Deon has filled her head with nonsense."

She nods as she slides back into the water.

"By the way" moaning as he glides the soapy towel over her stomach. "I don't like that nickname."

"You have to get onboard, Liv. I didn't like Biker Princess either – still don't."

"But you bought Biker Girl."

"I saw it in one of those stores at the airport and I thought Cee would like it. It kind of looks like her when she rides her bike."

They sit in silence for a while, letting the water wash over her submerged belly.

"Did you know about, Nora - how she felt as a child? How she feels now?"

"She said something to me about feeling left out because she was the only girl and the youngest. She hasn't really gotten over your father ignoring her as a child – ignoring her all of her life. It's had a big impact on her."

"I had no idea. Do you think that's why she behaves the way she does?"

"Probably", she says softly, running her fingernails up and down his bent leg.

"I don't want that for Cena. I want her to always know how deeply I love her."

"She knows, babe."

He kisses her shoulder and slides his hand in the water and between her legs, and she gasps. She opens wide and relaxes into him while his fingers do all kinds of magical things to her. When she feels his arousal on her backside, she closes her eyes and he buries his face in her neck.

"We have to sit down with Cena tomorrow and undo the damage Deon has done", his warm breath wafting over her ear as he sucks and licks her lobe. And she nods as he licks the beads of water rolling from her neck and down her back. She turns her head slightly, allowing him to access the spot on her neck they both enjoy. He leaves his mark on her neck then kisses and licks down her shoulder.

"Maybe we can take her shopping with us."

Olivia groans silently because shopping with Fitz is challenging enough, adding Cena to the mix is going to make the experience even more painful.

"Maybe she won't feel so scared if she picked out a few things for the baby", inserting his finger in and out. The warm water washing over her and his hand feel wonderful.

"Yes, yes", moving up and down on his hand.

"And, when Kix comes home we each have to spend special time with just Cee", growing harder as his finger plunge in and out.

Olivia nods vigorously, lifting her bottom from the bathtub and grinding on his hand until her body twitches from the orgasm. Coming down from her high, she collapses onto his lap, unconsciously licking her lips in satisfaction. After a few minutes he whispers in her ear breathlessly.

"Can you?"

She nods.

"Lean forward."

The water swishes around her stomach as she struggles to her knees and slides to the front of the massive tub. Resting her forearms on the edge of the tub, she turns to look at him. Raising onto his knees, cautious not to rest his weight on her back, he positions himself behind her.

"Are you okay?"

Olivia nods because at this stage in their pregnancy having sex is becoming more and more challenging and sometimes downright uncomfortable for her. However, they have been having lots of fun finding creative positions in which they can enjoy each other without making her feel too uncomfortable. He massages her round buttocks, kissing and licking them slowly.

"I love your body", he says with desire. Running his tongue slowly up and down her back, he slides his hand around and squeezes her breasts gently, and she flinches.

"Sorry", he says breathlessly, kissing her shoulder. He loves the fullness of her breasts.

Rubbing his hardness up and down her opening, she arches her back in anticipation and he slides in slowly. Engulfed in her warm and tight wetness, he closes his eyes.

"Oh god, Livvie."

Careful not to penetrate too deep, his strokes are slow and shallow, and she presses her butt into his stomach, encouraging him to go just a little deeper. Holding onto her hips, he goes deeper, riding her with passion and care.

"Oh, baby you feel so good", picking up the pace a little.

He pulls her close to his chest, wrapping his arms around her stomach and rides her rhythmically. The angle is perfect. The warm water splashing around his balls as he pumps slowly feels exquisite and the desire to release is mounting. She swivels her hips, gliding up and down, giving him what he likes.

"Just like that, Liv. Move it just like that."

The feeling is heavenly and he goes deeper and she rides him a little harder when he bites down on her shoulder, releasing deep inside of her. Laughing uncontrollably, he holds her tighter as the last of his juices flow into his wife. After a few moments he slides out and leans against the tub, pulling her with him. They lay in silence, relaxed and thoroughly satisfied.

"You know we won't be able to do for much longer?" Running her hand up and down his thigh.

"Then we should enjoy it while we can", smiling mischievously as he anticipates round two.

 **XXX**

Maura stands in front of the mirror in her bedroom assessing her appearance. She feels jittery, like it is the first day of school. She wonders if the pearls are too much as she fixes her hair for the fourth time. She applies a bit more or her standard pink lipstick then goes downstairs to the kitchen where Olivia and Fitz are sitting at the island having breakfast.

"Good morning", she says nervously, walking to the cabinet to retrieve her mug.

"Good morning, mom. You look really nice", Fitz says encouragingly.

"Thank you, Fitzgerald", sitting across from him at the island.

"Good morning, Maura", Olivia says, rubbing her stomach and wondering if multiple rounds of sex with her husband last night will start her contractions or if that is another wives' tale. She surely cannot ask her mother-in-law.

"Good morning, Olivia", rubbing the back of her neck. "You're not dressed yet. You are coming to the office today, aren't you?"

"Not until this afternoon, Maura. We have a doctor's appointment later this morning", smiling at her husband.

"I see. Well should I wait here for you to return?"

"No, not at all. Mona is expecting you and she will get you all set up. We will all meet this afternoon to discuss the training program."

"I see. Where is Nora?" Looking nervously around the kitchen. "This is her first day of work too."

"She got in late last night. I don't think she is as committed to working as you are, mom."

"Give her some time, Fitzgerald."

Maura glances at her watch then takes her mug to the sink and washes it.

"Well, I guess I better get going", swiping her hands down the front of her dress. "I don't want to be late on my first day."

"I'll see you later, Maura", smiling at her nervous mother-in-law.

Maura smiles nervously as she hurries from the kitchen.

"She's really nervous", Fitz says.

"She'll be all right, babe."

"Should I wake Nora?"

"No, babe. Nora is an adult and has to learn how to be responsible."

 **XXX**

Mona waits nervously in her office listening for the door chime to signal that Maura Grant has arrived for her first day of work. She is anxious because she has never supervised another employee and she wants things to go well because Maura is Olivia's mother-in-law. Mona inhales deeply and reviews for the third time the checklist of things she needs to cover with Maura. When the door chimes, Mona jumps from her seat and rushes down the hall to greet her new direct report.

"Good morning. You must be Maura. I'm Mona. It's so good to meet you", she says in one breath.

"Good morning, Mona", shaking the woman's hand. "Olivia has told me so many wonderful things about you."

"It's wonderful working with Olivia. She has an experienced hand in community service."

After the pleasantries are over, the two women smile nervously at each other for a little too long until Mona regains her composure.

"Well come on back, Maura. I'll give you the fifty cents tour. I don't recall ever seeing you here before", looking over her shoulder at Maura as she guides the woman from the waiting room and down the hall.

"No, I've never been here. Olivia and and my son have been married for over six years and I've never had occasion to come to her Foundation."

"Would you like some tea or coffee, Maura?"

"Tea will be find. I brought my own tea bags", opening her purse and retrieving her tea bags. "So I will simply need hot water."

Mona nods as she continues explaining the layout of the office.

"This is Olivia's office", pointing to the small room on the right."

Maura nods.

"And here is my office. Stop in if you ever need anything or just want to chat."

Maura nods and smiles politely.

"This is our conference room. We set up space in here for you to work."

Maura gasps and clutches her chest when she enters the small room and sees a small desk placed in front of the window. On the desk is a large bouquet of flowers and a gift basket containing fruit, a variety of snacks, a mug, and a tin of her favorite tea.

"Oh my goodness. Is this for me?"

"Read the card", Mona smiles, pointing to the card stuck in the flowers.

Maura walks slowly over to her desk and slides the card from the flowers."

 _ **Wishing you the first of many enjoyable days of your career. Fitzgerald**_

"That is so kind", tears welling up in her eyes.

"The flowers are beautiful, Maura."

"They are. That was so thoughtful of Fitzgerald and Olivia."

"And Maura, here are all of your office supplies. If you need anything else, just let me know and I'll pick it up for you."

"Thank you, Mona. I'm sure this will be fine", smiling at her desk.

"Now let me show you where the restroom, then you can get your tea and get settled in."

Maura smiles, beginning to relax a little more.

After the tour is over Maura makes her tea and settles in at her desk. She leans back in her chair and smiles as she runs her hand over the top of the desk.

'I have a job', she says softly.

After reviewing her checklist again to ensure she has covered all of the basics with Maura, Mona realizes she forgot to mention they will be meeting Olivia for lunch. She rushes down the hall to the conference room and taps her red, ballpoint pen on the doorframe.

"Excuse me Maura – I didn't mean to startle you – I just wanted you to know we will be going to lunch at noon."

"That's not necessary, Mona."

"It is. Meet me in the waiting room at noon. We have a reservation at Restaurant 52."

"Olivia's favorite restaurant."

"Olivia will join us their around 12:30."

"Thank you, Mona. I'll start reading through these materials", looking at the stack of binders about community service Mona placed on her desk.

 **XXX**

Maura shakes her head slightly when she sees Olivia walking toward their table, barely able to carry the extra weight of the baby with her small frame. She smiles, thinking although Olivia is now her employer, she is also her daughter-in-law and Maura cannot wait for her latest grandchild to be born.

"Hi, Maura – Mona", unable to slide into the booth so Maura and Mona slide the table toward them to give Olivia more room. "I am so sorry that I'm late. Dr. Perry was a little backed up this morning."

Maura wonders if Dr. Perry was really running late or Olivia and Fitzgerald were having more alone time. She saw the mark on Olivia's neck before she left the house this morning.

"How was your doctor's visit, Olivia? Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine, Maura. A little more than a month to go", grabbing a roll from the bread basket. "So how did things go this morning?"

"I'm so excited. Mona has been terrific, showing me around, answering all of my questions, and giving me everything I need. I just love my office. Well, I know it's really the conference room, but I love it anyway."

Olivia and Mona smile at the excited woman.

"I'm glad, but don't expect to absorb everything in one day, Maura."

"And thank you for the flowers and the basket. That was so thoughtful of you."

"That was all Fitz' doing. He wanted your first day to be special."

When they finished eating lunch Olivia gives Maura and overview of the training program for the community organizers.

"Maura, our goal is to develop a program to train grassroots community organizers how to use various communication strategies when interacting with city officials and business people. While they have a lot of terrific ideas and good intentions, they need to learn more effective methods to get their messages out to the community and express them in a way that does scare off the people who they need to support their causes. So, we want to empower them with the knowledge and skills to translate their demands from protest rhetoric to cogent business and political ideas."

Maura nods, listening intently as she sips the iced tea.

"And, we want to teach them how to get their messages across to the residents, city officials, and philanthropists using traditional and social media platforms."

"This sounds so exciting", Maura gushes.

"Mona and I will help you with the content but you will develop the curriculum. Read over the materials Mona has given you and we will all sit down again to discuss the program. When do you think we should meet again, Mona?"

"From the looks of things we better do it real soon", looking at Olivia's stomach pressing against the edge of the table.

And all the women burst out laughing. Maura glances around the restaurant thinking how happy she is to be a working woman.

 **XXX**

Nora pulls into the parking lot of the small, graffiti-covered building and groans as she sucks on her cigarette. She had no idea what she was getting into when she agreed to volunteer at the Springfield Heights Community Center. Well, she really did not volunteer. Fitz is forcing her to get a job so Olivia has arranged for her to work at this place. She looks at her watch and sees she is already over an hour late. She was out partying last night and hooked up with this hot guy at the club, so she is still tired and a little hung over. But she knew she had better show up at the center today or pack her bags and go back to Gerry's house. She plucks the cigarette out of the window and slides from the car. Pulling the leather jacket around her body, she enters the building in search of Marcella. Scanning the space as she walks down the hall, she is turned off immediately by the drab, tan walls and gray linoleum floors. She wonders if the place has ever seen better days.

"You're late", Marcella says to the obviously hungover woman, disliking her immediately.

"Are you Marcella?" Nora asks with an attitude.

"I am. We start at 8:30 A.M. around here", and Nora rolls her eyes, needing another cigarette.

"Well, I'm here now. What do you want me to do?"

"First, I want you to lose the attitude. Then, I want you to go out to the community room and sweep and mop the floor. After that, I want you to clean the bathroom."

"Sweep and mop?" Nora says with disdain. "I'm not a maid."

"From what I hear you're not much of anything", staring at the obnoxious woman squarely in her eyes.

The two woman glare at each other until Amir comes to the door and interrupts the stare down.

"Marcella … Oh – I'm sorry. I didn't know you were with someone."

"Amir, this is the new help I told you about. Nora, this is Amir."

The two nod at each other.

"Amir, show Nora where the broom and mops are kept. She's ready to clean the community room. Then show her the bathroom. She's going to clean that too."

"But I already –"

"I said take Nora to the utility closet", glaring at Amir.

Amir complies immediately because he knows not to ask too many questions when Marcella is in a bad mood.

"Come on, Nora. I'll show you where everything is."

Nora glares at Marcella one more time before following Amir out of the office and down the hall to the utility closet.

"Is she always like that?"

"Marcella's not too bad. She's good people once you get to know her", swinging open the small closet door.

After sweeping and mopping the community room, Amir shows Nora the bathroom.

"You have got to be kidding", looking around at the small, dingy bathroom. Amir folds his arms across his chest and nods.

An hour-and-a-half later, Marcella directs Nora to set up the community room in preparation of the children arriving after school.

"Push those tables together and set out the art supplies on each table", Marcella directs her new volunteer. "The art supplies are on the shelf over there", pointing to the tall cabinets lining the wall on the other side of the room.

"What do you do around here? Nora demands.

"I have a job", Marcella says as she walks back to her office.

Nora pushes the tables together then pulls the art supplies from the shelf. She shakes her head when she sees the so-called supplies, thinking these supplies are a joke and should have been thrown out in the trash a long time ago. The paint brushes are frayed, the paints are half dry, and there are only a few stubby colored pencils in the jar. Nora tosses the few pathetic art supplies onto each table then walks back to Marcella's office.

"I'm finished", she says to Marcella whose is looking down and reading some papers on her desk.

"Fine. You may leave", not looking up from the papers.

Nora rolls her eyes and turns to leave the too small office.

"8:30 A.M." Marcella shouts out as she continues to look down at the papers.

On her way to the parking lot Nora passes the community room where she sees a little girl giggling as she covers one of Amir's dreadlocks with red paint. She shakes her head thinking what a waste of paint.

 **XXX**

Fitz and Olivia are having a leisurely dinner after spending hours shopping for baby furniture. She is exhausted because they were in the furniture store for hours because Fitz had a millions questions, as usual, about the furniture that the salesman obviously could not answer.

"Do you really think they're going to deliver the furniture in two weeks – before the baby is born?" She asks, finishing the last of her entree. She always seems to finish her meal before her husband these days.

"The salesman said it would be delivered in less than a month", unaffected by the timeline.

"I don't know, Fitz. We should have ordered the furniture a long time ago. I'm afraid the baby won't have anywhere to sleep if it's not delivered within the next few weeks."

"It'll be fine. So what else do we need?" He asks, cutting into his steak.

"A few more things, actually. You know we could've had the nursery set up by now if you didn't insist on going shopping with me all of the time."

"I want to be involved, just like I was with Cee."

"But babe, you're slowing down the process", rubbing her stomach. "Kix will be here soon and –"

"Kix, hunh?" And she rolls her eyes.

"Do you want dessert?" Looking at her empty plate.

"I shouldn't", still rubbing her belly. "I can't seem to stop eating with this baby. We're hungry all of the time."

"Pineapple upside-down cake with vanilla-sage ice cream it is then", looking around the restaurant for their waiter.

"Babe you're going to make me fat."

"I already did", giving her that stupid smirk she will never tire of seeing.

She rolls her eyes again as Fitz' phone begins to ring. Not recognizing the phone number displayed on the screen, he scrunches his face before answering the call. The color drains from his face as he listens to the person on the other end of the line.

"Who was that, babe?" She asks, dipping a forkful of cake into the vanilla-sage ice cream as he disconnects the call.

"We have to go", he says anxiously, and her heart sinks to her stomach as she holds the fork mid-air.

"Is something wrong with Cena?" Dropping the fork onto the dessert plate.

"No, Cena is fine. We have to get to the hospital, Liv."

" _Too the hospital?_ You're scaring me, Fitz.

"Come on, Liv", standing from his seat.

"Is it your parents – my parents?" Holding her breath and looking at him wild-eyed.

"No, both of our parents are fine", reaching into his wallet for cash to pay the bill.

"Is it Ben- Nora?"

"Liv – we have to go. _Now!_ " Reaching for her hand. Gripped by fear, she cannot move. She is frozen in her seat.

"Is it John and Abby? Oh no, please don't let anything happen to them."

"Liv, it's Marla", he says hurriedly. "She's in the hospital. They think she might've had a stroke."

Olivia's mouth falls open and the tears roll down her face. Marla is like a second mother to her. The woman has taught her so much and has been instrumental in guiding her career over the years. She cannot imagine the elegant City Council President being sidelined by a stroke.

"Let's go Liv, tossing the money onto the table.

 **XXX**

Olivia holds her belly as she and Fitz rush down the halls of Mercy Douglass Hospital to get to the bedside of her dear friend and mentor. They stop at the nurses' station on the ninth to inquire about the condition of the woman who has always been supportive of Olivia.

"We're looking for Marla Briggs", Fitz says anxiously.

"And you are?" The nurse asks, looking at the man somewhat bored.

"I'm her daughter", Olivia says hurriedly.

"Room 906", the nurse says, pointing up the hall.


	17. Chapter 17 Make Someone Smile

**AN: ***WARNING***** This chapter contains a graphic sex scene. Skip if you are sensitive to this kind of content. **Bujuman** , Mona called Fitz about Marla's stroke because she did not want to upset Olivia. Remember, Fitz gave her his phone number when Olivia left for Mirage. **Cleo** , you can't go around beating up little kids. Deon is only five. :-)

 **Chapter 17. Make Someone Smile**

Tears well up in the back of Olivia's eyes as she and Fitz slide onto the pew where Marla is usually sitting every Sunday waiting for them to arrive. She has sat on this row, on this same pew, with Marla Briggs ever since her parents moved to Africa to continue their missionary work. She sat on this same pew with Marla before she met Fitz, before she was married, and before she became a mother for the first time. She has shared so many wonderful moments with the woman she views as a second mother, and it pains her that Marla now lay in a hospital bed recovering after her stroke.

Trying to prevent the tears from falling, Olivia closes her eyes tightly and rests her right hand on the hard bench where Marla normally sits and thinks about how fragile life is, how things can change in a blink. A week ago today, Marla was sitting here slyly whispering the latest gossip to her. She could never figure out how the woman could look straight ahead, listen to Rev. Walker preach, and whisper the latest news without anyone being the wiser. Olivia shakes her head and smiles reminiscently when she thinks about how Rev. Walker always caught her whenever she tried the trick.

Fitz drapes his arm around his wife's shoulder and gives her a gentle squeeze. He knows Marla's illness has affected her deeply and is concerned that her emotional stress is heightening. Since returning from Mirage, he has been vigilant in monitoring her emotional stress. He does not want them to slip back into the past. After the service is over they stand in the hall chatting with Congressman Guilford and City Councilman Darius Moton. Everyone wants to know how Marla is doing.

"So how is Marla doing these days?" Congressman Guilford asks, looking at an obviously distraught Olivia.

She understands everyone is concerned about Marla, but she hates having to be the one to give people the same update over and over again.

"Things are still pretty rough going for her right now, Congressman", delivering her standard response.

"Well, tell her I asked about her the next time you visit with her."

Olivia gives the Congressman a weak smile and nods.

"Tell her that I'll stop by to see her when she is up to having visitors."

Olivia smiles again, trying to prevent the tears from falling. Fitz squeezes her hand gently.

"I hate to bring up a sensitive topic under the circumstances", Darius says cautiously, looking over his shoulder to make sure no one can hear him. "But the talk is beginning."

"The talk?" Fitz asks curiously.

"The Council members are talking about who will replace Marla. The vultures are beginning to circle."

"What do you mean?" Olivia asks in disbelief.

"Olivia, as distasteful the thought is, it is to be expected."

"Excuse me", rushing down the hall to the ladies' room.

"Fitz, I'm sorry to upset Olivia. I know how close she and Marla are, but these things have to be discussed."

"I understand, Darius", looking in the direction of the ladies' room.

"If a Council President is unable to fulfill their duties, the Charter requires the seat to be put on the ballot in the next general election, which is in November.

"I see", Fitz says solemnly, looking around for Olivia.

"You're going to want to get someone in that seat who will look out for the needs of the citizens, and not the special interests of their corporate friends", Congressman Guildford says.

"Exactly", Darius responds.

"We're going to have to move quickly. Like I said, the vultures are circling. We have six months before the election and we have to find someone soon."

"Excuse me gentlemen", Fitz says when he sees Olivia walking toward them holding Cena's hand.

"Daddy", stretching her arms and demanding her father pick her up.

"Are you all right?" Looking at his wife with concern as he picks up Cena.

"Let's go home, Fitz."

 **XXX**

Olivia lay in the dark with a leg draped over her husband's waist and lets the tears roll down her face. Marla's illness has hit her really hard and she has been trying to hold it together for the past week, but seeing Marla's empty seat at church today and hearing Darius talking replacing her was too much.

"I'm so afraid - Fitz – so scared", her words are almost imperceptible.

"Shhh. You can't let yourself get worked up", cupping her face with his large hand.

"I don't want to unravel, not now. We're so close ..."

"Marla is going to get better. Maybe she won't be like she was, but she's going to make it."

"I feel like I'm always walking around holding my breath these days – waiting for the other shoe to drop", she says through the tears.

"Come here. Tell me what's wrong."

"Ever since Marla's stroke I've not been able to stop thinking about how fragile life is."

He nods, giving her the space to say what is on her mind."

"We have so little control over our lives, Fitz. We never know what is going to happen from one minute to the next."

"Tell me more", swiping the tears from her cheek with his thumb. And she hesitates a long while before sharing what has been plaguing for days.

"I don't want anything to happen to our family, Fitz", bursting out and crying uncontrollably.

"Oh, Livvie", now understanding what has been bothering her. "I'm fine. You're fine. Our family is fine. We're having another baby in a month, we're blessed."

"But we have no control over anything", she says frantically.

"Liv, we can't live our lives waiting for bad things to happen. We have to enjoy every moment that we have together. Okay?"

She nods.

"Do you want to talk to Dr. Brennan tomorrow? I'm sure he can move up our appointment for next week. Would you like that?"

She nods.

"I'll call him in the morning. Okay?" Caressing her face and kissing the tip of her nose.

She nods again.

"And Liv, I'm not going anywhere, not anytime soon", smiling in the dark.

"Promise?"

"I promise. Now let's get some sleep", wrapping his arm around her and kissing the top of her head.

 **XXX**

When Olivia walks into the kitchen the next morning, Nora and Cena are already sitting at the island. Cena is rolling Biker Girl back and forth across the granite top and Nora is sitting on the stool with one leg bent and swiping her finger across the phone screen. Olivia looks at Nora and wonders if Nora is addicted to her cell phone.

"Good morning, Nora."

"Morning Liv, not looking up from her phone. Mom already left for work", frowning as she looks at the screen. "I'm glad somebody around her is excited about going to work."

Olivia looks at Nora and wonders if trouble is brewing between her and Marcella. But this morning she is too tired to really care or try to decipher Nora's cryptic comments. Besides, she promised Marcella she would not interfere in how she chooses to manage her sister-in-law.

"Good morning, Cee", kissing the little girl on the top of her curly head on her way to the cabinet to get Cena's favorite bowl.

"Good morning, mommy", continuing to push the toy across the granite top.

Olivia fills the bowl halfway with cereal and goes to the refrigerator to get the milk.

"I don't want cereal mommy. I want panny cakes."

"We don't have time for panny cakes this morning, Cee. Daddy and I have an appointment", walking over to her daughter and pouring milk over the colorful cereal.

" _I don't want cereal"_ , Cena screams, shoving the bowl and causing the milk to splatter as it slides across the island top.

Surprised by Cena's outburst, Nora jerks her head up from the phone and looks back and forth between Cena and Olivia. Taken aback by Cena's unprecedented outburst, Olivia looks at the little girl with her mouth and eyes wide open.

" _Cena!"_ Fitz shouts as he walks into the kitchen, catching the tail end of his daughter's bad behavior. _"Apologize to your mother his instant."_

Cena pokes out her bottom lip and looks down as she twists her fingers. Her feelings are hurt because her daddy has hollered at her, something her never does. Nora squints, looking between Cena and Fitz to see if her niece is going to give her brother the same treatment she gave Olivia.

"I said apologize to your mother - _now_ ", he says more sternly.

Cena raises her head and looks at her mother who is still looking at her daughter with her mouth hanging open.

"I'm sorry, mommy", Cena says softly, then looks down at her fingers again.

Studying her daughter closely, Olivia furrows her brow and nods slowly. Intrigued by the whole scene, Nora smiles when she sees the pain etched on her brother's face because he had to reprimand his little Princess.

"Now eat your cereal so we can get going", Fitz says in a softer tone.

Cena slides the bowl across the the granite, lifts her spoon, and slowly eats the cold cereal. Fitz runs his hand through his hair and exhales, wondering what has gotten into his little girl this morning. He swipes his thumb across Olivia's cheek and takes the carton of milk from her hand.

"Sit down Liv", kissing her on the temple.

Fitz sets the carton of milk on the top shelf in the refrigerator and pinches the bridge of his nose as he pours his first cup of morning coffee. With the hot cup of coffee in one hand, he pats the top Cena's mop of curly hair with the other hand, as he sits next to his wife. He covers her hand with his and rubs it gently, and Nora looks at the two wondering what the heck is going on.

"Don't you have to work today?" Fitz asks, looking at his sister.

"I'm on my way now", jumping from the stool and leaving the kitchen as quickly as possible.

 **XXX**

With his legs crossed, Fitz holds Olivia's hand on his thigh as they sit on the couch of their therapist, Dr. Nelson Brennan. They have been meeting weekly with Dr. Brennan for the past four months to continue the wonderful work they started with Avril. Although Dr. Brennan's methods are more orthodox than Avril's, Olivia and Fitz think he is the perfect person to support them.

Once settled into his well-worn, leather wing-back chair, Dr. Brennan balances his yellow legal pad on one knee as he puts on his round, wire-framed eyeglasses. Olivia smiles slightly because the man performs the same ritual each time they meet.

"Olivia – Fitz", smiling kindly at the obviously anxious couple. "What can I do for you this morning?"

Fitz squeezes Olivia's hand, encouraging her to speak.

"Well", beginning shakily. "I've been feeling a little anxious lately."

Dr. Brennan nods for her to continue.

"Well, a little over a week ago my dear friend and mentor – actually she's more like a second mother to me."

Dr. Brennan smiles and Olivia realizes she is rambling, so she takes a few deep, cleansing breaths to calm her nerves before continuing.

"Well, she had a stroke and I've been visiting her every day – sometimes twice a day – since it happened."

Dr. Brennan nods.

"I'm the closest person she has to a real family …"

She hesitates before sharing something that has been troubling her for the past week. She does not know if what she has been feeling will make her appear to be disloyal and insensitive, but she has to let it out. Fitz watches as she wrings her hands and thinks about his encounter with Cena this morning.

"Continue Olivia", Dr. Brennan urges her kindly.

"Well, honestly it is quite difficult for me to see her laying in that hospital bed connected to all of those wires ..."

Dr. Brennan nods.

"She was – is – such an elegant woman", looking up at Fitz for affirmation, who smiles and nods in agreement.

"She was so eloquent. When she spoke, people definitely listened. With the aphasia – well I just cannot imagine not hearing her wonderful voice again."

Dr. Brennan nods as he scribbles something on the pad.

"I guess I just got anxious last night. I let my thoughts run wild with all of the what-ifs", she says shakily, now twisting her wedding set.

"Well it's good that you talked to Fitz about your fears and that you came in today. Now, tell me about the what-ifs that have been going through your mind."

"Since Marla's stroke, thoughts of something bad happening to Fitz have been overpowering and pervasive. They intrude where and when they are not welcome. I think about and wonder how I would retain my sanity, if not my will to live, if something ever happened to him."

Fitz rubs her thigh reassuringly.

"I always marvel at people who have lost a loved one suddenly, like in a car accident, and wonder how they can still go on with their day to day activities – going shopping, paying bills, working at a job, watching a movie, hell, even having fun sometimes. I know that wouldn't be me and I obsess over how I might react if …"

Dr. Brennan nods for her to continue.

"I've been so haunted by the possibility of getting that life-changing phone call that it paralyzes me some days to the point that I can hardly breathe."

Fitz looks at her in shock and raises her hand to his lips. He knew she was having difficulty dealing with Marla's illness, but he had no idea the extent to which she has been suffering. Dr. Brennan nods again and pushes his eyeglasses up his nose.

"Olivia, when a person experiences a traumatic event, sometimes they begin to think about the what-ifs, as you put it. These thoughts can invade their mind long after the event has passed. One day, when everything is going well, when they're feeling hopeful and experiencing periods of peace or success, the feelings can be intruded upon by an anticipation of unfavorable situations."

Olivia looks at him intently, trying to understand what he is saying.

"Many of us mistakenly assume that we need to brace ourselves for the impact of sad events. So we don't let ourselves feel positive emotions for too long. Many of us start to worry when things are too good. We worry that the good things won't last, that everything will fall apart any minute. Our brains start churning out "what-ifs. _And after a while,_ you have a hard time finding any enjoyment in life.

Olivia nods.

"Nobody likes to be caught off guard, Olivia. Marla's unexpected illness caught you off guard and triggered old feelings of insecurity."

Olivia nods slowly, thinking about Dr. Brennan's statement.

"And now you're panicking, wondering what else might happen. And, quite naturally you're going to worry if something might happen to those closest to you. In this case, your husband, Fitz."

Olivia nods again and Fitz rubs her thigh.

"And now the anxiety has begun to wear you down."

She nods.

"Olivia, you must accept that good and bad both happen within the span of every human being's life. The Chinese have a saying that "Some people eat bitter." And it's true. In life, some people get more than their fair share of sorrow and deep hurts. But just about all human beings also have the opportunity to experience goodness in their lives, even if they've been dealt an unfair hand of dark times."

Olivia nods.

"Olivia, you don't have to live your life waiting for the bad things to happen. You have a great deal of control over your life - control and choice over where you invest your time and attention. While it is normal to worry sometimes, you should spend your time thinking about all of the positive things in your life. Think about all of the gifts you have: your husband, your daughter, and another child on the way. Being able to look for the good in life is an attitude and a gift that all of us can cultivate in our lives."

She nods.

"Embrace the good times and live life to the fullest. When the good times come, welcome them with open arms. Embrace the joys that come with the laughter and love of friends and family. Cultivate relationships so that you have people to lean on in the good times and in the darker times."

They both nod.

"And, on those days when you don't think you have much to be thankful for, take the opportunity to make someone else smile and enjoy that moment. Make someone smile today and see if that doesn't improve your outlook a little."

She nods

"And Olivia, it does not make you a bad person or disloyal if you don't have the energy to visit your friend every day. It's difficult to see our loved ones in such a state. Give yourself a break. Don't be too hard on yourself. Maybe go a couple of days a week instead of every day. I'm sure your mother-like figure would tell you the same thing, especially when you are so close to bringing a new life into the world."

Olivia is beginning to feel much better.

"Do either of you have any questions for me?"

They look at each other and smile.

"Good. Now go and make someone smile today."

 **XXX**

As Fitz pulls away from the parking garage at the medical arts building, Olivia is feeling more relieved after their session with Dr. Brennan. She realizes she needs to live in the present and not hold her breath waiting for the worst to happen.

"Let's go get Cee from school. She's having a tough time right now trying to deal with the baby."

"I won't allow her to be rude to you, Liv."

"I know. You were right to reprimand her, but she doesn't know how to handle these new feelings, so she's lashing out. We have to help her, Fitz."

He nods.

"Let's go make Cena smile", and he looks at her curiously. "Call Headmaster Frankel and let him know we're coming to get our daughter."

 **XXX**

As Fitz and Olivia walk hand in hand down the halls of the Lower School of the prestigious Waldren Preparatory Academy, they see their daughter sitting on the bench outside of the Headmaster's office. She is looking down sadly at her hands as she kicks her feet back and forth. Cena has heard from some of the older children, the first graders, that if you sit on the bench outside of the Headmaster's office then you are in big trouble.

"Biker Princess", Fitz calls out just above a whisper and Cena looks up from twisting her fingers and the biggest smile spread across her face. She takes off running down the hall and jumps into her father's arms.

"Daddy, daddy."

And he swoops her up and swings her around and around, causing Cena to squeal with joy.

"How's my Princess?"

"I was sitting on the bench because Miss Kirk brought me here and the big kids say you sit on the bench when you're in trouble", she says in one breath.

"You're not in trouble, sweetheart", kissing the excited little girl on the cheek. "Mommy and I just wanted to spend some time with our favorite girl."

"How would you like to go to the park? Would you like that?" Olivia asks, smiling at her happy daughter.

"Yay. Mommy, can I feed the ducks and have ice cream too?"

"You sure can. We better get going because I'm sure those ducks are pretty hungry by now."

"Yay", clapping her hands and bouncing happily in her father's arms.

 **XXX**

After feeding the ducks and eating ice cream, the Grants walk over to the bench and Fitz sets Cena on his lap. They had a rough time this morning and he wants to reassure her that she is still his Princess.

"Cee, I'm sorry that I yelled at you this morning. Okay?"

She pokes out her bottom lip and looks down at her fingers.

"Did I hurt your feelings?"

She nods sadly, still twisting her fingers.

"I'm so sorry", kissing her on the cheek. "Daddy never wants to hurt your feelings. I never, ever want you to be sad. Okay?"

She nods.

"Can you forgive daddy for yelling?"

With the biggest smile, she nods her head vigorously.

"Pucker daddy", cupping his face with her little hands.

"Can mommy have a kiss too?" Smiling at her happy daughter.

"Pucker mommy." And Olivia gives her smiling daughter a big, smushy kiss.

"May I play on the swings now?"

"In a minute", wrapping his arm around her waist, stopping her from rushing off to the swings. "Mommy and I want to talk to you about the baby. Okay?"

Cena nods her head slowly, not quite sure what to expect.

"Well Cee", Olivia begins. "Remember when I told you when the baby comes home the baby will be so tiny and won't be able to do anything?"

Cena places a finger on her chin trying to remember everything her mother told her.

"I said when the baby comes home from the hospital, the only thing the baby is going to do is sleep, eat, cry, and poop."

Cena throws her head back and shakes with laughter.

"Daddy, mommy said poop", covering her mouth as she laughs.

"Mommy said _poop_?" He feigns surprise.

"Daddy, you said poop too", laughing louder.

"Poop, poop, poop", Fitz says and Cena laughs hysterically.

"And remember Cee, since you are mommy's special big girl, I'm going to give you job so you can help me with the baby."

"Really? A job like Aunt Nora's?" Her eyes growing wide.

"Well, not quite like Aunt Nora's job. Your job will be let me know when the baby cries if daddy and I are not in the room. Can you do that?"

Cena shakes her head excitedly.

"And Cee", Fitz says, looking into his daughter's happy face. "Mommy and I are going to need you to help us pick out a couple stuffed animals for the baby. Can you help us with that?"

"I know the best stuffed animals, daddy. Can I get one too?"

"You can get whatever you want, Biker Princess."

"And Cee, you're going to have to show us where to put them in the baby's nursery – where the baby is going to sleep."

"The baby's not going to take my bed?" She asks tilting her head to the side and looking confused. "Deon said I'm going to sleep on the floor when the baby comes."

Fitz rolls his eyes at the mention of Deon's latest misinformation and Olivia chuckles.

"No sweetheart, you won't have to sleep on the floor. You will keep your room and the baby will sleep in the nursery."

Satisfied with the answer, Cena is done with all of the talk about the baby and is ready to go play.

"Okay. Can I go play on the swings now?" Sliding off of her father's lap.

"Do you want me to push you?" Fitz asks eagerly, beginning to stand.

"Daddy, I don't need a push any more. I'm a big girl", taking off running in the direction of the swings.

"Don't fret babe", chuckling at the look of dejection on her husband's face. "You can push me whenever you want."

"Do you think she is going to be all right?" He asks with concern. "She was so upset this morning."

"We have to keep watching her and talking to her, keep her involved in things we do for the baby. We have to be her Dr. Brennan", nudging him in the side with her elbow.

"Are you feeling better after talking to him?"

"I am. I just let my mind start to race in all directions."

He nods and they sit in silence watching Cena swing higher and higher.

"We need to get that house in the mountains we talked about, Liv. I want you to have a place to get away to when everything becomes too much. We need a place for the two of us. Our home has become a bit crowded and we don't have a lot of space for privacy any more."

"Babe, I can't think about looking for another house right now", rubbing her stomach.

"You don't have to, I'll get Joan on it. She knows what we like. She can send us some listings – they have videos now – and we can look at them together."

She nods, resting her other hand on his thigh.

"Hopefully Joan can find something within the next few months."

"That's sounds pretty aggressive, babe."

"We'll see", looking at his daughter running over to the sliding board.

 **XXX**

Maura sits at the conference room table anxiously waiting for Olivia and Mona to arrive. Today she presents her ideas for the training program's curriculum. She has done a lot of homework over the past week to prepare for this meeting. She has read the stack of binders on community service that Mona gave her. She has reviewed Olivia's requirements for the program, several times. She has researched the elements of an effective adult learning program and has begun to learn more about the discipline called instructional design. It is rewarding to know that, for the most part, she has been doing things right at the church all of these years without any formal training in instructional design.

She has been coming to work early and staying late preparing for what feels like the biggest day of her new career, of her new life. She does not want to disappoint Olivia, but more importantly, she does not want to embarrass herself. So, she reviews her notes again and looks at the hand-outs she prepared for Olivia and Mona. As she begins to read the draft of the curriculum for the half-dozen time, she hears Olivia enter the room.

"Good morning Olivia", she says nervously. "How are you today?"

"I'm fine, Maura. We live in the same house but it seems like I hardly see you anymore."

"Well, I've been putting in a few extra hours to prepare for our meeting today."

"Don't stress yourself out too much, Maura. No one expects you to become an expert overnight. Give it some time."

Maura bites her bottom lip and shuffles the papers around on the table. Olivia notices how nervous Maura seems to be about her upcoming presentation, so she shifts the conversation to her mother-in-law's favorite topic, her grand-children.

"Fitz and I are going to take Cena to John and Abby's so she can see Ethan. We want her to see what it's like to have a baby in the house."

"Ethan is getting so big. I was over there last week", Maura gushes.

"He is. I just love squeezing his chubby cheeks."

"Is Cena having difficulty with the idea of sharing mommy and daddy with her new brother or sister?"

"Well, Fitz and I haven't done the best job of preparing her for the baby, but we think she is doing better now. We'll just have to keep our eyes on her."

"That will pass in time, Olivia. John was jealous of Fitzgerald when he came along."

"He was? How did you and Gerry handle it?"

"You mean how did I handle it? Gerry never got involved in that sort of thing."

"I'm sorry, Maura. I didn't mean to –"

"No worries, Olivia. That was a long time ago. To answer your question, John is a few years older than Fitzgerald so he got over his jealousy of his baby brother rather quickly. Once he saw that Fitzgerald was not a threat, he fine to fill his time playing with his friends. He ignored Fitzgerald for the most part."

The two women laugh out loud until they hear the unmistakable sound of Mona's ink pen tapping on the door frame.

"Are you ready for me?" Mona asks, looking at the two laughing women.

"Come on in, Mona. Maura is ready to present her proposal."

Maura rubs the back of her neck as Mona slides onto her chair and sets her purse on the table.

"Well, it's not really a formal proposal", Maura says, wanting to manage their expectations. "It's just some ideas I've put on paper after reading through the binders Mona gave me and reviewing your requirements, Olivia. Oh, I also did some research online."

"You're going to do fine Maura", Mona says, trying to reassure the nervous woman.

Maura smiles and begins her presentation.

"Well, like I said, I read all of your materials, Mona, and your requirements, Olivia. I even researched online information about developing a training program for adults. The internet has a wealth of information on the topic. The official term is instructional design", she says proudly.

Olivia and Mona smile at the woman, both thinking this is going to be a long meeting.

"Did you know there is a difference in how adults learn and how adolescents learn?" Looking at Olivia and Mona excitedly.

"I had no idea", Mona says, smiling politely.

"Well there is. Unlike adolescent learning, which focuses on mastering facts and assimilating information, adult learning focuses on applying facts and turning information into action. Adults have already developed cognitive frameworks through life experiences, and they are interested in learning how new ideas will help them get what they want rather than simply accumulating more knowledge."

"Wow, that all sounds very interesting, Maura. So what does your curriculum look like?" Olivia asks, trying to move the presentation along.

Mona hands Olivia and Mona a copy of her ideas for the curriculum.

"Based on everything I read, and everything we discussed, of course", clasping her hands tightly in front of her, "I have created this curriculum. Mind you, it's only a draft."

Olivia and Mona nod as they read the document.

"This is terrific Maura", Olivia says as she continues to scan the document.

"You've done all of this in just over a week?" Mona asks.

"Mind you, it's still a draft", Maura says, trying to restrain her enthusiasm.

"Well, I think you've captured everything we discussed."

"And then some", Mona says.

Maura smiles brightly.

"I still have to develop all of the courses for each topic, of course."

"Of course", Mona says.

"So what do you think about the Speakers Series? I know it wasn't part of your requirements Olivia, but I learned online that it's a good way for the community organizers to gain critical insights from experts in various fields."

"It sounds like a terrific idea. I just don't know where we're going to get the speakers", Olivia says.

"I've already thought about", Maura says excitedly. "I think Fitzgerald could be our first speaker. He can talk about leadership, communication, negotiation – well all sorts of things", she says enthusiastically.

Olivia chuckles to herself, thinking Fitz is really going to enjoy hearing about this. As the meeting comes to a close, they hear the conference room door seemingly being ripped from its hinges. The three women look up in surprise as Charlie barges into the room. Maura gasps, jumps from her seat and inches closer to her desk.

" _I need to talk to you Olivia"_ , Charlie demands as his chest heaves up and down like a bull ready to charge.

"We're in a meeting, Charlie. So you need to leave – _now_." Olivia glares at him.

" _I'm not going any damn place until you tell me why I didn't get the Springfield Heights contract."_

"Your Letter of Explanation is in the mail", standing from her chair and placing a hand on her wide hip. Charlie glares at her protruding stomach, thinking she looks like she is ready to explode.

" _I don't want to read no goddamn letter. I want you to tell me why you screwed me."_

" _Screwed you?"_ She says in disbelief.

" _I needed that contract, Olivia."_

"Your needs are no concern of mine. I chose the better man", smirking slightly as she rubs her stomach.

" _You bitch",_ taking a step toward her.

" _Touch her and you die"_ , Mona says, reaching into her purse.

Charlie stops in his tracks and looks at Mona, who has a hand stuffed into her purse. He eyes Mona for a moment then takes a couple of steps back toward the door. He has heard stories about how badass Mona used to be back in the day, before she found God.

" _You're gonna pay for crossing me, Olivia."_

" _The police are on their way. I called the police",_ Maura says in a high-pitched voice _._

" _And who the fuck are you?"_ Glaring with contempt at the frightened woman.

"I'm Olivia's mother-in-law", Maura says shakily.

Charlie frowns at the woman and nods repeatedly. He knows he had better leave before the police arrives.

" _You're gonna pay for this shit"_ , glaring at Olivia before storming out of the conference room.

"Are you all right, Olivia?" Maura asks, rushing over to her shaken daughter-in-law. "Should I call Fitzgerald?"

"No, no", waving off Maura as she slowly lowers her body in the seat. "I'm fine."

"Drink this Olivia", Mona says, giving Olivia a glass of water.

"Who was that horrible man?" Maura asks, sipping her tea to steady her nerves.

"Mona, don't tell me you have what I think you have in your purse." Olivia looks at her office manager with a raised eyebrow.

"OK, I won't tell you", Mona says with a smile and Maura clutches her pearls.

 **XXX**

For the past few days Nora has managed to arrive to work on time, albeit it is difficult since she still enjoys the nightlife. As she walks down the hall to get her assignment for the day from Marcella, she sees Amir in the community room painting something on one of the drab tan walls. She wonders what he is doing as she approaches the Wicked Witch's office. Nora chuckles to herself thinking Marcella would strangle her if she knew about her nickname.

"Hello Marcella, I'm here and on time", cocking her head to the side and staring at Marcella.

"You don't get brownie points for being on time. Getting to work on time is what _adults_ do."

Nora rolls her eyes because every day she and Marcella must have a verbal battle before she can get her assignment.

"Do you always have to be so rude?"

"Rude?" Glaring at Nora. "If you call expecting a grown woman to come to work on time being rude, then call me rude."

Nora rolls her eyes.

"I'm not your family – your mommy or daddy – so don't expect me to baby you. I don't even coddle the children that come here. So, if you're ready to work, go out back and sand all of that old paint off the picnic tables and benches. I want them painted for the children's party next week."

"What?" Nora asks with indignation.

"Everything you need is in a bucket sitting on one of the tables."

Nora starts to storm from the office in a huff, only to be stopped by Marcella's final directive.

"And Nora, this is your project. Don't try to get Amir to help you", folding her arms across her buxom chest.

"I hate it here", Nora mumbles under her breath but Marcella hears her.

"If you don't like it here you can always go back home", smirking deviously.

Red-faced, Nora turns around, and shoots daggers at the smug woman. Marcella's words seem to have a double meaning. She wonders if Olivia told Marcella that Fitz was going to send her back to Gerry's house if she did not get a job. She gives the smirking Marcella one last look before stomping from the office.

As Nora stands in the doorway that leads to the small playground, she looks around the space and wonders who would want to play out here. She runs her hand through her hair when she sees the two sets of wooden picnic tables and benches. The table sets are warped with peeling paint from years of exposure to the weather. They all appear to have four or five layers of paint that have been applied over the years to conceal the damage.

She walks over to the table holding the bucket of supplies and looks around the space for an automatic hand sander. She groans because all she sees in the bucket are a pair of work gloves and a few sheets of sand paper. She looks at both sets and thinks manually sanding these sets will take the rest of her life. She yanks on the over-sized gloves, grabs a piece of sand paper, and gets to work.

After several hours of working, Nora finally finishes sanding the last section of one of the tables and she is ready for a break. Standing from her knees, she wipes the sweat from her face with the back of her hand and tosses the sand paper and gloves back into the bucket. She looks over at the other old table and benches and groans.

"I hate this place", she says before going inside to get some water.

When she walks into the community room to refill her water bottle at the water cooler, she sees Amir drawing something on the wall she saw him painting earlier.

"I didn't know you were an artist", walking over and standing next to him and looking at the wall.

"I draw a little bit", he says jokingly.

"So what are you drawing?"

"I want to put a mural on these walls – cover up these ugly tan walls with some bright colors. I want the kids to really like coming to the Center. Since I had a little extra cash leftover after paying my bills, I decided to by some paint."

"You used your own money?" Nora asks in surprise.

"I did. The kids deserve better."

"Where did you study art?"

He looks at her as if she has two heads.

"Study? I didn't go to no fancy art school", smiling and trying to mask the regret. "This is all raw talent."

Nora nods, admiring how his muscles flex with each movement of his arm. She looks at dreadlocks and wonders what they would feel like between her fingers.

"So, Marcella has you preparing those old tables and benches to be painted?"

"Marcella hates me. Where is she by the way?"

"She's still in her office."

"I see. Do you want some help?" Looking at him and smiling.

"Help?" He asks in surprise. "Don't you have enough to do cleaning up those old tables out back?"

"I already finished sanding one set. I'll do the other set tomorrow. Besides, I'm an artist – majored in Fine Arts."

"Really?" Amir says in surprise.

"Really. So what do you need me to do?"

Amir walks over to the table and unfurls his rendering of the mural he plans to paint on the wall.

"Wow, this looks terrific. You're really talented, Amir", looking down at the drawing. I want to help you do this. Okay?"

Not sure if Nora can handle the job, Amir looks at her for a while.

"Come on. Let me help you. It'll be faster."

"OK", handing Nora a paint brush.

 **XXX**

After Charlie's surprise interruption, Olivia decided to leave the office early and visit Marla at the hospital, which is still difficult for her to do. As she leans against the wall outside of Marla's hospital room, she rests a hand on her stomach and closes her eyes. Although Dr. Brennan recommended she curtail her hospital visits because they leave her anxious and exhausted, she refuses to stop visiting her friend. Marla does not have anyone so she pushes herself to visit her every day. Fitz comes with her sometimes, but she would rather spend time alone with Marla reminiscing about their times together and reading Marla's favorite Bible passages. Periodically, Marla squeezes Olivia's hand, which reinforces her commitment to visit while she still can.

"Olivia?"

Olivia wipes the tears from her face with the back of her hand and smiles when she sees Darius walking toward her.

"Olivia, is everything all right? Rushing over to his friend. "Is Marla?"

"Marla is fine, Darius. Well she is stable."

"Thank God. Let's go to the waiting room and sit down. You look like you're ready to faint."

"I'm fine, Darius."

"Well you're going to sit down any way. I don't want your husband coming after my head if something happened you."

Darius guides Olivia to the waiting room and helps her to sit onto one of the more comfortable chairs. He sits in the chair next to her and smiles sympathetically. Since he has two children he has an idea how miserable she probably is at this late stage of her pregnancy.

"Can I get you something to drink, Olivia?" Darius asks with concern.

"No, thank you Darius", knowing fluids are the last thing she needs right now.

Darius nods.

"So how is Marla coming along?"

Olivia sighs and rests her hand on her stomach.

"I just can't believe this has happened to her, Darius. She's always been so vibrant. It's really hard seeing her like this."

Darius nods and squeezes Olivia's hand gently.

"The doctors say her recovery will take months – if not longer. They don't know the extent to which she will recover. A full recovery is not likely", shaking her head sadly.

Darius shakes his head.

"The doctors want to stabilize her blood pressure and diabetes before they start rehab."

"I didn't know Marla had high blood pressure and is a diabetic", running his hands down the sides of his face.

"Neither did I", Olivia says sadly. "She has always been a private person."

"That is true", Darius says, reflecting on his friendship with the President of City Council over the years.

"She's facing months of physical, speech, and occupational therapy."

"She's going to be fine, Olivia. It's just going to take some time. You know Marla is a fighter."

"She is Darius, but she's going to be different, not her old self at all."

Darius pats Olivia on the the arm reassuringly, and they sit in silence for a few minutes before Darius speaks.

"Have you thought as out what we discussed at church?"

"Darius, I don't want to discuss that right now – not here", her eyes darting around the room

"I know it's an unpleasant thought, and no one can ever really replace Marla, but the countdown has begun, Olivia. The clock is ticking. If we don't nominate someone –"

"Darius, please", putting her hands up, signaling him to stop him from talking.

"No Olivia. Everybody is talking. The sharks smell blood. Marla would want us to do what's best for this city", looking into her eyes.

She looks at him realizing what he is saying. It is highly unlikely Marla will be able to resume her position as President of City Council within the next six months. If the wrong person is elected, all of Marla's hard work could be undone.

"There isn't anything that I can do, Darius. I don't have any sway with the Council."

"There is something you can do", leaning forward and staring intently into her eyes.

 **XXX**

For the first time since Olivia volunteered her to work at the Center, Nora is excited about going to work. She is thrilled that she will be doing something more than scrubbing floors and toilets. She smiles as she sips her coffee, thinking how rewarding it will be to help Amir create the mural. Yesterday was the first time she thought about painting in a long time.

"My, my. Aren't you up early this morning", Maura says to her daughter as she walks into the kitchen.

"Good morning, mom. Good-bye mom", pecking her mother on the cheek before grabbing her leather satchel and rushing from the kitchen. Maura looks at her daughter and wonders what has her so happy this morning.

When Nora slides from her car, she grabs the satchel from the passenger seat and bounces into the Center toward Marcella's office.

"Good morning, Marcella", she says cheerily.

Marcella looks up at the unusually happy woman and wonders what has her in such a good mood this morning."

"Good morning, Nora. You're here early today", eyeing the woman suspiciously.

"Well, I wanted to get an early start sanding the other table and benches today. I plan to put the first coat of paint on both sets before the end of the day."

"That sounds good. It's going to be another hot day so don't forget to drink lots of water. I don't want you to have a heat stroke."

Nora smiles and holds up her water bottle.

"I have plenty of water", shaking her water bottle. "Have a good day, Marcella", almost skipping from the office.

Marcella looks at the all too eager woman and wonders what is in the satchel she is carrying. Several hours later, Marcella locks her office door, walks down the hall, and stops abruptly when she hears laughter coming from the community room. She cannot believe her eyes when she sees Amir and Nora on ladders painting and laughing as if there were old friends. After surveying the scene for a few moments, she clears her throat to make her presence known to the laughing painters. Amir and Nora turn around at the same time and look at Marcella, whose frame is filling the doorway.

"Marcella, are you leaving now?" Amir asks through his laughter.

"What's going on in here?"

"I'm – we're painting that mural I told you about."

"And I'm helping him", Nora says happily. "And before you ask, yes, I finished painting the tables and benches. You can go check if you like."

Marcella looks at the two and nods slowly.

"Amir, don't forget to lock up when you leave tonight", not liking what she is seeing.

"Got it. See you tomorrow, Marcella", Amir yells as Marcella turns to walk from the room.

"Have a good night, Marcella", Nora says happily.

After a few hours of painting the first section of the mural, Amir says it is time to call it quits for the night.

"Let's clean this stuff up and we can work on it again tomorrow", looking up at the progress they made tonight.

"It's coming along nicely", Nora says, admiring their work.

"Well, thanks to the Fine Arts major, it's moving along faster than if I were doing it by myself."

"I haven't painted anything in so long. I forgot how good I feel when I paint."

"Why haven't you been painting?" Amir asks while rolling up the paint-splattered tarp.

"Let's just say I've had a lot going on in my life", carrying the brushes to the bathroom to wash the paint from them.

Amir folds the two ladders and carries them down the hall and places them in the small storage closet then walks to the bathroom.

"Well, I'm going to wash this paint from my hands, so you can get going. I'll lock up."

Nora eyes the splatters of yellow paint covering the back of his shoulder and looks at him and smiles.

"You have paint on your back, let me wash it off for you", taking the towel from his hand.

"That's okay, I'm going to shower when I get home anyway", oblivious to her tactics.

"Well, I can't let you walk down the streets covered in paint", smiling seductively. "Besides, I want to."

He looks at her for a moment and sees that familiar look women sometimes give him. The look that says she wants to fuck him, and that makes him uncomfortable. She sees his hesitation and presses a little harder.

"I promise I won't hurt you – unless you want me to", smirking at him and licking her lips.

Amir inhales deeply and nods. Nora slides his paint-covered tank top down to his waist and licks her lips again. She has been checking him out ever since she started working at the Center, wondering what he would taste like, what he would feel like. She walks behind him and begins to rub the soapy, rough terry cloth across his shoulder, and he tenses immediately.

"Relax, Amir."

He nods.

"You're such a messy painter, Amir", dragging the towel slowly up and down his spine. "Am I going to have to wash you every night?" She slides her hand around his narrow waist and kisses and licks down his chiseled back.

"Nora, what are you doing?"

"I told you, I want to clean you up", running her tongue down his back, savoring the saltiness of his sweat. "Would you like that?"

"Nora. We shouldn't", he says huskily.

"Shhh", dropping the towel to the floor.

She slides her hand into his sweatpants and fondles him gently. Amir closes his eyes and rolls his neck from side to side, reveling in the feeling of her soft hands stroking him, squeezing him. It has been a while since he has been with a woman and he does not want to disappoint her. So he turns around and kisses her passionately and she opens her mouth wide, wanting to taste his tongue.

"Lift your arms", pulling her top over her head, confirming what he has been thinking all day, she is not wearing a bra. He captures a pink nipple in his mouth and she moans in pleasure. He slides down her pants and panties in one swoop and she steps out of them, kicking them across the floor. He reaches between her legs and strokes her wetness and she grinds on his calloused hand.

"Slow down. Slow down", he whispers, sucking hard on the other nipple.

She nods, kissing him hard, running her tongue around the interior of his mouth. She kisses down his chest, to his taut abs, circling her tongue in his navel. As she squats in front of him, she hopes she does not have to suck him all night to get him hard. She is tired of having to do that to most of the guys she meets. She licks her lips when he springs from his boxers, thinking it is not a myth after all. Amir is well endowed and his balls hang heavy like a bull's, and she wants to taste every inch of them.

"I want to suck every inch of you, Amir", gently cupping and squeezing his balls. She tilts her and runs her tongue around the hard stones, tasting the same salty sweat that drenched his back. She sucks his nuts harder and he falls back against the sink, writhing in pleasure.

"Mmm", she moans. "You taste so good – so, so good. I can suck you forever."

Amir runs his fingers through her hair as she takes her time savoring his balls. He is in heaven, stroking his leaking dick as she suckles his balls.

"I want to taste it Amir",

Mesmerized by the swollen head, she runs the tip of her tongue up and down his slit, lapping up his salty juices. He is bigger than any man she has ever been with and she needs to suck it. She grabs his ass and pulls him close. And he wraps his hand in her hair and yanks back her head.

"Open your mouth."

Amir thrusts his fully erect dick into her mouth, completely filling the cavity, and she gags.

"Suck me, Nora. Make me cum."

After adjusting to his fullness, she glides her wet mouth up and down his hardness. Bobbing her head up and down, she moans as she sucks him with ferocity. Enjoying the feeling of the bulging veins against the soft flesh of her mouth, she traces each vein with the tip of her tongue and Amir moans in pleasure.

"Keep sucking it like that, Nora. Just like that."

Nora smiles to herself, happy that he has not cum yet, happy that he can take it. He pushes deeper into her mouth and she bobs her head up and down like one of those bobble head dolls.

"Sit on the sink", he mutters in desire. "I want to fuck you."

Anticipating feeling that big dick deep inside of her, she crawls from her knees and wipes her mouth with the back of her hand. She smiles as she climbs onto the cold porcelain sink and spread her legs wide, letting her legs dangle at the sides of the sink. She kisses him again and runs her hand through his dreadlocks. He sucks licks and sucks and squeezes her breasts hard and she loves the pain.

"Bite them. Bite them hard", she begs.

And he bites down hard on her nipple and she howls from the pleasurable pain.

"Oh, God. That feels so good", her essence now dripping down her inner thigh.

She runs a finger up the crack of his ass, brings it to her mouth, and sucks. He tastes amazing, sweaty and musky. Wrapping her legs around his waist, she pulls him close. She needs to feel the pain.

"Fuck me, Amir", sucking his residue from her finger.

Holding his throbbing dick in his hand, he rubs the head up and down her clitoris, then rams her hard and deep, taking her breath away.

"Oh God", she gasps.

He looks into her eyes and she smiles mischievously.

"Fuck me hard", loving that he fills her completely.

And he pumps slowly, savoring the feeling of finally having flesh-to-flesh contact with a woman, a feeling he has not had in a long time. Face contorted with pain and pleasure, he looks down, watching his dick slide in and out, thinking this is so much better than his hand. With sweat dripping from his forehead, he snorts like an animal with each thrust as sweat rolls from his arms, onto her thigh, and down the crack of her ass. He pushes her back against the hard chrome faucet and thrusts harder. And with each thrust, the faucet presses deeper into her back, and she smiles because the pain feels wonderful.

"Harder, Amir."

He slides her closer and and thrusts in and out. And with each thrust, his coarse dreadlocks brush against her stomach and the sensation almost sends her over the edge.

"Harder. Harder", lifting her ass from the white porcelain until she feels him in her stomach. "I need you to hurt me."

And he jams into her harder and deeper, digging his fingernails into her hips until he breaks the skin. And the pain feels amazing, almost making her cum.

"You hurt me so good, Amir. Your dick feels so good. Oh god, so good."

This coupling has nothing to do with love. This coupling has nothing to do with emotions. This coupling has nothing to do with rational thought. It has to do with two strangers trying to heal through raw, unadulterated sex.

Nora rubs her clitoris up and down his slippery dick and with another deep thrust he hits her spot and she screams out loud. Her screams vibrate against the cold tile and porcelain as she collapses back against the sink handles. The biggest grin spread across her face because she is tingling in places she never knew existed. She lay limp against the faucet, licking her lips, fully satisfied, and thinking she has finally found her match. Amir was able to hurt her the way she likes and last as long as she likes.

Amir grabs her around the waist and thrusts and thrusts. Yanking her head back, he jams her harder. The more he thrusts the harder he gets. He wants to come, needs to come. It's been too long. It always takes so long.

Nora is getting raw and the pain caused by the friction feels heavenly, giving her the high she loves. And Amir continues to snort as he pumps harder and harder, growing more and more frustrated. He needs the release. He needs to alleviate the pain. Lost in a trance, he slams her against the mirror and pummels her pussy with abandon. And now the pain is no longer pleasurable.

"Enough. Enough", she calls out weakly, but Amir continues to pump harder and harder, biting down on her shoulder until he tastes blood.

"Amir, please. You're hurting me."

"I'm almost there. It feels so good, Nora. I'm almost there."

"Stop, Amir. Stop", banging her fist on his shoulder.

Oblivious to her pleas, he holds her tighter, not allowing her to move. He continues to thrust deeper and harder until he finally feels what he has not felt in a long time. And he bursts deep inside her, howling like a wounded animal as his pent-up seed flows deep into her. And he flows for what seems like and eternity, yowling and grunting in pleasure. He catches his sweat-drenched body in the mirror and smiles at the glistening image before him.

"Let go of me! Get off of me, Amir!" Nora yells, pounding her fists on his chest.

Startled by the tone of her voice, Amir jumps back and looks at her with fear in his eyes.

"What's the matter, Nora? Didn't you like it?"

Nora slides from the sink and pulls on her pants and top.

"What's the matter, Nora?" He asks anxiously because he has not been with a woman in a long time.

"I'm going home, Amir", swiping her tear-stained face with her fingers.

 **XXX**

After showering, Nora stands in front of the full-length mirror in her bedroom thinking about what happened tonight. She smiles as she examines her body, which is covered with Amir's fingerprints and teeth marks. She loves painful sex, in fact, she craves it. She thoroughly enjoys feeling the pain and wants more and more after each encounter. She finds pain to be thrilling and exhilarating. It gets her off especially when it is done right. For her, ecstasy and intense pain are one in the same. It is an orgasm wrapped in an orgasm.

Although she craves the indescribable euphoria she gets from painful sex, she does have boundaries. She is not suicidal and will never let things go too far, with Amir or anyone else. She smiles again as she looks into the mirror because Amir knows how to hurt her, but she sees that he can get out of control. In fact, he got out of control tonight and he frightened her. But she loves that he has a big dick and knows how to use it. She loves that he is a selfless lover, not like the countless number of men she has been with who cum after a few thrusts, leaving her frustrated and unfulfilled. She loves that Amir holds back his own pleasure until he is sure she is fully satisfied. She licks her lips thinking she just needs to teach him how to regulate the delivery of pain, maybe give him a safe word so he knows when things are getting out of control. Yes, that's what she will do, she will teach him because he is everything she has been searching for her entire life.

As she thinks about Amir, she feels the warm fluid dripping down her inner thigh and she inhales deeply and lets the towel drop to the floor. She slides the wooden hairbrush from the dressing table and jams the handle deep inside. She jams and jams and jams until the pain causes her to double over in pleasure. Fulfilled for the second time tonight, she smiles as she climbs into bed, thanking Olivia for getting her the job at the Center.

 **XXX**

Sitting in his small apartment in Springfield Heights, Amir smiles because he was finally able to have an orgasm, and with a woman. He hates that it always takes him so long to find his pleasure. When he masturbates, his dick can stay rock hard for up to an hour before he can release. Since his injury, he has to work hard to get off. The delay is maddening, which frustrates him and causes him to become aggressive. But Nora seems to like rough sex, which confuses him because he has never met a woman like that before. She seemed to like when he rammed her hard, pulled her hair, bit into her flesh, and dug his fingernails into her skin. He shakes his head as he looks over at the brown plastic bottles lining the table.

Since his injury, Amir has avoided having a romantic relationship with a woman because he can no longer tolerate the look of disappointment on their faces or being ridiculed when it takes him too long to release. So, when he needs the feel of a women's flesh, he goes across town, away from Springfield Heights, and solicits prostitutes. His head begins to hurt as he thinks about his life, what he has become. He hates having to take all of this damn medication, but he knows the seizures will be worse if he does not take them.


	18. Chapter 18 A Storm is Building

**AN: Guest** , you and Abby are right, Olivia needs to get those other Grant women out of her house. Bringing someone into your home, family or otherwise, can be disruptive sometimes. Remember what happened when Mona moved her brother into her home? Olivia doesn't see the problems because of everything that is on her plate, and she likes having the big family she never had. **Renee** , in Chapter 14 Olivia and Fitz caught Nora with Devon in their family room when they returned from the cooking class. Charlie first appeared in Chapter 2. He and Olivia had a business relationship but he always wanted more than she was willing to give. You know she only has eyes for Fitzgerald Grant. Remember he didn't to do that small job in the timeframe in which Olivia needed completed. Now he needs her and wants the Springfield Heights contract. **Kkimberly49:** Nora is playing a dangerous game. She has been picking up strange men for quite some time, not knowing anything about them. Remember, Olivia told her in Chapter 14 that she didn't know anything about Devon. Also, while we see what Nora is doing, we don't know why she is doing it. As for Amir, remember in Chapter 15 when Marcella told Olivia that Amir not going to college was complicated. We'll find out why it's so complicated. Two broken people coming together can't be a good thing. These two have a lot to work out, but I won't spend too much time on them working through their issues. After all, this is an Olitz story. Finally, Olitz will always be the focus of the story, but we need to understand the people in their orbit.

Busy and short work week coming up so I might not be able to update next week. Here we go!

 **Chapter 18. A Storm is Building**

Charles (Charlie) Barber chomps on his $1200.00 Gurkha Black Dragon cigar as he paces back and forth across the hardwood floors of his apartment in the elite Freemont Building, the place he has called home for the past 10 years. He bought the apartment when his business was in its growth phase, when the money was flowing in like water. In the first few years after acquiring the business, Charlie had more work than he and his crew could handle. He was the go-to plumbing contractor for every major government and private industry contract in the city. His business was in such demand he had the luxury of cherry picking projects, turning down those he had no interest in pursuing, which usually meant they were not lucrative enough for his consideration.

But since the economy took a nosedive, he no longer has the luxury of being selective. When the financial markets tanked, his high-end clients stopped spending money on non-essential infrastructure projects, and his government contracts were not renewed because city officials were tightening their financial belts. Now, the money only comes in trickles, and it is not enough to sustain the lavish lifestyle he has grown accustomed to living. No longer privileged to cherry pick projects, Charlie now accepts the smaller jobs he never would have given the slightest consideration in the past. But the current state of his finances requires him to increase his cash flow any way he can, pride be damned.

Since the lucrative contracts have dried up, volume not cost, is now what is most important to Charlie. He needs to sign as many low-end customers as possible and move quickly from one job to the next. Rushing to move on to the next job, he began doing shoddy work, which has resulted in a slew of lawsuits filed by disgruntled customers. The combination of lawsuits, bad investments, and overspending required him to file bankruptcy and close his original company. However, under the bankruptcy laws, after a few months he was able to restructure his debt and reopen his business under a new name.

Charlie glances around the luxurious apartment and it sickens him to think that one day he might have to leave this place. The Springfield Heights contract was supposed to be his golden goose, the project that would help him to become financially solvent again. But that bitch Olivia awarded the contract to some second-rate plumber. He shakes his head, walks over to his well-stocked bar, and pours two fingers of the expensive Hine cognac. Savoring the smooth brandy on his palette, he looks out of the floor-to-ceiling wall of windows, down onto the city he once owned, and plots how he is going to pay back Olivia Pope for ruining his life.

 **XXX**

The next morning Nora leaves the house early, long before any of the family has come downstairs for breakfast. She wants to get to the Center before Marcella arrives so she can talk to Amir to establish the ground rules for their relationship. She smiles as she pulls into the Center's parking lot, thinking about the safe word she will give Amir.

She is on a high as she struts happily into the Center and down the hall to the community room.

"Good morning, Marcella. Isn't it a beautiful day in the neighborhood?" She says playfully, looking around the room for Amir.

"Good morning," completely nonplussed by Nora's upbeat demeanor. "You're early again", eyeing the woman suspiciously.

"You know what they say?"

"No, I don't know what they say", Marcella says, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You're so silly, Marcella. Everybody knows the early bird always catches the worm."

"And what does the late bird get?" Marcella mumbles under her breath.

"Did you say something, Marcella?"

"So what time did you and Amir finish up here last night?"

"Oh, not too much longer after you left. We painted another section of the mural, cleaned up everything, then left around 9:00. Where is Amir, by the way? He's usually here by now", her eyes darting around the room.

"Amir called out sick today", Marcella says, tilting her head slightly to the left and squinting at the overly chipper woman.

"I see", Nora says, trying to hide her disappointment. "Well, I hope everything's all right – that he's okay", walking over to the cabinet and pulling out the paint brushes. "I guess I'll just work on the mural by myself today."

"No, that's Amir's project. You will only work on it with him – when he's here", Marcella says forcefully, halting Nora's movements.

"Oh – okay. So what do you want me to do today?"

"You can go out back and pull up those weeds. Then use the hand mower to cut the grass. After you're done back there you can clean the bathroom, it's a little messy in there today."

Marcella stares Nora in the eyes for a while before turning and walking to her office.

 **XXX**

At the Foundation, Maura sits at her desk in the conference room concentrating intently on her notes for the training curriculum. She still arrives to work early, usually before Mona, to work on her project and handle other things around the office she has noticed need attention.

Maura's heart stops beating for a brief moment when she hears someone across the room clear their throat. Thinking that horrible Charlie has returned, she reaches for her phone.

"Excuse me", a frail, elderly woman, says standing in the conference room doorway clutching her purse. "I don't mean to disturb you, but I was looking for Mona."

Maura is relieved when she sees someone other than Charlie standing at the door.

"I'm sorry, but Mona has not arrived yet", setting down the phone and fingering her pearls.

"Oh, I see", the woman says sadly. "I caught three buses to get over here this morning to talk to her. Do you know what time she'll be coming in?"

"Not until after noon I'm afraid. Is there something I can do for you?" Maura asks, standing from her chair and walking over to the woman.

"Well, I'm not sure", the woman says somewhat timidly.

"My name is Maura Grant, and you are?" Smiling politely as she extends her hand to the nervous woman.

"Betty – Betty Talley" shaking Maura's hand.

"Well Mrs. Talley, why don't you have a seat", turning slightly and motioning her hand to one of the chairs tucked under conference table. "And tell me what has brought you over here this morning."

Mrs. Betty Talley looks around the space before walking fully into the conference room. She has been to the Foundation a few times to talk with Mona, but she has never come this far back into the office.

"It's all right. You can sit down right here."

Mrs. Talley shuffles into the room, clutching her purse even tighter.

"May I get you something to drink – coffee, tea?"

"Oh, a cup of tea would be nice if you don't mind."

"Not at all."

Maura walks over to her private assortment of coffees and teas that are carefully organized on the small table she brought into the office a few days ago. Maura drops one of her favorite tea bags into the cup, then fills it with hot water.

"Sugar – cream?" she asks, looking over her shoulder at the older woman who is sitting patiently at the table.

"No – no. Plain will be just fine", glancing around the room.

Maura sets the steaming cup of hot tea on the coaster sitting on the table in front of Mrs. Talley, then slides onto the seat next to the woman.

"So, what brings you here this morning, Mrs. Talley?"

The old woman sips on the hot tea before looking up at Maura.

"Ooh, this is good tea. Thank you very much."

Maura smiles.

"Well, I told Mona that I can't keep buying that bottle water. All I get is my Social Security check and there's just not a lot left over after I pay my bills."

Maura frowns because she has no clue what the woman is talking about.

"Why don't you start from the beginning and tell me everything you told Mona", Maura smiles politely.

"Well, ever since we found out that the pipes in our homes are contaminated with lead, I haven't been drinking that water coming out the tap. It was making me sick.

"I see", Maura says.

"So I've been buying cases of bottled water whenever I can afford to, but it's getting harder to do that", she says sadly.

Maura looks at the woman sympathetically and nods, wanting her to continue.

"Well, I see they've started changing out those old pipes in some peoples' homes in Springfield Heights, but nobody has contacted me to tell me when they gonna change my pipes. I can't keep buying bottled water. It's just too expensive."

"I understand", feeling badly for the woman. "And you discussed this with Mona?"

Mrs. Talley nods and takes another sip of tea.

"Well, I'm sure something can be done to move you up on the list."

Maura does not know if a list actually exists but she wants to give the woman some hope. Mrs. Talley looks at her and smiles.

"So you mean you gonna get me on that list?"

"You mean you're not already on the list?" Maura asks stunned. "I thought –"

"I believe it's just an oversight. The workers are out there every day. You can talk to one of them and get me on the list. I can't buy food and water too", the old woman adds quickly.

"Don't worry about it, Mrs. Talley. Give me a few days and I'll take care of it for you."

"Aww, you're such a sweetheart. They should keep you around here", slurping up the last of the tea. "This is really good tea. Can you tell me where I can buy me some?"

Maura smiles and walks over to the table and reaches for the tin of tea that came in the basket Fitzgerald sent her.

"You may have this", handing the tin to Mrs. Talley.

"Oh, I couldn't take all of your tea", the woman protests weakly.

"Don't you worry. I have plenty more at home", placing a comforting hand on the woman's shoulder.

"Thank you. You're such a kind lady – and pretty too."

As she walks back to her desk she smiles, thinking she can definitely do more around here than create training courses.

 **XXX**

The baby's furniture is scheduled to be delivered later this morning and Olivia and Fitz have been sitting in the nursery on an old chair Fitz brought upstairs from the garage trying to figure out the best layout for the furniture. They have been discussing where to place the furniture for over two hours and have not come to an agreement yet.

"I didn't think the furniture would arrive in time", leaning back against his chest while he rubs her stomach.

"You have to trust me Liv", kissing down the side of her neck.

"Remember, we're taking Cee to Abby and John's tomorrow to meet Ethan. I'm glad Abby came up with the idea for Cena to spend some time with Ethan."

He nods in agreement

"How are you feeling? You've been moving awfully slow these past few days."

"I'm miserable babe", she says in her whiny voice. "I'm huge and I just can't seem to get comfortable – sitting, standing, laying down …"

"Well, I read something that might help", kissing her neck again.

"What do you mean?" Turning her head to look into his eyes.

"We can help things along – give Kix a little encouragement", sliding his hand between her legs.

" _Are you kidding me?"_ She says in disgust. "How can you – how can you even think about sex at a time like this - when I'm feeling so miserable."

"Liv, I am will to do anything and everything to help you to feel more comfortable. This is not about me at all. It's all about you, babe. All about you", trying not to laugh at the look of horror on her face.

"Mrs. Grant – Mr. Grant – the delivery men are here", Hilde says excitedly, bringing her clasped hands to her lips as she stands in the doorway of the nursery.

"Thank you, Hilde. Tell them I'll be right down. Stay here Liv, I'll show them up."

 **XXX**

The delivery men are clearly frustrated with the Grants. They have been at the house for over an hour waiting for the couple to decide where to place all of the furniture.

"May I make a suggestion?"

The lead delivery man looks back and forth at the couple who are nowhere near to making a decision. He knows if they do not get out of this house soon they will be behind schedule for the rest of the day.

"We've done this many times, ma'am."

"Please do", Fitz says, and Olivia nods.

Fifteen minutes later the furniture is set up in the nursery and the delivery men are on their way to the next appointment.

"This looks terrific babe", looking around the beautifully decorated nursery. "The baby is going to be so happy in here", she says excitedly.

"Go – go downstairs and sit down", Hilde says. "I need to clean everything for our baby", she says excitedly.

Fitz and Olivia look at each other in surprise because they have never seen the usually stoic Hilde get excited about anything.

 **XXX**

As Fitz pulls the car into John and Abigail's driveway, Cena starts to bounce up and down in her car seat when she sees the huge blue truck parked in the driveway.

"Uncle John's truck", she yells.

"Calm down, Cee. Use your inside voice", Olivia warns.

"I like Uncle John's truck, mommy. It's so big."

"But you don't have to yell", opening the door and rolling out of the car as Fitz walks around the back and lifts Cena from the car seat.

"I like Uncle John's truck, daddy."

"It's a nice truck, Princess."

Olivia rings the doorbell and John opens the door immediately.

"Oh my god, Liv. You look –"

"Don't say it", she says gruffly, pushing her belly past him and walking down the hall.

"Cee-Cee", John's says enthusiastically as he reaches for his niece. "How is my favorite niece?" Bouncing the little girl up and down in his arms.

"Look at Biker Princess, Uncle John", shaking the toy in his face.

"Wow. She looks just like you. Are you still riding your bike?"

She shakes her head up and down.

"Daddy take me to the park."

"Hello, brother. Come in brother."

"Good morning, John."

Fitz gives his brother a firm handshake, pecks Cena on the cheek, then walks down the hall to find Olivia.

"Fitzgerald", Abby says brightly, standing and giving him a peck on the cheek.

"Good morning Abigail", smiling politely as he takes a seat on the sofa next to Olivia.

"Cena, don't you look pretty this morning", Abby says.

"I have Biker Princess", holding the toy up so her aunt can see her toy.

"Wow, she looks like a real daredevil."

"Daddy buy it for me", yelling again.

"Daddy did a good job", looking over at Fitz and smiling.

John sits in his chair and holds Cena on his lap, who glides the toy up and down her uncle's arm. After a while, she squirms from John's lap and crawls onto the floor and starts to roll Biker Princess back and forth across the floor.

"Olivia, you look like you're ready to burst", Abby says, gawking at her friend's stomach. "How much longer do you have?"

"Three weeks", Fitz responds, bringing Olivia's hand to his lips.

"Well, she doesn't look like she is going to make it to three weeks. You need to do something about that, Fitzgerald", giving her brother-in-law a double wink and Fitz' face reddens immediately.

" _Abigail"_ , John admonishes his wife.

"What? You know that's what we did to hurry Ethan along."

Now it is time for John's face to redden.

"And Olivia, don't believe that mess about taking long walks. You and Fitzgerald have to do the heavy lifting to get that baby out of you."

"Oh God, Abby", Olivia says, bringing a hand to her mouth, trying to stifle her laughter.

"Enough, Abigail. Little ears are in the room", John says firmly.

Abigail waves her hand at her husband dismissively and rolls her eyes.

"So Olivia, have you two settled on names yet?" John asks.

"No, not yet. With Cena I knew right away. But this time I'm having the hardest time coming up with names."

"I'm open to almost any name except Fitzgerald", Fitz says.

"I like your name babe", smiling and squeezing his hand. "It's a family name."

"Some traditions need to be broken", he says tightly.

"I like Aidan", Cena says softly while spinning Biker Princess on the floor. The adults stop talking and look over at the little girl.

"What did you say, Cee?" Olivia asks, somewhat startled. "I like Aidan. He goes to my school."

Fitz groans thinking he has another boy to contend with.

"Do you have a name for a girl, Cee-Cee?"

"No", she says, almost imperceptible.

Abby smirks at Olivia when the wailing starts to blare through the baby monitor. Cena whips her head around and looks in the direction of the noise.

"Well, that's my signal", Abby says, standing from her seat. "Let's go, Olivia. Ethan needs you to squeeze his chubby cheeks."

Olivia giggles as Fitz helps her to stand from the sofa.

"Come on, Cena", Abby says, extending her hand to the little girl. "Let's go meet your cousin."

 **XXX**

Cena holds tightly onto her mother's skirt and peeks around her wide hips watching as Aunt Abigail lifts a screaming Ethan from his crib and lays him onto the changing table.

"He is so adorable, Abby", smiling brightly as she walks over to the changing table and dragging Cena along who is still clinging to her skirt.

Cena peeks at Ethan's little body squirming on the table. Aware of Cena watching, Abby discretely cleans Ethan and changes his diaper.

"He poop mommy", Cena says with a scrunched face.

"He did, but he smells so much nicer now that he is all cleaned up."

"Would you like to hold Ethan?" Abby asks, looking at the awestruck girl.

Cena looks up at her mother and Olivia nods.

"Sit on the rocker, Cena", Abby says, carrying Ethan over to the chair.

Cena climbs onto the rocker and looks anxiously as Abby places Ethan into her arms.

"Hold his head up with your arm like this, Cena."

Sitting in the rocker stiff as a board, Cena nods and looks down at Ethan who is blowing spit bubbles.

"He's blowing bubbles, mommy" giggling as she looks at the bubbles forming on Ethan's lips.

Olivia looks at Abby and mouths _thank you_.

 **XXX**

"Fitz, I can't believe what I saw", John says, updating his brother on his visit to their parents' home.

"What do you mean?" Setting his coffee cup onto the coaster.

"The place was a mess. I've never seen the house look like that. Hell, I've never seen him look like that."

Fitz furrows his brow, John's signal to say more.

"He obviously had been drinking for awhile, and food – fast food – containers were all over the place."

" _What?"_ Fitz says in disbelief, now leaning forward. He knows that his father never eats fast food.

"Mail and papers were thrown all over the place. It was just a mess."

"What did he say?" Looking at John with concern etched on his face.

"He blames everyone, of course. He thinks we all hate him."

Fitz sighs and shakes his head.

"He misses mom."

"Mom isn't going back, John. She's on a journey - trying to find herself – working and everything."

"I know. Well I helped him to get everything cleaned up. Got him in the shower and got him some real food in the house."

Fitz nods.

"You might want to stop over there – let him know that we all don't hate him."

Fitz nods again.

"Has Bennie gone over there?"

"I don't know. I haven't talked to Bennie lately", leaning back in his chair when he hears his wife and Olivia coming down the stairs.

 **XXX**

When they enter the restaurant, Fitz rushes down the hall to the restroom and Olivia and Cena walk over to the hostess podium to check in.

"Just the two of you, ma'am?" The hostess asks, smiling at Olivia and her adorable daughter.

"No, there are three of us", Olivia says politely.

"My daddy is here", Cena yells.

The hostess looks at Olivia and smiles, waiting for her to confirm the little girl's claim.

"Yes", Olivia says smiling. "He just stepped into the restroom for a moment."

" _Daddy"_ , snatching her hand from her mother's hand and taking off running toward her father. "I told the lady you are here."

"Thank you Biker Princess", swooping up the excited girl in his arms.

"Now that daddy is here I guess I can take you all to your table", the hostess says smiling.

 **XXX**

Fitz pulls the table back so Olivia can slide onto the booth seat. The hostess smiles, thinking the woman looks like she is going to burst in any minute.

"I'll be back with the booster seat for your daughter."

"Thank you", Olivia says, shaking her head as she watches Cena climb onto Fitz' lap.

"Cee, you selected some really nice stuffed animals for the baby", Olivia says.

"I like them, mommy. The baby's going to like them, too. Guess what daddy", she says excitedly, pivoting to discuss what has been on her mind since they left Abby and John's house.

"Yes, Cee?"

"I saw Ethan and he pooped", giggling when she says the funny word. "And it stinks too, daddy."

"Ethan pooped?" Giving his daughter a fake look of surprise.

"And Aunt Abigail let me hold Ethan and he blow spit bubbles."

"Wow", Fitz says. "Did you catch the bubbles?"

"I can't catch spit bubbles, daddy", laughing at her father's silly question. "Will our baby blow bubbles?" Looking at her mother.

"Maybe not in the beginning, but in time our baby will blow bubbles too.

"Can I hold our baby too, mommy?"

"You sure can, but only when daddy or I are in the room. Okay?"

Cena nods her head up and down.

"May I have ice cream, mommy?"

"Not today, Cee. It's getting late. You'll be up all night."

Cena pokes out her bottom lip and looks down at her hands.

"Just this one time, Liv", Fitz says, giving his best puppy dog face for his daughter's benefit.

Olivia looks at her husband for a long while, then looks at her sulking daughter.

"You're going to be up with her all night if she can't sleep because of the sugar."

"What kind of ice cream do you want, Princess?"

"Strawberry daddy", smiling brightly. "And sprinkles too."

"Cee, when we get home you have to show me where to put the toys we bought for the baby. Okay?

"OK, mommy."

Olivia gives Fitz a look that says their daughter is going to be just fine when the baby comes home.

 **XXX**

Fitz sits on the sofa in the family room typing an email to Geoffrey about their newest client who seems to be having some serious problems with his company's union. With a barefoot resting on the edge of the coffee table, he balances the tablet on his knee, and sips scotch from the sweating glass. Periodically, he glances over at the television screen to watch the ESPN hosts debate the merits of the latest quarterback trade. Maura walks into the room and smiles when she sees her son is sitting on the sofa alone. She rubs her hands together and thinks this is the perfect opportunity to talk to him about participating in the Speaker Series.

"Fitzgerald", sitting down on the sofa next to him.

Fitz looks up and smiles at his mother who seems to be the happiest he has seen her in quite some time.

"Where is everyone?" She asks, looking around the room.

"Liv and Cena went to bed early. We had a long day."

"And Nora, is she home?"

"I don't know?" Taking another sip of his favorite scotch.

"She's been working late at the Center a lot lately. I think she's finally found her niche."

"That's good. Maybe she'll stop partying every night and picking up strange men."

" _Fitzgerald!"_

"What? You know what she does. I don't want that kind of behavior around my daughter, mom."

"She's just young."

"She's not that young. But she is irresponsible and promiscuous. She should think about seeing someone – think about getting some help."

Maura rolls her eyes thinking her son can sometimes be such a hard ass and unforgiving, just like his father.

"So, it'll be any day now", wanting to change the subject. "We'll be having another baby around here soon", clasping her hands in anticipation.

"Actually we have another three weeks", taking another sip of his scotch.

"I see the furniture has finally arrived. It's absolutely beautiful. The nursery looks beautiful."

"Liv didn't think it would arrive in time. I told her she worries too much."

"The baby needs someplace to sleep, Fitzgerald."

"Well, the nursery is all set up now. Hilde worked all day yesterday helping us to get everything in order."

"I see", not interested in hearing anything about Hilde.

"We took Cena over to John and Abigail's today so she could see Ethan."

"You did? How did it go? Olivia said Cena is having some difficulty with the idea of having to share mommy and daddy."

"I think she's going to be fine. She really got a kick out of seeing Ethan. Abigail let her hold him. I think that helped a lot. She's starting to understand the baby won't be a threat to her."

"That's good. That's good", building up the courage to ask him about the Speaker Series.

"Fitzgerald … "

"Yes mom?" Looking up from his tablet.

"Well, you know I have been working on the curriculum for Olivia's training program?"

"Mhmm. Liv said you gave a fantastic presentation. I'm so proud of you, mom."

"Thank you, son. It's all so exciting."

"That's good", smiling at his mother.

"I really want this program to be successful. I have so many ideas."

"Like what?" Setting his tablet on the sofa and giving his mother his full attention.

"Well, I designed the curriculum based on Olivia's needs and everything I read in the books Mona gave me. I even even added a feature neither Olivia nor Mona thought about", she says proudly.

"That's terrific, mom", genuinely happy that his mother has found something she enjoys doing.

"I'm glad you think so", she says slowly. "Because I am going to need your help, Fitzgerald."

Fitz furrows his brow wondering what kind of help his mother needs from him.

"My help?" He looks at her curiously.

"Yes, your help. I added a Speaker Series to the training program. This is where experts come in and share their professional experience with the activists. It's an opportunity for them to gain insight into how experts apply the concepts they will learn in the real world. I would like for you to be one of our speakers."

" _What?"_ He says in shock.

"Yes. You have so much to share – from your days in the Navy to starting your own business. You are one of the leading negotiators in the country, Fitzgerald. I'm so proud of you", giving him the proud mother smile.

"But I don't know anything about community activism."

"You don't have to. You know about helping people. You know about negotiation. You know about leadership."

"I don't know, mom", running a hand through his hair.

"Come on, Fitzgerald. You'll be terrific", looking at him pleadingly. "You're so influential and well respected. The community can learn so much from you."

"Who else do you have lined up to speak?"

"Well, no one – at least not yet", she adds quickly when she sees the look on his face. "Please, Fitzgerald. Just this one time."

He sighs heavily and takes another sip from the glass.

"I'm sure Olivia will really appreciate your help as well."

Maura has played her last card. She knows her son will do anything for his wife. Fitz leans against the sofa's back cushion and looks at the desperation on his mother's face.

"Okay. I'll do it - but just one time", running his hand through his hair.

"Thank you. Thank you", bouncing happily on the sofa and giving him a peck on the cheek. "You won't regret it. I promise."

Fitz groans internally, wondering what he has gotten himself into.

"And Fitzgerald …." Bringing her clasped hands to her chest.

He takes another sip of the now diluted scotch, preparing for his mother's next request.

"Yes, mom?"

"Who is Charlie?"

 **XXX**

Fitz has been tossing and turning in bed all night, thinking about what his mother told him about Charlie bursting into the Foundation and threatening Olivia. He shakes his head when he thinks about Mona toting a gun in her purse. It is all too much. He looks over at his sleeping wife and becomes angrier because she did not tell him about the incident. He closes his eyes thinking he does not know what he would do if anything ever happened to her. He loves her with everything that is in him and will do everything within his power to protect her. The thought of Charlie or anyone else threatening her enrages him.

As the sun begins to rise, Olivia starts to stir in her sleep because her bladder needs relief. He knows she always goes to the bathroom around this time every morning so he lay on his side and watches her, waiting for her to waken. Olivia rolls onto her side and slowly opens her eyes because the urge to go to the bathroom has awakened her. These days she is never sure if she really has to pee or if Kix is just laying on her bladder.

"Oh my god", she screams when she sees his dark blue eyes staring at her in the dark. "What are you doing?" Hitting him on the shoulder. "Why are you staring at me? You almost made me wet my underwear", breathing heavily.

"Why didn't you tell me about Charlie?" Nowhere close to smiling.

"What? I - I was going to tell you."

"When the hell were you going to tell me? It happened three days ago", springing up from the bed and pacing around the room.

"Fitz", trying to get out of the bed to get to the bathroom. "So much has been going on for these past few days. I honestly didn't think about it. Besides, Charlie is harmless."

"He fuckin' threatened you."

"Don't cuss at me."

"I'm not cussing at you. I'm just cussing", yelling in frustration.

"Well stop it. You're upsetting the baby and I already have to pee."

He rolls his eyes thinking what else is new.

"Give me his contact information", rapidly moving his fingers back and forth, demanding Charlie's information.

" _What?"_

"You heard me. I want his information – his phone number and address."

"Why?" Looking at him suspiciously.

"Because I want to talk to _Charlie_."

"No, it's over. I won't have you getting involved."

"I'm already involved. Now give me his information."

"No. Let it go. I want my husband around and our children need a father."

"And you're my wife and I won't have any man threatening you. It's my job to protect you."

She gives him a long, hard look before stomping toward the bathroom.

"You need to get ready for church", slamming the bathroom door.

" _And why the hell didn't you tell me mom wants me to be one of her speakers?"_ Walking over to her nightstand and picking up her phone.

" _She's your mother!"_ Yelling from behind the bathroom door.

Fitz scrolls through the list of contractors Olivia evaluated for the Springfield Heights project, and when he hears the toilet flush he quickly sets the phone back onto her nightstand. He rolls across the bed and slides his phone from his nightstand.

"Get me everything you can on a Charles Barber."

 **XXX**

Maura likes having the office all to herself for an hour or so before Mona arrives, especially on Monday mornings. Being alone in the office gives her sufficient time to rearrange things the way she likes, restock the supplies cabinet, and spend some time enjoying a cup of her favorite tea. So when she walks down the hall toward her office this morning, she is surprised when she sees the light on in Mona's office.

"Oh, good morning Mona", Maura says with a tinge of surprise in her voice. "You're in awfully early today. Is everything all right?"

"I'm fine and good morning to you. Get your tea, Maura. I'll be in to talk to you shortly."

"Oh, all right", turning her head slightly as she eyes Mona.

For the past few days Mona has been trying to figure out how she is going to approach Maura about a few things that have been bothering her. Although Maura has some annoying habits like moving around furniture and plants, hanging new pictures, and reorganizing the supply cabinet, the changes she has been making around the office pale in comparison to her latest antics. The woman has crossed the line and Mona needs to handle it right away, nip it in the bud.

Uneasy about having to reprimand her boss' mother-in-law, Mona takes her time walking to the conference room. Before tapping on the conference room door frame with her red ink pink, she inhales deeply, thinking this is what management is all about.

"Hi, Maura" Mona says somewhat nervously. "Can we talk now?"

"Of course", taken aback by the nervousness of the usually confident woman. "Have a seat, Mona. Tea?"

"No, thank you. I've already had my coffee", sitting in the chair in front of Maura's desk.

Mona glances at the assortment of coffees and teas sitting on the wooden table Maura brought into the office a couple of days ago.

"Maura, there are a few things I need to discuss with you."

"Okay", she says slowly, sensing this is not going to be a pleasant conversation.

"Maura, since you started working here you've begun to involve yourself in matters outside of the scope of your job."

"I don't understand", Maura says, fidgeting with her wedding set.

"You're involving yourself in matters that are of no concern to you.

"Are you worried about what I'm doing?" Maura asks smugly.

"No, I'm concerned about what you're not doing", staring intently at the woman. "You were hired to develop training courses, but you have done everything but that since you've been here."

"Excuse me?" Maura says defensively.

"You came here because you needed to test what it feels like to work, not because you wanted to help the communities we support. Well this is not a game, we don't take what we do here lightly. We're dealing with real people with real problems."

"What?"

"Maura, you're a meddler. You like getting involved in things that's none of your business. And because you don't know what you don't know you cause problems that I have to clean up."

Her chest rising and falling, Maura looks at Mona with wide eyes.

"Maura, this is a business, not your household. Here, business decisions are made based on the laws governing our Foundation, based on experience, and based on knowledge of business management. None of which you know anything about. You can't just make decisions based on your gut."

"I don't know what you're talking about", Maura says with her heart pounding in her chest.

"Over the last few days you have taken the liberty to order office supplies that we don't need and from vendors we don't use. You are moving things around and I can't find a thing any more. You're talking to the World Water Day and Women's Day planning committees and setting dates without any knowledge of what it takes to meet those dates. You're doing all of this without talking to me first."

Maura's begins to frown.

"I said nothing in the beginning because I know this is your first time working in an office, but I guess you took my silence as consent; you crossed the line."

"What? You have no right."

"I have every right. You have no idea what it takes to run a 501 (c)(3) – to help the people we serve. You breeze in here and start giving advice about matters you know nothing about, setting expectations and getting hopes up about things we can't do a thing about."

"Are you talking about Mrs. Talley?"

"Yes."

"That woman needed my help."

"You can't help Mrs. Talley because you are clueless about what we do here. You're disrespecting people by giving them misinformation and you're disrespecting me as the office manager. And, you're disrespecting Olivia, who has poured her heart and soul into this Foundation. Your actions can damage Olivia's reputation – damage something she has worked hard to build. I won't let you destroy all of her hard work just because you can't mind your business – because you need to prove something."

Maura is fighting back the tears.

"You don't know anything about the Springfield Heights program, how the families were selected, how the funds are to be allocated. But you go around making promises to people, promises we have no way of keeping.

"Well that woman asked –"

"And when she realizes that _we_ cannot fulfill the promises that _you_ made she is going to be upset. And I say _we_ because Olivia and I have always worked as a team around here. There are no superstars here. _We_ don't tell people what they want to hear, _we_ tell them what they need to hear. I told Mrs. Tally – more than once – that we could not help her, and I directed her to the proper agency. The Springfield Heights program is for homeowners and Mrs. Talley is not a homeowner. She is a renter. If you had bothered to ask me you would have known that."

Maura glares at Mona for a long while as she bites on her lower lip.

"Now, if you want to work here and do what you were hired to do then I am more than happy to have you stay."

Mona glares at Maura letting her know that she means business. And tears well up in Maura's eyes because she is hurt and embarrassed. Her worst fears are coming true.

"But if you want to do anything more than what you were hired to do then I don't need you here."

"Enough. I get it. I made a mistake", she says, thoroughly flustered because Mona's admonishment stings. It brings back memories of how Gerry would berate her for making the tiniest of mistakes.

"Mona, if you don't mind, I will be taking an early lunch today."

Not waiting for a response, Maura hurries from the conference room and out of the front door. Sitting in her car in the parking lot, Maura is not quite sure where she should go, what she should do.

 **XXX**

Fitz looks over at his buzzing phone and snatches it up quickly from the desk in their home study. He listens intently to the voice on the other end and scribbles a few notes on a scrap of paper. He grabs his phone and stuffs it into his pocket as he walks into the living room.

"Hilde", trying not to startle the woman.

"Oh, Mr. Grant, you startled me. I was thinking about how things are going to change around here in a few weeks once the baby is born."

Fitz smiles politely.

"Hilde, if Mrs. Grant asks, let her know that I needed to go to the office and I should be back in a couple of hours."

"Not at all, sir. The Mrs. is having her daily nap. I'll let her know when she wakes up."

"Thank you, Hilde", smiling politely again before walking down the hall and grabbing his car keys off the table in the foyer.

 **XXX**

As he strides through the lobby, the doorman smiles and gives him a knowing nod.

"I think you want the 57th floor, sir. The door is open."

Fitz nods and presses the elevator button and takes the smooth ride to the 57th floor. He looks at his image in the mirrored elevator and inhales deeply. When he reaches Apartment 5709, he slowly turns the door knob and let's the door swing open fully, giving him a full view into the spacious apartment. Standing in the doorway, he assesses the space before entering.

" _What the fuck are you doing in my home?"_

"Nice place", Fitz says, circling the room slowly.

" _How the hell did you get in here? You just can't walk into my fucking home."_

"One, you had no problem bursting into my wife's office uninvited. I thought I would return the courtesy. Two, you and I both know this place won't be yours for much longer."

" _Go to hell."_

"Not quite yet, Charlie", walking over to the man with the towel wrapped around his waist. "You threatened my wife, and nobody threatens my wife."

"She could've been mine if I wanted her. I could have fucked her a long time ago – way before you came along. She begged me to, you know?" Smirking at Fitz. "But I wouldn't have her."

Fitz nods, reflecting on how he and Olivia laughed about Charlie when they were in DC.

"Right", taking a few steps toward the man.

Not getting the rise out of Fitz that he wanted, Charlie ups the ante.

"That bitch cheated me out of that job."

And those were the last words Charlie was able to speak with a full set of teeth. Fitz' fist crashes down onto the side of the man's face, sending teeth and blood flying across the room. Charlie stumbles back against the wall, causing one of the light sconces and mirror to shatter to the floor. Fitz lunges across the room and pummels Charlie's face, splitting his eye with his pounding fist. Charlie raises his knee and jams it in Fitz' gut, causing him to double over. He brings his fist down onto Fitz' right cheek, breaking the skin. Fitz stumbles backward, and Charlie grabs one of the wrought-iron candlestick holders from the table and swings it wildly, and Fitz jumps back with each swing.

"I'm going take off your fucking head", charging Fitz like a mad bull.

Fitz steps aside and Charlie stumbles, losing his balance and falling to the floor. Fitz snatches the candlestick from Charlie's hand, tosses it across the room, and pounces onto him. Crashing his left fist down onto Charlie's face over and over and over. Charlie curls into a ball trying to shield his face from the assault and pleads for mercy.

"My wife is dead to you. The Foundation is dead to you. You come near either one again and I'll kill you." Breathing heavily, Fitz gives Charlie another swift kick in the ribs before leaving the apartment.

As the elevator descends slowly to the lobby, Fitz catches a glimpse of his new image in the mirrored elevator. His hair is a wild mess and he sees the cut on his right cheek.

 _Shit._

He knows Olivia is going to be upset when she sees that he has been in a fight.

 **XXX**

When he parks in the driveway he looks in the rear view mirror and sees that his right cheek has begun to swell.

 _Shit._

He grabs the water bottle sitting in the cupholder and dampens his handkerchief. Trying to remove the last traces of blood from his cheek and alleviate the swelling before going into the house, he holds the damp cloth to his cheek for a few minutes before exiting the car. As he slides from behind the steering wheel, he notices that his left hand, which is scraped from bashing in Charlie's face, has begun to swell.

 _Great._

He shakes his hand trying to ease the throbbing pain.

"Daddy. Daddy", Cena yells as she runs down the hall to greet her father. She stops suddenly, mouth hanging open, and eyes wide when she sees her father's face.

"Cee", trying to whisper to his dumbstruck daughter, but the little girl is frozen in place, unable to move or speak.

"Cee, where's mommy? Is mommy sleeping?" He prays that Olivia is still asleep so he can get cleaned up and delay the inevitable.

" _Cena"_ , he says a little more forcefully, trying to bring the girl out of her haze. "Where's mommy?" He asks again in a whisper.

With mouth and eyes still wide open, Cena points in the direction of the family room.

" _Shit"_ , raking his fingers through his hair in an effort to look normal.

"Ooh, daddy said a bad word."

"Cee, what's taking – "

Olivia's mouth falls open when she sees her husband's bruised face. And in an instant, her shock turns quickly into anger.

"You didn't", grabbing her stomach instinctually.

"Liv, sweetheart, let me explain."

She shakes her head rapidly from side to side and holds up her hand to silence him.

"You promised me."

"I did no such thing", taking a few cautious steps toward his wife. Cena stands in the middle, between her parents, looking at her father.

"Just give me a minute. Let me explain", he says desperately.

Cena turns her head and looks at her mother.

" _I don't want to hear it"_ , she shouts. " _You could've been …"_ Her worse fear has been triggered again.

Cena turns her head and looks at her father, waiting for his response.

"I won't apologize, Liv. I won't have some man threatening you. I'm you're husband and I will protect you", balling his fist and wincing silently from the pain.

Cena turns her head and looks at her mother, who is squinting angrily at her father. Remembering what he said about protecting her during their sessions with Avril, she nods her head slowly.

"Go sit down and let me clean you up."

"Sit down daddy", grabbing her father's injured hand. He cringes in pain as Cena tries to pull him toward the family room.

"I hope he looks worse than you", Olivia says, glancing over her shoulder as she waddles into the family room.

"Much worse. So much worse", smiling nervously and thinking he has not heard the last about the incident from his wife.

 **XXX**

Because he never excelled academically, Charlie always knew college was not going to be his pathway to a better a life. He knew if he was ever going to make it out of the neighborhood, he would have to use his natural abilities to create the kind of life he imagined existed beyond the walls of Tilghman Park. Ever since he was a child, Charlie has been good with his hands. He could take a thing apart, reassemble it, and make it work better than it had originally. So, after he was graduated from high school, he served as an apprentice for one of the premiere master plumbers in the city. He learned a lot from the old man, and in time became a master plumber as well. And, when the old man died, Charlie bought the business from the man's daughters, which included the extensive client list. Acquiring that business enabled him to start a new life, escape a life of poverty, and never look back at that hell hole known as Tilghman Park.

Charlie has worked hard to craft a new image, worked hard to erase any trace of the poor and violent community of Tilghman Park. Always dressed impeccably in the finest bespoke clothes, to the untrained eye Charlie looked the symbol of success. But Olivia Pope would never give him a chance to develop a romantic relationship with her, regardless of how successful he was. Always citing being too busy growing her business, she rejected all of his invitations to go out for coffee, a drink, or do anything that could be construed as a date. He frowns, thinking she rejected him because the stench of Tilghman Park still hung over him like a cloud. Whenever he was around her, he thought she could smell the stench that no amount of tailored clothes and expensive cologne could mask.

When Charlie discovered Olivia had begun to date someone, he became enraged. All of this time she had been making excuses, lying to him about being too busy. But when that melanin-deficient motherfucker came along, she willingly and quickly gave herself to him. She even allowed herself get knocked up by him – twice. She should have been his. Those kids should be his.

As he crawls to his feet, Charlie looks around the room that is now in shambles and thinks how unfair life is for people like him. Regardless of how high up in the sky he lives, how full his walk-in closet is with tailored-made suits, how broad his art collection was becoming, and how far he can travel around the world, he will never be like Olivia and _Fitz_. There are certain things money just cannot buy.

Bending down and picking up the pieces of his life, Charlie becomes filled with rage and hurls the remnants of his prized possessions across the room. He watches as they crash against the wall and fall to the floor again.

"You're gonna pay for this shit, Olivia."


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N:** I don't own anything related to Scandal. I appreciate those of you who continue to track along with story, however, things are getting busy at work and I might have to get on a two-week update cadence. I will finish this story, it might just take a little longer than I planned. Thanks for the new reviews, favorites, and follows. I really enjoy reading the parts of the story that resonate with each reviewer. **Guest** , this Charlie storyline won't be long and drawn out, but it serves a purpose. Remember, all roads lead to Olitz. Hang on, this too shall pass. **Clanay** , you nor Fitz can hurry Mother Nature. That baby is going to come when he or she is ready : - ). **Sweet27** , Olivia isn't having twins. **Ktss14** , I guess Fitz kind of poked Charlie the Bear, although he was already angry with Olivia and plotting mischief. Here we go!

 **Chapter 19. Water, Water Everywhere**

For the past four hours Maura has been sitting in the parking lot of the fast food restaurant located around the corner from the Foundation trying to process what just happened and salvage the vestiges of her dignity. So shaken by Mona's admonishment, she did not realize it was only 8:15 AM when she hurried from the office muttering something about taking an early lunch. She chuckles to herself mirthlessly thinking Mona must really think she is an idiot. Who eats lunch at eight o' clock in the morning? But she needed to escape the condemnation because Mona's words were resurrecting all sorts of emotions that were supposed to have been buried many years ago. However, in reality, the feelings of inadequacy and of not being good enough had not been buried, they were simply laying beneath the surface waiting for the opportune time to reappear.

As the tears stream down her face, Maura is once again consumed by a kind of gnawing emptiness, longing, and frustration about what could have been and what should have been. Failing to fulfill one's potential is a devastating and damaging thing. Angrily swiping away the tears, Maura thinks about that time during her junior year of high school when she stood in front of the mirror in her bedroom every day for six months practicing the speech for her parents. Ever since she was a little girl she dreamed of becoming a teacher, and she had finally mustered up enough courage to ask her parents if she could go away to college to pursue her dream. Her stomach was a ball of knots.

' _Go to college, Maura?'_ Her mother said somewhat amused. _'That's just about the silliest thing I've ever heard. Why would you ever think you're good enough for college?'_

' _We don't have money to waste on your fantasies Maura; times are hard. Besides, college is for smart people like your brothers. Find yourself a husband and become a good little wife and mother.'_

Her father muttered his sage advice without ever looking up from reading his the confidence and support to explore life on her own terms, Maura took her father's counsel and did what her mother and most of the girls her age did at the time; she got married.

Choking back the tears as she stares blankly across the parking lot, Maura shakes her head trying to dislodge the foolish thoughts that led her to believe she could become a teacher, the same foolish thoughts that made her think she could start a career at this stage of her life. Well, everyone must be having a really good laugh at her expense she thinks, reaching over for her purse sitting on the passenger seat. Fumbling inside for a handkerchief, she inadvertently knocks over the purse, causing most of its contents to spill onto the floor.

" _Damn. Damn. Damn."_

She bangs her fists on the steering wheel and screams out at the top of her lungs, letting a lifetime of pain and frustration reverberate around the interior of the car. Feeling like an abysmal failure, like she can never do anything right, Maura leans back in the seat and rubs her fingers back and forth across her forehead. Maybe she should just go back home, go back to Gerry, go back to a life where everything is predictable.

The parking lot is beginning to fill with the lunch crowd hustling from their cars and into the restaurant. As Maura watches the bustling crowd go to and fro, she notices an old woman whose gait has been slowed by a spine ravaged from age or disease. She is mesmerized by the woman who walks with a cane in a hunched-over posture. The old woman shuffles along at her own pace, seemingly oblivious to all of the people hurrying past her. When the old woman finally makes it to the restaurant door, Maura watches as she struggles to open the door with one hand and hold the cane in the other hand. She wonders how long it takes the woman to perform her daily routine of getting ready to interact with the world.

Maura tilts her head as she watches the woman finally enter the restaurant and sit down at a table with a group who is laughing and enjoying their afternoon. She watches when the old woman joins in the conversation and throws her head back in laughter. She marvels at the woman who is not allowing her circumstance to limit her. She is not cowering in the recesses and feeling sorry for herself. She is not retreating from life because things got a little tough. She is not giving up on life. She is living life on her own terms, regardless of how long it takes her.

Maura dabs the handkerchief at the corners of her eyes, touches up her makeup, then turns the key in the car's ignition.

 **XXX**

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I interfered where I had no business. I'm sorry that I came here and changed things around without discussing them with you first. I'm sorry I've made your job more difficult because I didn't know what I was doing."

"Maura …" Mona says, giving the woman an empathetic look.

"Let me finish. You were right. I was trying to prove something. All of my life I have felt inadequate, not good enough. As a child I was always told that I could never do anything right, and that message was reinforced over and over throughout my marriage, in one way or another."

"Maura –"

"So I wanted to prove something, needed to prove everyone wrong – prove that I could be of value. But all I did was make a mess of things. Mona, I would never knowingly do anything to jeopardize Olivia's reputation", twisting her wedding set. "I know she has worked very hard to build her business – I know how important it is to her."

Mona nods.

"I now realize that I have a lot to learn", she says quickly. "And, if you are willing to give me another chance, to do what I was hired to do, I will work hard to learn everything I need to be an asset to the Foundation."

"Maura, I'm sorry too, sorry for being so hard on you. But I needed to get through to you, to help you understand the seriousness of your actions."

"I understand."

"Now, if you want to learn about how a non-profit functions then Olivia and I are more than willing to teach you. But it's going to take time, it won't happen overnight."

"I understand."

"The people who give money to this Foundation have certain expectations. They want to know how their money is being spent and that we are actually making a difference in the lives of the people we serve. This is serious business."

"I understand that now. It just – well – you and Olivia make it look so easy."

"Well, that's because we've only been doing it for 100 years", trying to lighten the mood.

Maura smiles nervously because she is not sure if Mona has completely forgiven her.

"Maura, now that the plumbing is being replaced in the homes in Springfield Heights, Olivia's number one priority is to get that training program up and running. She's passionate about providing those community organizers the skills they need to fight for their causes. Your work is very important."

Maura nods.

"I've been working for Olivia ever since she started the Foundation; she gave me a chance when others wouldn't. So what I'm saying, this place, it's all her. I don't set the priorities, she does. And she does it based on what she has determined will be most beneficial to the community. I just help to implement her ideas."

Maura nods her head slowly, now realizing that there is a strategy behind the work Olivia and Mona do. Olivia thoughtfully plans out the programs and Mona helps to implements them. This is not a place where things happen haphazardly or on a whim.

"Well, I guess I better get busy designing those courses", turning to go to her conference room-office.

"And Maura, let's consider what happened all water under the bridge."

 **XXX**

Cena runs from the driveway, through the garage, and bursts through the kitchen door trying to escape her father who is spraying her with the water hose.

"Mommy. Mommy", she yells, giggling hysterically and looking over her shoulder at the door leading to the garage. "Daddy wet me", bringing her hands to the sides of her face and laughing so hard she begins to choke and cough.

"Calm down, Cee", turning on the faucet and filling a cup with water. "Drink this - slow", holding the cup to her daughter's lips. "You get too excited."

"Olivia, I don't know what you're going to do once you have two to chase around here", Abby says as she sits at the island patting Ethan gently on the back, trying to coax him to burp.

"You mean three. Fitz can be such a big kid sometimes, especially when he starts playing with Cee or that car of his."

"It must be that Grant blood because Jonathan is the same way when it comes to that monster truck of his. I hate that thing." Abby scrunches her face when she thinks about her husband's truck.

"Fitz has been washing the car for hours now, it's his pride and joy. Can you believe he washes it every Saturday? You would think he was a teenager and it was his first car."

"Well, where I come from teenagers don't have cars like that", rubbing circles on Ethan's back. "They drive raggedy pickups."

"Where are you going with that cup, Cee?" Placing a hand on her hip as she watches her daughter walk toward the garage door with the cup of water. "Finish drinking your water in the kitchen."

"I'm going to wet daddy", stopping in her tracks and giving Olivia her best pouty face.

"No", Olivia says, turning and pulling open the door of under-cabinet sink. Cena sulks and sets the cup of water onto the island top.

"You're going to need _this_ ", holding up a large spray bottle and filling it with water.

" _Yay"_ , Cena yells, grabbing the spray bottle and running from the kitchen.

"One. Two. Three." Olivia counts, waiting for the yelling to begin.

" _Olivia!"_ Fitz yells as Cena chases her father down the driveway spraying him with water.

"I don't know how Fitzgerald is going to handle two children", and the two women laugh as Ethan let's out a loud burp.

"Hopefully more than two someday", Olivia says wistfully, and Abby tilts her head to the side and gives her friend a warning look.

 **XXX**

Fitz leans back against the bathtub and lets out a sigh of exasperation. It has been another long day and now all he wants to do is enjoy a relaxing bath with his wife. Working on his presentation for the Speaker Series is becoming a second job, and this is what he was afraid would happen when his mother asked him to participate in the program. She now wants to expand his commitment to include three more topics. And while he does not mind helping, he has absolutely no interest in taking on more work.

"What's the matter? Are you ready to get out?" Enjoying the feeling of his hands rubbing her round, tight stomach.

"I'm just tired. It's been a long day."

"Maybe if you didn't spend hours washing that car you wouldn't be so tired. Why don't you just take it to the car wash?"

"What? Are you kidding me?" Turning her slightly and looking at her as if what she said was blasphemy.

"One, I would never take that car to the car wash. That's a superbly engineered vehicle and it deserves to be hand-washed."

She rolls her eyes and leans back onto his chest.

"Two, my being tired has nothing to do with washing the car. I enjoy washing and waxing it - it's therapeutic", he says sincerely.

She shakes her head because she has absolutely no intention of ever hand-washing her car; never have and never will.

"It's mom. She's demanding more and more of my time. She wants me to take on more topics for that Speaker Series."

Olivia shakes her head and smiles.

"I don't want you to feel obligated because of me."

"I want to help Liv, but it's becoming a second job. Mom thinks just because I work from home I'm not really working, so she keeps assigning me more topics."

Olivia chuckles because it is always difficult for her usually eloquent husband to have tough conversations with his mother.

"I have a few ideas but I don't want to interfere with her planning", closing her eyes and enjoying the warm, lavender-scented water waft around them.

"You have to help me out here, Liv. She's killing me", squeezing the towel and letting the warm water trickle over her stomach.

"Remember, the purpose of the Speaker Series is to bring in experts from various fields to share their experiences with the community organizers."

He nods.

"But babe, while you are many things – smart, charming, and ridiculously handsome – you're not an expert on all of those topics your mother has on her schedule."

"Excuse me?" Feigning offense.

"I was thinking we could get help from a few other people. Your mother doesn't have any contacts she can ask to help out with the program so she keeps coming to you. You're her only expert, babe."

He nods.

"I'll give you the names of a few people that _you_ can suggest to your mother."

"I owe you", running his tongue up and down the side of her neck.

"Big time", she says smiling and enjoying him sucking on her neck.

"I guess this is what it's going to be like in the Birthing Center", he says, looking around the bathroom.

"I'm glad they allow children in the room until I go into labor. Showing Cee where the baby will be born made her happy, especially when she saw all of the toys in the playroom."

He nods.

"The kitchen is nice. We can pack whatever food we need and store Cee's snacks and drinks in the frig."

"Maybe I'll bring her some of my special tea", he says proudly.

"She doesn't like that stuff, babe. I'm the only one who drinks it."

"What?" He says in disbelief. "She drinks it whenever I give it to her."

"That's because she likes to please daddy."

He frowns, thinking about the countless times he has given Cena his special tea.

"Are you feeling okay about the delivery?"

"I am, much better this time than I did with Cee. Back then I just didn't know what to expect. I didn't know what the delivery would be like. I surely didn't know anything about Birthing Centers. I didn't even know our hospital had one."

He closes his eyes and thinks about their first pregnancy when he did not know anything about the depression.

"I'm so excited, Fitz. I'm ready to meet our baby", smiling and rubbing her hands together.

"Me too", kissing the top of her head.

They sit in silence for a few minutes enjoying the bubbling water and each other.

"I don't want you to suffer, Liv. If the pain becomes too much, ask for something. Okay?"

"I'll be fine. Natural childbirth is going to be difficult, but I want our baby to have the best start on life that I can give him."

"Kiss me", and she turns her head and gives him a deep kiss. "I love you – more than anything."

"I love you, too. And don't give me that look", laying back against his chest. "Nothing's happening here tonight", playfully slapping his thigh.

"Do you really think we're having a boy?" Massaging her breasts tenderly.

"I don't know, babe. I do pee a lot", and their laughter bounces off the tile and porcelain.

"I love when we spend time alone like this. We don't have a lot of privacy around here anymore", trailing open-mouthed kisses down her shoulder.

"Me too", smiling and feeling at peace.

"Are you okay with the names?" He asks.

"I am. It took us long enough, but I think we made the best choices for a boy and a girl. I think that's a story we can tell him or her years from now." Her eyes are beginning to get heavy with sleep.

 _Silence._

"Will you be disappointed if we don't have a boy?" Rubbing her foot up and down his leg.

"Not at all. We're being blessed with the greatest gift of all. How could I ever be disappointed?" Draping his leg over her hers.

"Well, if this one isn't a boy, then next time …."

His body tenses and his hands stop massaging her breasts and fall into the water. Realizing what she said, she closes her eyes tightly and holds her breath. She got too relaxed, too comfortable in the moment. She let down her guard. With the warm, lavender-scented water soothing her achy muscles and his large hands gently massaging her body, she allowed her tongue to give voice to the thoughts she has held secret over the past few months.

Even with the morning sickness. Even with having to pee constantly. Even with being uncomfortable almost every day for the last four months. Even with all of that she wants to do it again. She wants to experience bringing a part of them into the world again. The closer she gets to delivering their baby the sadder she becomes that this phase of the creative process is coming to an end. She loves being pregnant and wants to expand their family. She wants to have a house full of laughing, crying, and bickering children running around and demanding her attention. While she did not feel that way a few years ago when she was trying to grow her business, she now wants it. She loves being a wife and mother, more than anything.

"Olivia", he says in an admonitory tone. "We decided."

"We didn't decide anything, Fitz", she says through the tears. "We said we would talk to a specialist."

"I never agreed to that", he says angrily.

"You did."

" _You had just gotten back home. What did you expect me to say?"_

" _So you've been lying to me all of this time?"_

"No. I just didn't want to upset you – didn't want to start a fight – like now", he says through clenched teeth. "The water is getting cold, we should get out", standing and splashing water onto the floor. After wrapping the yellow towel around his waist, he reaches for her hand as she wipes the tears with the back of her hand. She takes his hand and stands to get out of the tub.

Neither is able to sleep after her unplanned revelation a few hours ago, so they lay in the dark, in silence, and with several inches of space separating them. They both know the other is not asleep because they do not sleep well if they are touching in some way. With lip quivering, she lay on her side, staring out the window at the full moon lighting up the night sky. He lay on his back with and arm hooked behind his neck, looking up at the ceiling with his mouth set in a tight line. He is angry; no, he is scared of losing her to depression again. The thought frightens him to death.

"I don't want to lose you, Liv", he says as a lone tear runs from the corner of his eye and down the side of his face.

"I know", she says softly, holding onto the pillow tightly.

 _Silence._

"Do you really want to do this, discuss it with another doctor?"

She nods her head, letting the tears fall onto the pillow.

"I do."

"You're not doing this just for me? Because –"

"I want this, Fitz. I want this for us."

He nods, and after a few moments he closes the gap that has been separating them. He buries his face in her neck and inhales deeply, rubbing her stomach through the silk nightgown.

"Then we'll find someone, maybe in another year. Okay?"

"OK", lifting his hand to her lips.

 **XXX**

Darius slides onto the pew next to Fitz and whispers something in his ear and Fitz nods. Olivia looks over at her husband and Darius and shushes them to be quiet. And Rev. Walker looks over his reading glasses and silently admonishes her when she was not the one who was talking. When the service is over Olivia makes her way to the ladies' room and Fitz walks down the hall in the opposite direction, toward Rev. Walker's office. When Rev. Walker opens the door, he is surprised to see Congressman Guildford is also sitting in the office next to Darius. He glances around the room quickly, thinking about the many months he and Olivia spent in this office for pre-marital counseling.

"Gentlemen?" He says cautiously, observing the grim looks on the men's faces.

"Sit down Fitz", Rev. Walker says, motioning his hand toward the empty seat.

As Fitz walks over to the chair, his breathing becomes shallow and his stomach starts to churn. He hopes Marla's condition has not deteriorated, or worse. He sits in the chair next to Darius and wonders when Rev. Walker added a third chair to his office.

"Thanks for joining us", the Congressman says. Fitz looks at him and wonders why Congressman Guildford is here. Darius didn't mention anything about meeting with the Congressman and Rev. Walker.

"Fitz", Darius begins. "We all know how close Olivia and Marla are –"

"Has something happened to Marla?" He asks nervously. "Is she?" Leaning forward in the chair and looking at Darius.

"No – no", Darius interjects quickly. "Marla is fine, as well as can be expected under the circumstances."

Fitz lets out a sigh of relief, runs his fingers through his hair, and leans back in the chair. He is relieved he does not have to upset Olivia with any bad news, especially bad news about Marla. Congressman Guildford looks at Darius with a raised eyebrow, signaling him to continue.

"Well Fitz, as I mentioned a week or so ago, we have to find a replacement for Marla."

Fitz nods. He has always known that Marla would not be able to resume her position although Olivia is still hopeful.

"We have to move fast on this", the Congressman says quickly.

Fitz looks over at the man and Darius, wondering why they are telling him all of this.

"Fitz, we want you to replace Marla - run for President of City Council - in the general election."

" _What?"_ Looking around at the trio and thinking this must be some sort of joke.

"You're perfect for the position", the Congressman says eagerly.

"I don't understand", looking at Darius with incredulity.

"We need someone who will advance policies that will have an actual impact on the lives of people", says Darius.

"Needless to say, this is all a surprise - unexpected", looking around at the men. His mind still unable to process what his ears are hearing. "I don't know anything about politics – about City Council."

"That would be the beauty of your candidacy", the Congressman says. Fitz furrows his brow, giving the man a puzzled look.

"The people are tired of career politicians. They want someone who isn't in the back pockets of special interest groups."

"Why me? I don't even live in the city Darius", still stunned by the men's proposition."

"First, the City Charter does not require the Council President to live in the city. You simply need to have a physical presence here, a home or a business."

Fitz mouth curls down as he listens intently to Darius speak.

"Both you and Olivia have a vested interest in the welfare and growth of this city. You both have successful businesses that contribute to the city's growth and tax base", Darius says.

"Don't you want to have control over how your tax dollars are spent?" Congressman Guilford jumps in again, and Fitz looks at the overly excited man. The man's exuberance is making him uncomfortable.

"Marla is a liberal Democrat. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a dyed-in-the-wool conservative Republican."

"Your political affiliation won't be an issue since you're not a politician. In fact, that's a nice part of the package."

Fitz looks at Darius curiously.

"You have the kind of background we need in that position", the Congressman interjects, dabbing his forehead with the blue handkerchief. Unable to decipher the meaning behind the Congressman's comment, Fitz gives the man a strange look.

"Fitz, you're a Navy veteran. While in the Navy you had a reputation for helping the little guy. You have a successful business. Your wife is well respected by a large segment of this city. And …"

"And?" His eyebrows raise higher, giving the Congressman a questioning look.

"Well, you're married to Olivia Pope – I mean Grant. And the city's demographics are changing. A marriage like yours will play nicely with the voters."

"Are you kidding me?" Standing abruptly from his seat. "I won't use my marriage and family as political ploys. Have a good day gentlemen."

Darius and Congressman Guildford smile, knowing they have just found their candidate, a man of integrity.

"Sit down Fitz", Rev. Walker says, speaking for the first time. "Please."

Fitz looks over at the man for whom he has a great deal of respect. Rev. Walker has helped him and Olivia through some of the most difficult times in their marriage and he will be indebted to him forever. So he nods, lowers his body back onto the chair, and crosses his legs.

"Fitz, what the Congressman was _trying_ to say is your wonderful family is a confluence of the kinds of values we would all like to see spread throughout our city. Love, honor, and commitment are the types of principles that need to be modeled for all our citizens."

Fitz nods, listening intently to the Reverend. He recognizes spin when he hears it.

"This city needs you, Fitz. With Marla being …. Well, we need someone who can help shape a better future for our citizens, especially those who are living under some of the most challenging of circumstances."

Fitz nods.

"As I said, this is all unexpected. I will need some time to think it over."

"We understand", Rev. Walker says.

"I would need to discuss it with Olivia, of course."

"Of course", the three men say in unison.

"But Fitz, you need to get back to us within the week", Darius says. "Someone from the other side has already thrown their hat into the ring."

Fitz nods.

"We need to get your campaign underway right away", Congressman Guildford says, grinning broadly as he dabs his chin with the handkerchief.

 **XXX**

Now that Maura is clear on what her primary work responsibilities are, she has been laser focused developing the content for the training courses. Thanks to Fitzgerald she now has an impressive slate of speakers who will share their expertise with the organizers. For a while, she was afraid her son was going to be her only expert speaker. Wanting to finalize the first course and have it on Mona's desk for her to review first thing in the morning, Maura heads over to the Foundation after church. As she walks down the narrow hallway, toward the conference room-office, her black kitten heel pumps and nude panty hose are suddenly covered in water.

"What the?" Looking down at the floor.

She walks to Olivia's office and water is everywhere. Items that were once sitting on the desk are now floating in the water on the floor.

"Oh my god", her eyes dart around the room.

With water sloshing around her feet, Maura hurries into the tiny office in an attempt to save Olivia and Fitzgerald's wedding picture and the picture of them smiling happily with Cena. She grabs the two frames floating in the water and looks around the office again trying to figure out where all of the water is coming from. She wades through the water and down the hall toward Mona's office where the same devastation awaits her.

"Oh no."

Maura brings her hands to the sides of her face when she sees Mona's plastic Betty-Boop lunch bag floating atop the water. She runs into the office, snatches the lunch bag from floor, and sets it on top of the metal file cabinet. Kicking off her shoes, Maura splashes down the hall to her conference room-office where she is greeted by a steady stream of water flowing from under the door. She gasps and places one hand on her chest and slowly turns the doorknob with the other hand. The force from the water prevents the door from opening fully so she places both palms on the door and pushes it open, and the water rushes out of the office.

"Oh my god", she exclaims, now standing in six inches of water.

As she stands in the doorway, Maura looks around the room and sees the water is raining down from the overhead sprinkler situated in the middle of the ceiling. Everything has been soaked by the deluge. She looks over at the wooden table holding her assortment of teas and coffees and, unthinkingly, rushes into the room to retrieve them and is drenched immediately by the downpour.

"Oh no."

Maura stands frozen with her hands above her head trying in vain to shield herself from the water shooting out of the sprinkler head. Out of the corner of her eyes she sees her yellow legal notepads sitting on the desk and, wanting to save all of her hard work, she wades quickly over to her desk. But in her haste, she slips and falls onto the floor, and begins to cry as her Sunday dress billowed out around her.

 **XXX**

Every Sunday after church it has become their routine for Fitz to prepare a light dinner for them to eat outside on the deck. And, after dinner they would all go for a swim, but only after Olivia deemed when it was safe to get into the water after eating. Today, however, with only a week to go in their pregnancy, Olivia has opted not to swim, although she feels like she could easily float across the pool. So she reclines on the lounge chair in her bathing suit and cover-up, drafting the plan for the Wraparound Program to support the children in Springfield Heights who have been affected by the lead-contaminated water. Cena is playing with the mountain of toys stacked in the corner of the deck, waiting for her father to finish cleaning the kitchen so she can go swimming. Olivia smiles when she sees Fitz walking onto the deck carrying a glass of his special tea. She taps her fingers on her knee thinking she has to figure out how to get that recipe from him.

"I met with Darius and Congressman Guildford in Rev. Walker's office today", setting the glass on the table next to Olivia, then sitting on the edge of her chair. Olivia shoots to an upright position and grabs her stomach, fearful that something has happened to Marla.

"Why? What happened? Is Marla?"

"Marla is fine", raking his fingers through his hair.

She looks askance at him, realizing something is making him uncomfortable.

"Then why did you meet with Darius and Congressman Guildford?"

"They want me to run for President – of City Council – in the upcoming election", he says quickly.

" _What?"_

Tears well up in her eyes because the Council looking for a new President eliminates the possibility of Marla ever resuming her position.

"Livvie", he says sympathetically, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

"This just makes it all so real Fitz", muttering through the tears as they fall onto his bare chest.

"I haven't agreed to anything – this is all a surprise to me."

"She's not going to get better is she?"

"She will – she will. She might not be the same as before, but she'll get better", trying to provide his wife some degree of solace.

She holds onto him for a few more minutes before pulling back and brushing away her tears.

"Why you? You don't know anything about city government – about the Council."

"That's what I said. But that's what they like. They like that I'm not a career politician – not beholding to anyone. They like that we have businesses in the city – that we have vested interests in the growth of the city."

"But we don't live in the city."

"Apparently Council members don't have to live in the city."

"Marla lives in the city."

And the tears begin to fall again as she wonders if she will be able to go to Marla's apartment next week to pick up her mail.

"I won't do this Liv if you don't want me to."

"Do you want to do it?" She asks tearfully.

"I don't know. Frankly, I haven't had a lot of time to think about it."

"What about your business? City Council President is a full-time job, and then some."

"I don't know. I haven't thought about anything yet. I wanted to discuss it with you first. So what do you think, is it something we should do?"

"I don't know", staring over his shoulder at the water in the pool. "You can do a lot of good for the city. Do they know you're a conservative Republican?"

"They do. Marla has been terrific, but apparently they want someone with a business background and – "

"And what?" Giving him a puzzled look.

"Well … " Running his fingers through his hair again.

"And what, Fitz?" Looking at him curiously.

"Well, Rev. Walker says –"

"Rev. Walker was at the meeting, too?"

"I told you we met in his office."

"But you didn't say he was at the meeting."

"Why would we meet in his office if he …" Fitz shakes his head in frustration. "Liv, we're getting off track."

And she frowns, trying to understand why Rev. Walker was part of a secret meeting.

"Rev. Walker thinks – well he thinks that we – our family - could be an example for the city. The demographics are changing", he says quickly.

She tilts her head and gives him a puzzled look because she has no idea what he is talking about. He is saying a lot of words but they do not mean anything to her.

"What do the changing demographics of the city have to do with our family?"

"The city is becoming more - diverse", staring at her intently to see if she gets his drift.

"I still don't …" Then the lightbulb finally goes off in her head.

"Are you kidding me? I won't let our family be an advertisement for the Colours of Benneton or anyone else's poster for diversity." She struggles, unsuccessfully, to get up from the lounge chair.

"Are they still around?" He asks, looking at her seriously. "I haven't heard anything about that company in years. They did make some pretty controversial advertisements."

" _Fitz, this is not about Benneton."_

"Calm down, Liv. I had the same reaction", placing his hand on her thigh to still her movements.

And she frowns, looking at him suspiciously.

"Well, the way Rev. Walker put it, it kind of makes sense."

"So you want to do this?"

"I don't know. We have a baby coming any day now. There's so much we need to consider."

She furrows her brow and looks at him for a long while.

"Do it", and he looks at her in surprise. "You can do so much for the city. If someone has to fill the position then Marla would want you to do it."

"No, Marla would want you to do it", he says with a smirk.

"I don't do politics."

"And neither do I."

"Well you do now. Do it, babe. Run for President."

"Are you sure, even with the baby coming?"

"I'm sure, now pucker", running her fingers through the hairs at the nape of his neck. Feeling somewhat better about the prospect of her husband replacing Marla, she inserts her tongue in his mouth and they kiss deeply until the baby gives her a swift kick, taking her breath away.

"Wow", pulling back and grabbing her side. "That was a big one. I guess he wants you to run for President, too." And he rubs her stomach as they both chuckle.

"Daddy, may I have ice cream, pleeeease?" Cena screams as she runs over from playing with her toys.

"Not today, Princess. It's getting late. The last time you ate ice cream this late we were up all night because you couldn't sleep."

Cena pokes out her bottom lip and sits on the other side of the lounge chair.

"I'm going to get in a few laps before we get ready for bed", standing from the lounge chair. "Are you ready to swim with me, Cee?"

"No", folding her arms across her chest and poking out her bottom lip. Fitz is shocked because Cena never rejects his invitation to swim or do anything else, and Olivia chuckles at the expression on his face.

"Okay. Let me know if you change your mind."

Fitz walks over to the edge of the pool and dives in, splattering water on Olivia and Cena.

"I'm going to get more tea, Cee. Do you want something?"

Olivia struggles to her feet and Cena follows her into the kitchen.

"Cee, I just love daddy's tea", opening the refrigerator and lifting the pitcher of raspberry iced tea from the shelf. "Would you like some juice?"

Still sulking, Cena shakes her head no.

"Would you like to have just a tiny bit of ice cream?" Olivia asks, resting a hand on her hip as she looks at her pouting daughter.

Cena's face brightens until she thinks about what her father said.

"But daddy said no."

"I'm the bossy lady", reaching into the freezer for the container of Cena's favorite ice cream.

"Sprinkles too, mommy", Cena says excitedly as Olivia sets the ice cream onto the island top

"Okay, sprinkles it is."

Olivia walks into the pantry and stands on her tippy toes, stretching her arm to reach the sprinkles that are on the top shelf. As her fingers wrap around the small plastic container, she and Cena gasp at the same time. They both watch, in shock, as the fluid gushes from between her legs and forms a puddle on the floor.

" _Cena, go get daddy. Hurry."_

With mouth and eyes wide open, Cena continues to stare as her mother wets the floor in the pantry.

" _Cena! Get daddy. Now!"_ Shaking the little girl from her stupor.

Cena takes off running with her pool shoes flipping flopping across the tiled kitchen floor. She does not know why her mother is peeing on the floor but she knows it is important to get daddy. When she gets outside, she sees her father is still swimming laps in the deep end of the pool. She knows she cannot go into the deep end without an adult so she screams for her father, who continues to glide through the water.

" _Daddy. Daddy"_ , she yells, but he does not hear her as he swims toward the edge of the pool.

Cena starts running to the side of the pool where her father is approaching, but when she gets there he has already made his turn and is now swimming back across the water to the opposite side of the pool.

" _Daddy. Daddy."_ Cena screams again, trying to catch up with her father as he glides through the water.

Shuh, shuh, shuhis the sound Fitz makes as he glides through the water, drowning out Cena's cries.

" _Daddy. Daddy"_ , running and screaming at the top of her lungs as her father finishes his final lap. As she makes her way to the other side of the pool where her father is now resting his arms on the pool's edge, Cena is breathing heavily and her chest is burning from running back and forth.

" _Daddy. Daddy."_

"What's the matter, Cee?" Looking curiously at his excited daughter. "Do you want to swim now?"

" _Mommy's peeing"_ , she says, bending over at the waist and gasping for breath.

"Mommy's always peeing", he says, shaking the water from his hair head as he climbs up the ladder.

" _Mommy pee on the floor – in the kitchen"_ , nodding her head up and down as she looks up at her father with wide eyes.

Fitz looks at his agitated daughter and finally realizes what is happening. He takes off running across the patio and through the French doors. Cena takes off running too, trying to catch up with her father. When Fitz reaches the kitchen, he stops in the doorway when he sees Olivia standing in the pantry, holding something in her hand, and staring down at the floor with a look of surprise spread across her face. Cena rushes to her father's side and looks across the kitchen at her mother who is still peeing.

"I told you mommy peed", she says huffing, once again out of breath.

"Are you all right?" Water dripping from his body and now standing in his own puddle.

"We have to get to the hospital, Fitz."

"Stand right here, Cena", walking over to his wife. "Are you all right?" Looking up and down at his wife's face and the fluid pooling around her feet.

"We're going to have another baby", she says in wonderment.

Cena looks at her mommy's stomach and wonders how the baby is going to get out of her tummy.

"We're having another baby", he says goofily, resting his left hand on her stomach and the other hand on her shoulder. "Have the contractions started?"

"Just beginning. We have to get dressed."

Olivia looks over and sees that Cena is frightened and close to tears.

"Babe, let's get upstairs so you can get Cee dressed."

"Are you sure?" He asks anxiously and she nods.

"The contractions are just beginning. Take care of Cee, then you get dressed. I'll take a quick shower and get dressed."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Call Dr. Perry and let him know we're on our way to the Birthing Center."

"Are you sure?"

He has a rich vocabulary and is known for using his oratory skills to win massive judgements for his clients, but in this moment it seems like he only knows three words.

"Babe, calm down and breathe. I'm fine. I just wasn't expecting my water to break today. Let's just follow the plan."

"The plan?" Looking at her dumbfounded.

He has a logical mind and should know what to do, but in this moment he cannot seem to remember anything. They've practiced for this moment several times and he has been through this before, but it all feels so new.

" _The plan, Fitz. Get Cee."_

And a huge contraction hits her.

"Are you okay?" He asks nervously.

" _Contraction. Big one. We gotta go. Where's your mother?"_

"Who?"

" _Your mother, Fitz. Where is Maura?"_ She yells.

" _I don't know"_ , he yells, hardly recognizing his high-pitched voice.

" _We have to get moving. Get Cee dressed."_

He nods and swoops her up in his arms.

"I can walk Fitz", and another contraction hits her hard, causing her to double over in pain.

"No you can't", carrying her from the kitchen.

After watching her anxious father carry her mother from the kitchen, Cena looks over at the container of strawberry ice cream sitting on the island top.

" _Come on Cena"_ , Fitz yells, and Cena takes off running again.


	20. Chapter 20 Sister Act

**A/N: Dakidd** , Cena really did want that ice cream. **Guest** , of course beholden. Will never catch every typo or AutoCorrect change. Glad you're reading the text closely. #LinguistsRock.

 **Chapter 20. Sister Act**

After getting Olivia upstairs and into the shower, the details of the plan come flooding back to him and him quickly springs into action. He dresses Cena while Olivia showers. He grabs their overnight bags, which have been sitting in the corner of their walk-in closet for weeks. He runs down the stairs, tosses the overnight bags into the trunk of the car, then runs back upstairs to get Cena from her bedroom. Lifting Cena from the bed, Fitz hurries back down the stairs as Cena repeatedly taps her father on the shoulder.

"What is it, Princess?" He says hurriedly, already halfway down the stairs.

"Biker Princess", Cena says, pointing upstairs toward her bedroom.

Without hesitation, Fitz rushes back upstairs to retrieve his daughter's favorite toy. Finally getting Cena strapped into her car seat, he delivers her a few words of comfort before running back into the house to get Olivia.

"I'll be right back sweetheart. I'm going to get mommy. Don't be nervous, everything is going to be fine. Okay?"

Cena shakes her head up and down thinking she is not nervous at all.

"I'm coming, Liv", he yells, running back up the staircase, taking two steps at a time.

When he gets to the top of the staircase, Olivia is walking out of their bedroom.

"What are you doing on your feet?" He asks anxiously. "Are the contractions bad?"

"Not too bad. Did you put our bags in the car?" She asks, getting ready to walk down the stairs.

"I did", swooping her up into his arms.

"I can walk to the car Fitz", but he ignores her protests and carries her down the staircase.

 **XXX**

"Are you okay Cee?" Turning around in her seat to check on her daughter as Fitz fumbles with her seatbelt.

"Yes, mommy", kicking the back of the driver's seat as she twists and turns Biker Princess.

As Fitz weaves through the traffic, his anxiety heightens because he has not been able to contact his mother; she was part of the plan. Maura was to watch Cena at the hospital once Olivia was ready to deliver. He presses the button on the steering wheel again to activate the Voice Control System.

"Mom", he calls out and the system dials his mother's phone number, but once again his call goes straight to voicemail.

 _"Dammit"_ , he says in frustration.

"Ooh", Cena says, covering her mouth with her hands and giggling. She always thinks it is funny when her daddy slips and says a bad word.

"Calm down, babe. Maybe her battery died."

Fitz calls John to let him know Olivia is in labor and they are on their way to the hospital.

"Call Bennie for me, will ya? I don't have his number programmed."

After talking to John, he calls Nora and the call goes directly to voicemail too. Finally he calls his father.

When he pulls up to the hospital's entrance to the Birthing Center, a nurse dressed in purple scrubs is waiting behind the glass doors with a wheelchair. She smiles inwardly as she watches the anxious husband jump out of the car and run around to the passenger side to help his wife get out of the car. The nurse pushes the wheelchair outside to the curb and Fitz helps Olivia onto the wheelchair. With both hands resting on the arms of the wheelchair, he hunches over her and gives her a reassuring look.

"You're going to be fine. I'll be right back. I'm going to get Cee", nodding his head up and down.

"Hello Mrs. Grant", the nurse says, smiling politely at Olivia. "My name is Inez Wilder and I will be your nurse while you are here at James Madison."

"Thank you", glancing over at her husband as he struggles to get Cena out of the car seat and stand her on the sidewalk next to the wheelchair. Olivia shakes her head as she watches Fitz grab Cena's backpack from the backseat of the car and haphazardly strap it onto the little girl's back.

"That's wrong daddy", Cena says, squirming to straighten the backpack.

"Mr. Grant, I'll take care of Cena and get Mrs. Grant settled in her room while you park the car."

"Thank you", he says nervously, setting Olivia's small toiletries bag onto her lap. "Don't worry, everything is going to be fine", pecking her on the lips.

"I'm fine, Fitz. Slow down, babe. Don't run over anyone in the parking lot", winking at him.

"Cena, go with mommy and the nice lady and I'll be in soon. Okay?" Tousling her curly hair reassuringly before jogging around to the driver's side of the car.

Cena looks up at her father and nods her head up and down, wondering what is wrong with her father.

"And Mr. Grant, make sure to check in at the front desk when you return."

Fitz nods as he opens the car door.

"Fitz", Olivia yells out. "Don't forget the bags in the trunk", scrunching her face when she feels another mild spasm.

"Let's get you inside, Mrs. Grant. Come with us Cena", Nurse Wilder smiles politely at the little girl who is holding the daredevil girl riding on a red bicycle.

 **XXX**

Cena skips alongside her mother as Nurse Wilder wheels Olivia down the hall toward her spacious, private birthing suite.

"Mommy, the room with the toys", Cena yells and takes off running toward the suite, which is decorated to look like a home-away-from-home.

"Slow down Cee", Olivia calls out, bracing herself for another contraction when she feels the fluttering in her stomach.

Cena slips off the backpack, lets it drop to the floor, and runs over to the play area. Nurse Wilder helps Olivia out of the wheelchair and onto the bed.

"How far apart are your contractions, Mrs. Grant?"

"About 30 minutes", and the nurse nods as she starts to take Olivia's vitals.

"I know you and Mr. Grant planned to labor in the birthing tub but that won't be possible now - since your water broke at home."

"I understand", Olivia smiles somewhat nervously.

"You're going to be fine, Mrs. Grant", looking at her watch as she takes Olivia's pulse. "We'll help you to manage the pain as much as possible", sliding the thermometer into Olivia's mouth. "Dr. Perry will be in shortly to see how much your cervix is dilated."

Olivia nods and 45 minutes later Fitz rushes into the suite, sweaty and out of breath.

"What happened to you?" Looking at her husband who is obviously irritated about something.

"That receptionist kept me at the front desk forever asking me all kinds of stupid questions", he says in frustration.

"She's just doing her job, babe."

"How are you feeling? Are you all right? How far apart are the contractions? Sliding his phone from his pocket.

"I'm fine. Dr. Perry just examined me. He says I'm only three centimeters. "Babe, put Cee's snacks in the refrigerator and drink some water. It's going to be a while."

Fitz runs his hand through his hair and looks around the room.

"When do we get into the birthing tub? Should I put on my trunks?" Grabbing his overnight bag.

"We don't", looking through her overnight bag for a nightgown.

Cocking his head to the side, Fitz turns and looks at his wife with puzzlement spread across his face.

"What? Why not?"

"It's not safe. Since my water broke at the house we can't get into the birthing tub. The water might get into the birth canal."

He nods, trying to process what she just said.

"Drink some water babe and sit down. You're making me nervous."

Olivia grabs onto the side of the bed as another mild contraction hits her, and Fitz presses the stopwatch on his phone. After a few moments, after the contraction has passed, she regains her composure and slides on her nightgown.

"Seventeen minutes", he says, setting the phone onto the nightstand. "How severe are they?"

"They're getting a little harder and lasting a little longer", she says, sitting onto the bed.

"John and Abigail are on their way", walking over to the refrigerator to get a bottle of water. "They can watch Cee once things get rolling."

"Once things get rolling?" Looking at him with a raised eyebrow. "From where I sit things are already rolling."

"You know what I mean Liv", unscrewing the top from the bottle of water.

"Have you heard from your mother?"

"No, my calls go straight to voicemail – same for Nora. Don't you think that's kind of strange for mom? Maybe not for Nora – but for mom …"

Olivia frowns, thinking it is odd for Maura not to check her phone since she plays that silly bird game all the time.

"Do you want something to drink, Cee?" Peeking around the corner at his daughter who is sitting on the floor in the play area.

"No, daddy." Cena is perfectly content to entertain herself with all of the colorful toys.

"Do you want something, Liv?"

"I'll take one of those Popsicles", climbing down from the bed.

"You should stay in bed, Liv."

"I need to walk around, Fitz. Walking helps."

"Nice digs", John says as he walks into the room with Abby, who is carrying Ethan.

"How are you doing, Olivia?" Abby asks, giving her a sympathetic look.

" _Cee-Cee",_ John yells when he sees his favorite niece in the play area.

" _Uncle John"_ , Cena yells, running over to her uncle and jumping into his arms.

"Mommy's having a baby."

"I know. Are you excited to meet your brother or sister?"

Cena shrugs her shoulders and John kisses her cheek.

"I know how you feel Cee-Cee. I know how you feel. Your dad knocked me off the pedestal when he came along."

John smiles at his anxious brother who is sitting on the bed watching his wife remove the wrapper from the orange Popsicle.

"How are you doing, brother?" John asks with a smirk.

"Why are you asking him?" Olivia barks at her brother-in-law. "He's not in labor." Her anger is beginning to build.

"You tell him, Olivia", Abby says, shooting slings and arrows at her husband with her eyes. "How many centimeters, Olivia?"

"Four the last time Dr. Perry checked. But I think it's more now", holding her breath as a contraction hits her. And Fitz presses the stopwatch again.

"I need to walk, Abby."

"Take your son", Abby says, handing Ethan to John. "Olivia and I have places to go."

"Do you want me to walk with you?" Fitz asks with concern as he stands from the bed holding his phone,

"No –no. Stay with Cee, babe", grabbing onto Abby's arm.

"Are you sure?" Looking at her with concern.

"Yes."

Unable to utter more than that monosyllabic word, she lets out a guttural groan when her uterus spasms again. And Fitz presses the stopwatch.

" _Put down that phone, Fitz!"_ She yells in frustration.

"Come on Olivia. Let's take a stroll down memory lane", steering her sister-in-law from the room.

Fitz, Cena, and John watch Abby and a hunched-over Olivia walk slowly from the suite.

"Relax brother, Liv is going to be fine. Where's mom?" Glancing around the room.

"I don't know. I can't get ahold of her or Nora."

 **XXX**

After getting drenched by the cold water shooting out of the sprinkler head in the conference room, the hot water spraying from the shower heads in her bathroom feels wonderful on Maura's skin. As she rinses the shampoo from her hair, she still cannot believe what she encountered at The Foundation. Thank goodness Mona got there quickly with her husband Tom, who was able to shut off the main water valve in the basement. Exhausted and ready for a good night's sleep, Maura slips under the cool, crisp bed covers and turns off the lamp. She will tell Olivia and Fitzgerald what happened in the morning. There is no point in waking them tonight.

 **XXX**

"Harder Amir, harder", Nora demands, sitting on the sink with her legs gapped wide open as Amir thrusts violently in her. Nora and Amir have been going at it like jack rabbits in Center's bathroom for the past hour. This is where they act out their carnal lust with abandon, in the evenings after Marcella has left to go home and on Sundays when the Center is closed. Unencumbered by the fear of getting caught by Marcella, Nora and Amir engage in every lascivious act imaginable. From the pulling of her hair, the biting into her flesh, and the new act of choking she recently introduced into their sexual escapades, it is all pleasurable pain that sends her to a level of ecstasy she needs to experience over and over and over.

"Yes, yes, yes." Nora screams out in pleasure as her head bangs against the mirror from the force of Amir's thrusts.

 **XXX**

"Yowl", Olivia hollers as she lay in the bed against Fitz' chest. He wipes the sweat from her forehead with the cool towel and sneakily presses the stopwatch on his phone.

"Breathe, baby, breathe", wrapping an arm just under her breasts.

Olivia curls her toes tightly and grinds her teeth as the next contraction hits her.

"Oh my god, Fitz. They're getting worse. I need to get on my hands and knees."

He helps her to get onto all fours and coaches her to breathe the way they were taught in class. But it is difficult for Olivia to remember to breathe when she is always holding her breath in anticipation of the next wave of contractions.

"Does this position help?" He asks, sitting behind her on his knees. And she shakes her head _no_ as the tears roll down her face.

An hour later, Dr. Perry comes back into the room to check her cervix.

"You're at seven now, Olivia. Three more to go then we'll be ready to bring this baby home."

With eyes shut tight, Olivia nods her head up and down.

"You're doing fine—just fine. I'll be back in another hour."

" _Owwww"_ , she screams out. "I need to lay on my side Fitz", she says, panting after the last contraction.

" _No! I said my left side!"_

And Fitz gently turns her onto her right side, which provides a degree of comfort.

"Where is Cee?" She asks breathlessly.

"In the next room with Abigail and John. She's sleeping."

"Well I'm glad someone can sleep", she says with a chuckle until she feels nauseous. "I feel sick, Fitz. I feel like I'm going to vomit."

He reaches for the plastic pink spittoon and holds it to her face.

" _Nothing's coming out", she cries. "Nothing's coming out."_

"Just breathe slowly, Liv. It won't be much longer."

" _How do you know that?"_ She snaps. _"Dr. Perry said no such thing."_

Nurse Wilder walks into the room to check on Olivia and smiles to herself when she hears the laboring mother-to-be snap at her husband, again.

"How are you doing, Olivia?" Looking at the spittoon that is mere inches from Olivia's face.

"I feel nauseous, but nothing will come out", she says weakly.

"I'll get you some ice chips, they should help calm the nausea."

Nurse Wilder walks from the room carrying the pink plastic pitcher and Olivia starts to cry when she feels another spasm.

"It hurts", gripping her side as a massive contraction hits her.

Fitz presses the stopwatch again. The contractions are strong, coming every two to three minutes, and lasting a little more than a minute. Olivia begins to shake and shiver as Nurse Wilder returns with the pitcher filled with ice chips. She shakes some ice into the pink plastic cup and hands it to Fitz.

"Feed these ice chips to her slowly, Mr. Grant. They should help with the nausea."

"Thank you", smiling politely as he takes the cup from the nurse's hand.

"Olivia, Dr. Perry will be in shortly to check on you."

Olivia ignores the woman as she opens her mouth for Fitz to drop the ice into her mouth.

"Do you want something for the pain?" He hates seeing his wife suffer like this.

" _Noooo._ I can do this. I want to do this."

 **XXX**

After eight hours of labor, Olivia's cervix is fully dilated and it is now time for their baby to greet the world. The cramping is intense as she lay on the delivery bed with her feet in the stirrups, listening to Dr. Perry's orders.

" _Push Olivia"_ , Dr. Perry commands.

She pushes hard, contorting her face, not in anger, but with love. She pushes, not in frenzy, but with determination, thinking about the long journey her baby is taking. She is pushing out all of the love and joy that lay deep in her soul for many lifetimes.

"Another hard push, Olivia."

And she pushes. The pain is excruciating, but she is no longer suffering. She is reveling in the glorious pain of childbirth, of bringing a new life into the world.

"I see the head", someone yells, and she thinks it's Fitz' voice.

"We're almost there, Olivia. _Push!_ "

Everyone in the room grows more excited as the baby's face begins to appear. First the forehead, next the nose and mouth, and finally the chin. Another contraction hits her hard and she feels her baby turning inside of her pelvis, making the long journey.

"Give me another hard push, Olivia."

Wanting to get the baby out, not because the pain is close to unbearable, but because she wants to thrust their baby into this wonderful world, so she bears down with all that is in her, letting out a growl similar to that of a wounded animal. And the baby's shoulders emerge, one at a time, followed by the body.

"Oh my God", Fitz exclaims, stumbling backward at the sight of his child completing the trek through the birth canal. With tears of joy streaming down his face, he marvels as their baby enters a new world.

"This is the longest journey you will ever take, little girl", Dr. Perry says.

Exhaustion intermixed with indescribable joy, Olivia collapses back onto the bed and smiles as Nurse Wilder dries off the infant girl with a towel. Fitz hurries over to Olivia's side, grinning like a mad man and placing wet kisses all over her face.

"Are you okay?" Grabbing her limp hand laying on the side of the bed.

Olivia nods weakly and smiles.

"She's beautiful Liv, absolutely beautiful", smiling in awe as he watches Dr. Perry suction his baby girl's mouth and nose to remove any remaining mucous.

Dr. Perry places the baby onto Olivia's stomach to reconnect the baby with her mother, and the room is immediately filled with the wails from a new life. Nurse Wilder covers the infant girl with a pink and white blanket and places a tiny pink- and yellow-striped knit hat on her head, which is covered with fine, straight hairs. Finally, Dr. Perry clamps the umbilical cord.

When Olivia hears their baby's cries fill the room, her heart grows full with love and wonder. She feels a sense of accomplishment because she knows she has done something amazing, something huge. She has brought another part of her soul, their soul, into the world. And she knows immediately that she wants to have this experience again.

 **XXX**

When Maura awakens the next morning, she smiles and stretches her arms above her head. She smiles because she is well rested and ready to tackle the world. But her enthusiasm turns quickly into horror as the memories of the night before come flooding back to her. She jumps out of bed, pulls on her robe, and hurries downstairs to the kitchen to tell Olivia and Fitz what happened at The Foundation.

As Maura walks into the kitchen, she cocks her head to the side and frowns when she sees the container of melted ice cream on the island top and dripping onto the floor.

"What the -?"

Walking slowly over to the island, Maura gasps when she steps into the puddle of melted ice cream. She kicks off her slippers, grabs the sticky container between her thumb and index finger, and tip-toes over to the waste bin and drops the now empty ice cream container into the trash. As she washes her hand, the doorbell rings.

"Good morning Mrs. Grant", Hilde says, walking to the closet in the foyer to hang up her jacket.

"Good morning Hilde", Maura says flatly, looking at Nora as she walks down the staircase.

"Nora, did you leave the ice cream on the counter last night?"

"What?" Nora asks in confusion as she makes her way to the kitchen.

"Oh my", Hilde says in shock when she sees the puddle of ice cream on the floor. "What in the world happened here?" Hilde looks over to Mrs. Grant and her daughter for an answer.

"Don't blame me", Nora says, unaffected by the unusual scene as she walks over to the coffeemaker. "Where are Fitz and Liv this morning?"

"I don't - oh my goodness", Maura exclaims, digging into her pocket for her phone. She has three missed calls from Fitzgerald last night. With all that happened at The Foundation yesterday she did not think to check her phone for messages.

"What's the matter mom?" Pressing the button to start the coffeemaker.

"Mrs. Grant …" Hilde says, eyeing the woman carefully because Maura looks as if she has seen a ghost.

" _They're at the hospital. Olivia is having the baby",_ Maura says excitedly.

" _Our baby is coming"_ , Hilde clasps her hands together and shouts with glee. Maura and Nora look at the usually reserved Hilde in disbelief.

" _Come on Nora, we have to get dressed and get to the hospital",_ Maura says excitedly, running from the kitchen with Nora on her heels.

"Tell Mrs. and Mr. Grant I will prepare everything to welcome home our baby", Hilde calls out happily as she scurries to the broom closet to get the mop and bucket.

 **XXX**

" _Ben",_ Olivia says cheerily when she sees her old friend and brother-in-law walk into the room.

"Congratulations, Olivia. Congratulations, brother", shaking Fitz' hand. "Sorry, I'm just getting here but I was on call last night."

"Thanks for coming, Bennie", Fitz says, slapping him on the back.

"Hey Abigail – John."

"Hello, Benjamin", Abby says with a smile.

"Haven't seen you in a while brother", John says, giving his youngest brother a hug.

"I've been busy", Bennie says before turning his attention back to Olivia and the baby.

"So, what do we have this time?" Walking over to the bed where Olivia is holding the sleeping baby. "Boy or girl?"

"A girl", Olivia says happily, turning the baby so Bennie can see her face.

"She's beautiful, Liv", looking down and smiling at his sleeping niece.

"She is", Olivia beams proudly.

"I have flowers for you but the nurse intercepted them. She thinks they would present better if they were in a vase."

"Thanks, Ben."

"Oh, I have something for you, too", looking over at his brother.

Bennie reaches inside of his jacket pocket and pulls out two cigars and hands one to Fitz.

"We have to plan a time to light these with a nice glass of scotch", Bennie says, handing the other cigar to John.

"I haven't had one of these in a long time", Fitz says, gliding the Havana under his nose and inhaling the magnificent scent.

"And it will be even longer after you've had that one", looking at her husband with a raised brow. "Our children need a father who is healthy and can chase them around the house."

"We see who wears the pants in that Grant house", John says, throwing his head back in laughter.

"We do", Abby says, snatching the cigar from her husband's hand as Maura and Nora hurry into the room somewhat out of breath.

"We just found out", Maura gushes. "I am so sorry, Olivia that I was not home last night to help you and Fitzgerald. How are you feeling? Is everything all right?"

"Everything is fine, Maura. Come meet your newest grandchild."

Maura scampers over to the bed and lifts the baby from Olivia's arms.

"Oh Olivia, she is absolutely beautiful. She looks like Nora when she was born. How much does she weigh?"

"She's eight pounds and two ounces", Fitz says proudly. "And 20 inches long", he adds quickly, as if it was essential for his mother to have that bit of information.

"Oh, you are a big one, aren't you?" Cooing at her granddaughter who still has not awakened.

"Let me see her mom", Nora says, pushing past Bennie. And Abby rolls her eyes at her sister-in-law.

"Careful Nora", Maura cautions her excited daughter.

"And congratulations Liv – Fitz", Nora says as an afterthought.

"Thank you, Nora", Fitz and Olivia say at the same time.

"Mom, where were you last night? I called you several times."

"I'll explain later, dear", smiling at her granddaughter. And the baby begins to cry. "Aww, are you hungry? I think somebody needs her mommy", placing the baby back into Olivia's arms.

Fitz sits on the side of the bed and strokes the baby's cheek with the side his index finger as he watches his daughter suckle Olivia's breast. A knock on the door causes everyone to turn and look in the direction of the sound, and the room grows quiet at the sight of the man whose large stature fills the doorway.

"May I come in? I heard there's a new addition to the family", Gerry says sheepishly.

"Of course", Fitz says, rushing over to his father. "Come on in dad", draping an arm around his shoulder and ushering him into the room.

John looks his at father who appears to be in better shape today than the last time he saw him. Aside from looking a little tired, Gerry is clean-shaven and his thick, white hair is combed neatly.

"Congratulations Olivia – Fitzgerald."

"Thanks dad."

"Thank you, Gerry."

"This is really some room. They didn't have places like this when you kids came along", looking over at his wife. "Hello Maura. You're looking well."

"Hello Gerry", nervously twisting her wedding set.

"John, Abigail – Nora", nodding to each family member as he greets them.

"Would you like to hold your granddaughter, Gerry?" Olivia asks.

"Ah, another girl", he says, smiling as he walks over to the bed and taking the sleeping infant from Olivia's arms. Tears sting the back of his eyes as he admires the newest member of the Grant family and as he thinks about his fractured family.

"She is absolutely beautiful. You two have done well again."

" _Gramps"_ , Cena yells, running from the second bedroom wearing her pajamas and carrying Biker Princess. Cena wraps her arms around her grandfather's legs, looks up at the giant of a man, and smiles.

"There's my Cena", looking down at his oldest grandchild with a genuine smile on his face.

Gerry kisses the baby on her forehead and places her back into Olivia's arms.

"Cee, come meet your sister", Fitz says, beckoning his older daughter over to the bed.

Cena crinkles her nose and tilts her head slightly.

"Come say hello to your sister", stretching his hand toward Cena. "Say hello to Jolie", Fitz says, smiling broadly.

"What kind of name is that?" Gerry bellows, demonstrating he has not developed a filter over the past four months he has been living alone.

The entire family glares at the insensitive man as Cena walks slowly across the room and takes her father's outstretched hand. Fitz frowns at his father before picking up Cena. She wraps her legs around her father's waist and twirls her fingers in his hair as she looks over at the baby who is sleeping in her mother's arms. Then she looks back at her father's smiling face with confusion in her eyes.

"She's not a boy?" Cena asks softly, and every tooth can be counted in his mouth as Fitz throws his head back in laughter. Everyone joins Fitz in laughter and Cena wonders what is so funny.

 **XXX**

Mona sits on the sofa in her living room and lets out a heavy sigh as she reaches for the cup of steaming, hot coffee sitting on the table next to the sofa. She shakes her head as she blows the surface of the hot liquid before bringing the cup to her lips. This is an unusual Monday morning for Mona, instead of being at The Foundation drinking her second cup of coffee of the morning, she is sitting on her sofa preparing to call Olivia's insurance agent to submit a claim for all of the damage the water did to the office.

As Mona reflects on seeing all of that water flowing throw every part of the office, she shakes her head in disbelief. She has never seen anything like that in her life. As she plays the sight over and over in her mind, she is overcome by an overwhelming feeling of sadness. She is heartbroken that the place she has worked at for all of these years has been destroyed because of a faulty sprinkler head. And, the flood could not have happened at a worse time. Olivia is ready to deliver her baby any day now and this is the last thing she needs to deal with. Mona knows Olivia is going to be devastated when she finds out what happened to the business in which she has poured her heart and soul.

Mona sets the coffee cup onto the saucer and calls the insurance agent, Lisa Woodrow. She has been Olivia's agent since she opened The Foundation. After hearing the circumstances surrounding the claim, Lisa offers her sympathies to Mona's and schedules her to meet the claims adjuster at two o'clock. When Mona finishes the call, she leans against the sofa's back cushion and wonders how the sprinkler in the conference room could have malfunctioned when just a few months ago Bobby performed the annual inspection and certified the system was functioning properly. As she thinks about what, if anything can be salvaged, Mona's phone begins to ring and she sees Maura's name and number display on the screen.

"Good morning, Maura. You're up awfully early this morning after such a long night."

"Olivia had a girl", Maura blurts out excitedly. "She's in the hospital and everyone is well – she is well – the baby is well."

"Oh my goodness, that's wonderful Maura. She's a couple of days early isn't' she?"

"She is. They all went to the hospital yesterday while – well – while everything was happening at the office", she says softly, looking over her shoulder to make sure no one can hear her.

"Well tell Olivia and Fitz I said congratulations and that I will be over to see them and that beautiful baby later this afternoon. I have to meet with the claims adjuster over at The Foundation at two. But I want to get over there early and try to salvage as much as I can before the adjuster sends out a cleaning crew."

"Good – good", Maura says softly. "Mona, I have not said a word to Olivia. I just didn't think it was appropriate. They are so happy with the new baby."

"I think that's best, Maura. Let's discuss it when I get over there later."

 **XXX**

Quincy Borders, the claims adjuster, determined that the degree of damage he witnessed at The Foundation indicates the water had been pouring down from the sprinkler head for hours. Quincy told Mona it was fortunate that someone decided to come into the office over the weekend and discovered the flooding. He said if the defective sprinkler head had not been detected until Monday morning, then the office would have been a total loss. Quincy scheduled a cleaning crew to come over later to dry up the water and throw out all of the water-logged carpet and furniture. He said all of the drywall and hardwood floors would have to be removed to prevent mold, and estimated it will take at least six weeks to renovate the office.

As Mona walks down the hall of the Birthing Center, toward Olivia's suite, she sees Fitz talking to Maura and another man.

" _What?"_ Fitz exclaims in disbelief.

"That's why I was not home last night when Olivia went into labor. After church, I went to the office to finalize the first course for the training program and that is when I saw water everywhere. It was just awful, Fitzgerald. Apparently the sprinkler in the conference room malfunctioned and flooded the entire place. Everything, and I mean everything, is ruined. The furniture. The carpet. Everything. And, most of my legal pads with all of my notes were soaked."

"I can't believe this", Fitz says, running his fingers through his hair.

"Mom, you should have a laptop to do your work", Bennie says. "Paper is just unsafe."

"I can't think about that right now Bennie", she says somewhat annoyed with her son.

"Congratulations Fitz. I hear you and Olivia have another beautiful daughter", Mona says as she walks toward the family with a big smile on her face.

"Thank you, Mona. She is beautiful", he says proudly.

"Mona, this is my youngest son, Benjamin."

"Nice to meet you Benjamin", Mona smiles and shakes the young man's hand.

"And you as well", Bennie smiles politely.

"Mona", Fitz begins with worry etched into his face. "Mom was just telling us about the office – about it being flooded?"

"Your mother is a hero, Fitz. If she hadn't stopped by the office – well it would've been a complete loss."

Maura waives her hand dismissively.

"I'm hardly a hero, Mona."

"I don't want Olivia to know about any of this - not until she is discharged and home with Jolie."

"How long will she be here?" Maura asks.

"We'll be here for two more days."

"Fitz, I've already called Olivia's insurance agent and met with the claims adjuster this afternoon. They're going to get a crew over there later today and start cleaning out the place. I've already tossed out a few things before the odor sets in and saved as much as I could. The adjuster says a total renovation is probably needed. The office will be shut down for about six weeks while the work is being done."

"God, Liv is going to be upset when she hears about this", he says, pacing back and forth. He abruptly stops pacing, turns, and gives everyone a serious look. "Nobody say a word about this to Liv. I'll tell her everything when we get home."

Everyone nods in agreement.

"When Liv takes her nap, I'll go over there and take a look at things."

"I'll go with you", Bennie chimes in.

"Thanks, Bennie."

 **XXX**

Fitz frowns as he and Bennie walk down the hall of The Foundation. He shakes his head in disbelief when they finally reach the conference room.

"This is unbelievable. It's worse than I thought it would be. Everything is destroyed."

"It must've been a bad valve", Bennie says, using his foot to push debris out of his way as he walks over to the desk and retrieves his mother's yellow legal pads.

 **XXX**

When Fitz returned to the hospital he finds all three of his girls are sleeping. Cena lay in bed with Olivia and Jolie lay sound asleep in her crib. He smiles when he hears all three snore lightly. It has been a long 24 hours and he is exhausted. He has not slept since they arrived at the Birthing Center yesterday afternoon. With the excitement of becoming a father again, all of the visitors coming and going, and then hearing about The Foundation, sleep was the furthest thing from his mind. Although his body is tired, his mind is racing, so he decides to take this quiet time to reflect on the birth of his second beautiful daughter. He pulls the tablet from his overnight bag, sits down in the large chair, and begins to type.

 _Olivia's water had already broke at home, in the pantry, and she was having mild contractions by the time we arrived at the Birthing Center. Her back was hurting from carrying the extra weight of Jolie during the pregnancy. I did as much as I could to comfort her without becoming an annoyance, but I suspect my timing the contractions had begun to irritate her._

 _When John, Abigail, and Ethan arrived, the contractions were beginning to get stronger and more frequent. Olivia would get as comfortable as she could laying down in bed until another contraction hit and forced her out of bed. It hurt her too much to stay in bed while the contractions happened, so she and Abigail went for a long walk around the hospital while John and I waited in the room with Cena and Ethan. I was so thankful to have John with me because I was a nervous wreck. One would think I was a first-time father._

 _When Olivia and Abigail returned from their walk, Olivia was in much greater pain. I followed her around the suite as she walked through the contractions. Since we couldn't get into the birthing tub to help manage her pain, I wanted to do more. So I would stand ready to give her water, or the exercise ball, or a back rub, when she asked, and not a minute before._

 _As the hours dragged on, John and Abigail took Ethan and Cena into the next bedroom and they all took a nap. Dr. Perry and Nurse Wilder checked on Olivia frequently, checking her dilation and asking if she was all right._

 _When the big moment came to deliver our baby, Olivia was a real champ. I didn't think I could love my wife any more than I already did, but when I saw how Olivia worked so hard to bring our child into the world, pushing through the almost unbearable pain, I loved her even more. She is an incredible woman and I will love her with all of my heart forever._

 _When I was finally able to hold our little girl, I was overcome with such love and joy I couldn't stop the flow of tears. Words cannot express the awe I felt seeing my second child being born. Hearing her cry for the first time was beyond amazing. I'm a dad again and I love my expanded family more than I ever imagined possible._

 _Welcome home, Jolie_

 _May 21, 2016 - 9:17 pm_

 _James Madison Hospital Birthing Center_

 **XXX**

Amir has been trying to keep his distance from Nora all day because he wants to focus his attention on painting the mural in the community room and does not want to be distracted by her antics. He is glad Marcella gave Nora work to do in the smaller room next to the office so he does not have to deal with her trying to tempt him. Since Nora established their safe word they have been hooking up almost daily. And although Amir enjoys the insane sex with Nora, he thinks she is kind of strange. In fact, he thinks something might be seriously wrong with the woman. As he rolls the red paint onto the wall, he thinks about some of the freaky things Nora has taught him to do to her and wonders where she learned about all of that stuff.

"Amir", Marcella calls out and he almost jumps off of the ladder at the sound of her voice. "Why are you so jumpy today?" Marcella asks, walking over to the ladder.

"I was just thinking. I got a lot on my mind today, Marcella."

"Are the headaches back?" Marcella whispers with concern in her voice.

"Naw, everything's cool Marcella", giving her a fake smile.

"You'd tell me if they were back, wouldn't you?" Looking at him closely.

"You worry too much, Marcella. Where are you going?" He asks nervously, looking at the pocketbook strapped across her chest. He does not want to be left alone with Nora today.

"I told you last week I was going to meet with the Tilghman community organizers on Tuesday afternoon.I want to talk to them about the training program. I think it would be a good thing if we could get them involved. Maybe get the people over in Roosevelt involved too. Strength in numbers."

"Oh, okay", Amir says, holding the paintbrush mid-air.That sounds like a good idea, Marcella."

"I don't know what's wrong with you, Amir. You can't seem to remember a thing lately", she says, looking down at her watch. "I gotta get going, but I shouldn't be gone for more than a couple of hours. I'll be back before the children show up for afterschool. Look after things until I get back. Okay?"

"Got it", Amir says with a tinge of apprehension in his voice.

Marcella gives the room a final glance before turning to leave.

"And one more thing Amir", and Amir looks nervously at Marcella.

The mural looks good. It's coming along nicely", giving him one of her infrequent smiles.

"Thanks, Marcella. I appreciate you saying that."

"And don't let anyone distract you", giving Amir a pointed look before leaving the building.

Nora has been standing in the little room next to Marcella's office eavesdropping on the conversation between Amir and Marcella. She smiles, thinking she and Amir can have lots of fun in two hours. But she stands in the small room and waits for 15 minutes to pass just in case Marcella forgot something and has to come back into the Center. She looks at her watch and walks toward the community room wearing a smirk on her face.

"Nora! You scared me", thinking two women have startled him in the span of 20 minutes.

"Do you want some help? I finished all of that grunt work Marcella had me doing in that room."

Nora takes a few steps toward him and Amir nervously takes a few steps back, almost colliding with the freshly painted section of the mural.

"No - I don't need any help", he stammers.

"Well, I need some help", licking her lips seductively.

"You need to go, Nora. We're not doing that in here."

"Don't worry. I heard Marcella say she would be gone for a couple of hours."

"The children will be here soon", Amir stammers.

"Not for a while. We have time", kissing him ferociously and biting his bottom lip until she tastes blood. "Mmm, every part of you always tastes so good", sliding her hand inside of his pants and squeezing his balls gently.

Amir shakes his head from side to side, wanting her to stop.

"We're going to have so much fun, Amir", dropping to her knees and sucking him with everything she has. "You taste so, so good. I think about sucking you all the time. Pull my hair", she says through the sucks.

Amir yanks her hair and pumps in her mouth. Her warm, wet mouth always feels so good. He can never resist her no matter how much he tries. Nora kicks off her boots and slips out of her pants.

"I need you to fuck me hard, make me hurt. You know what I like", grinding on his erection. "I'll say our word if you get too rough."

Beckoning him with her index finger, Nora walks backward to the tables where the children will be doing their homework and arts and crafts in the next hour-and-a-half.

"Okay?" She smiles seductively.

Amir leans against the wet paint and his whole body begins to shake violently, as if he has just seen a ghost. And Nora lay across the tables, licks her fingers, and slowly runs her wet fingers up and down her opening.

"Marcella", Amir manages to stutter.

"Marcella is gone, Amir", planting her feet flat onto the tables as pleasures herself. "You see", opening her legs wide. "I'm all ready for you. So come over here and fuck me hard. Hurt me. You can bite me, slap me."

Amir shakes his head no.

"You don't have to be scared. I'll say _mural_ if you get too rough."

" _You. Nasty. Slut."_

Marcella's eyes almost bulge out of her head as she watches Nora lay across the tables and masturbates.

" _Marcella, what?"_

Shocked to see Marcella standing in the doorway, Nora rolls from the table too quickly and falls onto the floor with a thud. Amir runs from the room and out of the Center.

" _I want you out of here. Now! Get your damn clothes on and get the hell out of here."_

"Marcella, let me explain. It's not what you think", she says feebly.

Marcella frowns as Nora pulls on her panties.

"I knew you were no good the first time I saw you. This is not a game we're playing down here", Marcella says, walking slowly into the room. "This is about real people with real problems. It's not about some spoiled little white girl who never had to work for a damn thing in her entire life."

"You don't know anything about me", Nora protests, still fumbling with her clothes.

" _And I don't want to know you. You're only here because Mrs. Grant asked me to hire you. And I agreed because she is a good lady and has done a lot of good for this community. She didn't come down here playing games and treating people disrespectfully. She came here to help and she has done just. But you – you came here thinking you were better than the people who live here, which means you think you're better than me, and that's unacceptable."_

" _And now you have the nerve to want to get a little jungle fever. Well if you want to have sex, you won't be having it here – not anymore."_

" _You're disgusting._ H _aving sex in a public place where anyone could see you – like you're some damn animal – is just nasty. What kind of woman are you anyway? Did you even think about what would've happened if one of the children walked in on you and Amir? No, you didn't because you're one of the most selfish and disrespectful people I have ever met. So take your privileged ass home. I don't want you here any longer. You're a distraction – not a help. I'll tell Mrs. Grant I can't use you around here."_

Tears start to fall down Nora's face as she steps into her boots.

" _Please, stop with the tears. I don't give a damn about you or your tears. You're a grown ass woman so stop acting like a little girl when your ass gets caught."_

Marcella walks away leaving Nora standing in a pool of tears.

" _Marcella. Please, Marcella",_ Nora screams, but Marcella does not bother to turn around. And Nora's stomach sinks because she dreads having to tell the family what happened. She dreads seeing the look of disappointment in Olivia's eyes again.

 **XXX**

Nora storms into the house and slams the front door with such force she activates the alarm system. Wondering who is slamming doors and setting off the alarm, Hilde stops dusting the table in the living room and walks into the foyer where she sees Nora stomping down the hall. Hilde resets the alarm, shakes her head, and walks back to the living room to resume her cleaning. She has always suspected that something is not quite right with the young woman.

Maura is sitting on the sofa in the family room recreating her notes on the new laptop Bennie bought her. She absolutely thrilled with her new computer and wonders why she did not get one sooner. She loves the wordprocessing features that allow her to write and revise content as often as she likes. When she hears the door slam and the alarm start to blare, Maura sets her laptop onto the sofa and turns around to look in the direction in which the noise is coming when she sees Nora stomping through the room.

"Nora, what are you doing home so early? Why aren't you at the community center?" Maura asks, surprised to see her daughter home so early.

Nora ignores her mother's questions and storms out back, kicking off her shoes, and stomping toward the pool. Maura closes her eyes and sighs. She knows it is time to have the long-overdue talk with her daughter – the talk she has dreaded having for so many years. But she can no longer turn a blind eye to her daughter's destructive behaviors. She has to try to save Nora before she is lost to her forever. And she cannot abdicate this responsibility to anyone else. She must finally stand up and be the mother her daughter has always needed. She just hopes it is not too late.

" _Go away mother"_ , angrily swiping the tears from her face as she sits on the edge of the pool with her feet dangling in the water.

"What happened, Nora? What's wrong?" Maura sits at the pool's edge next to her daughter.

" _I said I don't want to talk about it. So. Go. Away."_

"I'm not going anywhere. I am your mother and we need to talk."

"Well that's a joke. So now you want to be my mother?" Nora snipes, kicking her feet up and down, causing the water to splatter on her mother.

"I will admit that I have failed you as a mother, Nora. I was not an example of anything you should ever aspire to be. I stayed in an unfulfilling marriage way longer than I should have. I can admit now that I stayed because I was afraid. I was afraid to pull back the curtain to see what was on the other side. And by staying, I not only ruined myself, but I ruined you as well. You are so lost and so angry. And I get it. Whether you believe me or not, I really do get it."

" _You don't know anything, mother_."

"I know I didn't give you the attention you needed as a child. By the time you came along I was emotionally dead, I had nothing to give you. Oh, I took care of all of your basic needs – food, clothes - but I had no love to give you, not the kind of love a little girl deserves. Your brothers, well they didn't really need too much from me other than to prepare their meals and do their laundry. Your father took care of them for the most part."

Tears roll down Nora's face. She has always known that she was unloved by her parents.

"It's not that I didn't love you, it's just that I couldn't love you. I couldn't give you what every little girl needs, what every teenage girl needs, and what every young woman needs. And because you never got what you needed as a child, you began acting out in all kinds of unhealthy ways as a teenager to be noticed – to get the attention you craved. The partying. The snarky attitude. The promiscuity. It is all your way of yelling out to the world: _See me. Look at me. Love me._

The tears stream down Nora's face in sheets as she and her mother sit in silence for long time, watching the robin flutter above the pool's surface.

"Nora, what is it that you know about yourself that makes you believe you do not deserve any better than what you're settling for?"

" _What are you talking about?"_ She asks defensively.

"It is time for it all to stop, Nora. It's time that you stop intentionally hurting yourself because of what your father and I did not give you. You cannot continue to live your life this way, hurting yourself and hurting others around you. You have so much to offer to this world – so much more than I ever had. You are young. You are beautiful. You are a talented artist. But you have to know you are all these things. You have to feel you are all those things. And you have to believe you are these things. I cannot do it for you and Olivia certainly cannot do it for you either. You have to do it for yourself."

Nora looks at her mother with tears in her eyes, finally feeling that her mother sees her and cares about her.

"It's going to take a lot of hard work, Nora. You don't change a lifetime of behaviors overnight. I certainly learned that."

"I'm scared, mom. I don't know how to be different."

"I'm scared too, dear. In some ways we are in a similar place. But we have to shed the past – stop the destructive behaviors."

Nora looks at her mother curiously.

"We both have the opportunity to start a new life – and that is both scary and exciting. But I think we both know we can no longer live the kind of life we have been living."

Nora nods her head sadly.

"I was not there for you when you were growing up Nora, but I want to be here for you now – if you will let me. Do you want to tell me what happened at the Center today?"

Maura nods as her daughter recounts how Marcella caught her masturbating on the tables and trying to entice Amir.

"Oh, Nora. I am so sorry", wrapping an arm around her daughter's shoulders and wiping the tears from her face. "Tell me why you do it", looking at her daughter closely. "If you tell me that you are a free spirit who finds uncommitted sexuality personally meaningful, then that is your choice. Men do it all the time, but there is a double standard when a woman does. She is called everything under the sun – mentally ill, promiscuous, sinful, whore, slut. I won't judge you if you are doing this because of lust and sexual satisfaction."

Nora tries to interject but her mother stops her.

"Let me finish Nora. If you are happy with your lifestyle, if it works for you, then who am I or anyone else to say your behavior is immoral or wrong? But, if you are trying to find love through sex, then we need to talk about that. Is that what is going on?"

"I don't know, mom", shaking her head in despair as the tears stream down her face again. "I really don't know."

"Nora, you cannot stay in this vicious cycle of endless sexual activity. You have to stop running and face your pain. Did your father and I do this to you? Did we cause this in you?"

"I really don't know mom", laying her head on her mother's shoulder and letting a lifetime of pain stream down her cheeks. "I hurt so much inside, mom. And I try to numb the pain with more pain."

"Then we'll figure it out – together", rubbing her daughter's shoulder.

"How did you get so smart, mom?" Nora smiles weakly, wiping the tears from her face.

"I'm hardly smart, Nora."

"Remember mom, we both have to change the negative thoughts in our head."

Maura chuckles softly as she stares across the pool at the pink rhododendron bush.

"And mom", lifting her head from her mother's shoulder and looking up at her profile. "Please don't tell Olivia and Fitz what happened – that I got fired – not yet."


	21. Chapter 21 The Candidate

**AN:** **Guest 1** , PTSD? Cena was definitely surprised Jolie wasn't a boy. **SweetOlitz** , thanks for the compliment. Write a book? I barely have time to update this fic every two weeks. **Guest 2** , glad you stopped scrolling past my story. Remember, Mirage is a place for people who need a break from their day-to-days lives. Nora has deep issues and needs to go elsewhere, as many of you would like. **Ceres Helena** , características de Jolie será revelado neste capítulo e nos próximos capítulos (Jolie's features will be revealed in this chapter and in upcoming chapters.) Here we go!

 **Chapter 21. The Candidate**

Overwhelmed with joyful excitement, Hildie runs back and forth from the kitchen to the living room, peeking out the window to see if Mr. and Mrs. Grant have arrived with the newest member of the family. Their baby is coming home today and she has spent the past two days preparing the house for her arrival; she wants everything to be perfect. And she has been cooking all morning, preparing Mrs. Grant's favorite dish and Mr. Grant and Cena's favorite dessert for lunch. She has also started preparing a special dinner for the family to enjoy on their first night back home.

When Hildie hears the alarm chime, signaling someone has opened the front door, she gasps, quickly, wiping her hands on the dish towel. She scurries from the kitchen to welcome the family back home. As Olivia walks through the front door carrying their new bundle of joy, Hildie gives the Grants an effusive welcome, gushing at the sight of the new baby. Still trying to adjust to the new and animated version of their helper, Olivia and Fitz smile at Hildie.

"Welcome home, ma'am", Hildie says, looking adoringly at the pink baby wrapped in the antique white blanket trimmed in gold. "Mr. Grant", she says as an afterthought.

"Thank you Hildie", Olivia says with a smile.

"She is absolutely beautiful ma'am", marveling at the sleeping infant.

"Would you like to hold her, Hildie?"

Hildie's eyes grow wide as she cups her face in delight.

"May I, ma'am?" She asks with elation.

"Of course", Olivia and Fitz say, smiling at the women's frenetic movements.

"Wait, wait." Hildie yells, turning and running down the hall.

Olivia, Fitz, and Cena each scrunch their face as they watch the excited woman hurry down the foyer hall.

"I must wash my hands", she yells over her shoulder, waving her hands in the air as she makes her way to the powder room at the end of the foyer.

 **XXX**

As Olivia settles on the sofa in the family room with Jolie nestled securely in her arms, she notices the air is filled with an exquisite scent that she does not recognize. Fitz sits on the sofa next to his wife and smiles adoringly at his baby daughter. Olivia smiles at her husband and places the sleeping baby into his eagerly-awaiting hands. And the biggest smile spread across his face as he cradles Jolie in his arms.

"Cee, come let me take off your coat", Olivia beckons her older daughter, who is standing across the room and watching her father smiling at the baby. She wonders why he looks so happy.

"It smells like Hildie has been cooking", Olivia says as she removes Cena's coat. "Are you ready for lunch, Cee?"

"Yes", she says softly, squirming as her mother removes her coat.

 **XXX**

Sitting at Fitz' desk in the study, Maura prints the last version of the course he is scheduled to present to the community organizers next month. As she pulls the stack of pages from the printer, she leans back into the plush leather chair and smiles at her accomplishment. She has put a lot of effort into developing the course and it all has finally come together. Reflect on the road that led her to this place in her life, she hears Olivia and Fitzgerald's voices and hurries to the family room to welcome home her newest granddaughter.

"Welcome home - welcome home", she gushes, walking over to her son with outstretched arms to relieve him of the sleeping baby. "Isn't she the most precious thing", she says to no one in particular, sliding the gold and white knit hat from Jolie's head and smiling somewhat sadly.

"I can't get over how much she looks like Nora. I think she is going to be a blonde, too", looking over at her son. "You were a blonde for a long time too, Fitzgerald."

Fitz smiles as if his mother is telling him something he does not already know. Hildie hurries into the family room and stops in her tracks when she sees the other Mrs. Grant holding their baby. Her face falls in disappointment.

"Oh", she says in surprise. "I'll just go finish preparing the lunch ma'am", drooping her headand walking toward the kitchen.

"Hildie", Olivia says, standing from the sofa. "Don't you want to hold Jolie?"

Olivia walks over to her mother-in-law, lifts the baby from her arms, and places Jolie in Hildie's arms. Maura sighs as she watches Hildie ogle her sleeping granddaughter. And Jolie continues to sleep, oblivious to all of the excitement she is stirring in the house.

 **XXX**

Later that evening after she has finished bathing Cena and helping her into her pajamas, Olivia braces for the nightly ritual she and Fitz have performed with their daughter for the past three years.

"Are you ready for your story, Cee?" Olivia asks.

"Yes, mommy", kicking her feet excitedly under the covers.

"How about a different story tonight, Cee? Would you like for mommy to read something different?" Olivia prays silently that Cena will be amenable to reading a different story tonight.

"No, mommy. I like _Goodnight Moon_."

Olivia groans silently as she slides the well-worn copy of _Goodnight Moon_ from the bookshelf and settles onto Cena's bed to read the story she has read countless times over the past three years. She can recite the entire story without having to open the book.

"I want daddy to read it", looking at her mother innocently.

"Daddy is putting JoJo to bed. Can mommy read it to you alone tonight?"

Cena pokes out her bottom lip and folds her arms across her chest.

"I guess you're stuck with me tonight", tickling her daughter in an attempt to cheer her up.

"No tickles, mommy", Cena squeals with laughter.

As usual, Cena falls asleep after only four pages have been read. Olivia smiles at her sleeping daughter and kisses her on the forehead. She places the book back onto the shelf, turns out the light, and quietly walks from the room.

"Babe", she says, walking into their bedroom. "We have to find some way to bribe Cena into selecting a new bedtime story. I don't know how much longer I can take _Goodnight Moon_."

"Is she sleeping?" Looking at his wife anxiously.

"Right after page four – as usual. Of course she would have preferred if _daddy_ read to her."

"JoJo took a little longer to put down", raking his fingers through his hair.

"It seems like Miss Jo can be cranky when she wants to be", Olivia says, removing her earrings and setting them onto the silver, rectangular tray atop her vanity table.

"I need to talk to you, Liv. We need to talk."

And she stiffens, stopping her nightly routine when she hears thetone of his voice. She looks up from the tray and studies his reflection in the mirror, and the serious look on his face immediately make her feel uneasy. With wide eyes, she holds her breath and searches his face for a clue.

"Talk? Talk about what. What's the matter, Fitz? What's going on?" Rapidly firing questions.

"Sit down, Liv", closing the space that separates them and placing his hands on her shoulders.

"I don't want to sit down", she says in a high-pitched voice. "Something's wrong. What is it?"

Fear flash in her eyes as she watches her husband inhale deeply and run a hand through his hair again. Now she knows something is really wrong and she begins to panic.

"What is it, Fitz?" Demanding an answer. "You're scaring me."

"There's been an accident."

"Oh my god", turning away from the mirror to face him. "My parents?"

"No – no. Nothing like that. Your parents are fine - everybody's fine."

He wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her close.

"There's been an accident at the foundation - a flood", he says quickly.

" _What?"_ bringing a hand to her mouth as she feels that familiar sinking feeling in her stomach.

" _A flood? When? How bad?"_

"Calm down, Liv", trying to steer her over to the bed.

" _Calm down? How can you ask me to calm down when everything I've worked for – everything I built could be destroyed."_

She pulls away from his embrace and starts pacing around the room and rubbing her forehead.

" _When did this happen?"_ Looking at him sideways with panic in her eyes.

"Sunday night, while we were at the birthing center."

" _Sunday night? Why am I just hearing about it?"_ Her voice rising with each new bit of information he shares.

"I didn't find out about it until Monday – when mom came to the birthing center."

"What does your mother know about this?" Her breathing quickens as she imagines the worse.

"Apparently she went to the foundation after church to do some work and found the place flooded."

" _What?"_

"That's why I couldn't get a hold of her while we were in labor."

Olivia furrows her brow thinking she does not recall his insides being racked by contractions.

"Apparently the sprinkler in the conference room malfunctioned, spraying water for – well who knows for how long. Thank God mom stopped over there."

She nods and resumes pacing around the room.

"Everything is being taken care of, Liv", trying to offer some measure of comfort.

"What do you mean everything is being taken care of?" Stopping to look at him.

"Mona called the insurance company and met with the claims adjuster on Monday."

She nods again, thinking she can always count on Mona.

"The adjuster sent over a cleaning crew on Monday to start the abatement activities – to get rid of – to clean up everything."

And the tears begin to roll down her face.

"Shhh. Shhh", embracing her again.

"It's all over, Fitz. Everything is ruined."

"It's not over", rubbing his hand up and down her back.

"How can you say that?" She asks through the tears.

"Because the water destroyed furniture, carpet – just stuff. You are the foundation, Liv. Your talent. Your commitment. Your compassion. All of the stuff can be replaced", rocking her in his arms.

She looks up at him for a few moments as if trying to determine if what he has said is true.

"Remediation work will begin as soon as the place is dry. Everything will be new – back to normal - in about six weeks."

"How did Maura turn off the water?" She asks with a shaky voice.

"She called Mona and Mona brought Tom over. He turned off the main shut-off valve in the basement."

"I want to go over there, Fitz. I need to see how bad things are."

"It's pretty bad, Liv. You won't be able to go there until they've gotten rid of all the water and dried out the place." He caresses her face when he sees fear in hear eyes. "There is a danger of mold - you can't breathe in that stuff. They have to decontaminate and clean the space before anyone can go back in."

She nods for him to continue.

"Most of the furniture and carpet will probably get tossed. The whole place will probably need to be gutted – down to the studs."

"How do you know that?" She asks, on the verge of panicking again.

"Bennie and I went over there to see how bad things were."

" _You and Bennie?"_ She asks in surprise. _"When did you and Bennie go to the foundation?"_

"Monday afternoon while you and my girls were sleeping", he smiles proudly. She rolls her eyes because she cannot deal with his proud daddy bravado at the moment.

"Come on Liv, let's go to bed. We've had a long day. We can't do anything about it tonight."

They climb into bed, turn off their lamps, and she curls into his side.

"Babe?" Intertwining her hand with his as she looks out the window at the full moon.

"Hmmm?" His eyelids are getting heavy with sleep.

"The city requires sprinkler systems to be inspected once a year."

"Mhmm."

"That sprinkler system was just certified two months ago."

 **XXX**

Breakfast at the Grant household is different this morning because everyone is home, including the newest addition to the family. Since Maura will be working from home while the foundation is being renovated, she decided to cook breakfast for the entire family, something she has not done since she started working. Fitz sits at the island holding Jolie close to his chest while Olivia is upstairs helping Cena to get ready for school. And Nora scrolls through her phone as usual. Finally, Olivia and Cena walk into the kitchen after spending way too much time trying to agree on an appropriate outfit for school.

" _Daddy"_ , Cena yells as she runs into the kitchen.

"Good morning, Biker Princess. Did you enjoy sleeping in your bed last night?"

"Yes", trying to climb onto his lap. "I wanted you to read _Goodnight Moon_ , daddy."

"Give me JoJo babe so you can hold Cee", kissing her husband on the lips.

"Good morning Maura – Nora", Olivia says, taking her seat next to Fitz.

"Morning Liv", Nora says without looking up from her phone screen and Olivia shakes her head because Nora's eyes are always glued to her phone.

"Good morning, Olivia", Maura says cheerily as she scrambles eggs for her son. "How are you feeling today? Don't overdo it - you just had a baby. Your body needs time to heal."

"I won't", she says sadly, thinking that's the kind of advice her mother should be giving her, but her parents are still doing missionary work in the African Bush.

"Well sit down while I get your breakfast."

"Maura, thank you for handling things over at the foundation. I just cannot believe what happened", she says sadly.

"Well Mona's husband, Tom, is the one who deserves the credit. I had no idea how to shut off the water."

Nora looks up from her phone screen then back and forth at her mother and Olivia, trying to figure what is going on.

"What's going on – what happened?" Nora asks.

"The foundation was flooded because of a faulty sprinkler head", Maura says.

Disinterested in the happenings at the foundation, Nora nods and resumes scrolling through her phone. Jolie begins to cry and Fitz and Cena look over at the baby who is wildly kicking her feet.

"Do you want me to take her?" Fitz asks excitedly.

"I think she might be hungry", unbuttoning her blouse to breastfeed the crying infant.

"Eww", Nora says when she sees Jolie suckling and Cena scrunches her face as she listens to the baby's sucking sounds.

"How are things going at the center, Nora?" Olivia asks, dipping her fork into her husband's eggs.

Maura turns from the stove, looks at her daughter, and slowly shakes her head from side to side. Nora looks at her mother and gives her mother an almost imperceptible nod.

"Everything is fine – all good."

"That's good. I have to get over there soon and talk to Marcella about the training."

"Well the first course - Fitzgerald's course - is complete", Maura interjects to shift the discussion away from Nora. "Mona needs to review it when she gets a chance. We expect Fitzgerald to present next month", smiling proudly and Fitz glances at Olivia who is smiling too. "The next two courses are almost complete as well", she says somewhat nervously.

"Fitz is going to be more than a teacher in a few months", Olivia says, nudging him in the side with her elbow.

"A few other people might have something to say about that Liv", stroking Jolie's straight blonde hair as she suckles.

"What's going on?" Maura asks, looking at her son suspiciously as she sets Olivia's plate on the island in front of her. "What are you talking about?"

"Thank you Maura", shifting the baby to the other breast. "Tell them, Fitz."

"Well", bouncing Cena on his knee. "I've been asked to run for President - of City Council."

" _What?"_ Maura and Nora gasps at the same time.

"Well you don't have to sound so surprised", he says somewhat annoyed. "It's not the strangest thing you've ever heard. I'll have to meet with some political types Friday evening to give them my answer."

"Have you decided to run?" His mother asks, still in shock.

"I have", standing and setting Cena on his seat. "I have to get ready for my meeting with Geoffrey and the new client", kissing Olivia on the cheek and rubbing the top of Jolie's head before walking to the study.

 **XXX**

When Fitz enters the study he is immediately upset when he sees papers strewn over his desk. He hates when things are out of order, especially his workspace. When Olivia started working from home several months ago they agreed the study would be his primary workspace. They also agreed the family room would be her designated workspace. However, since the foundation is under renovation, Maura has co-opted the family room as her home office. Wanting Maura to feel comfortable, Olivia has adopted the living room as her new workspace.

As Fitz walks over to the desk he concludes he has to build Olivia a separate office or convert one of the bedrooms to an office for her use, sharing an office just is not practical. Pushing aside the papers to prepare for his conference call, he realizes the papers are not Olivia's, but his mother's. She has obviously been using his desk to work on the training program. He grimaces as he glances at his watch. The meeting starts in 15 minutes and he still has to print the contract that will be reviewed during the meeting. He turns on his laptop, opens the copy of the contract Geoffrey sent last night, and clicks on the **Print** icon in his word processing application. A message box is immediately displayed on the computer screen, indicating the paper tray is empty. He fills the tray with paper and clicks on the **Print** icon again, this time getting a message to replace the toner cartridge.

" _Dammit"_ , he says in frustration.

He pulls open the bottom desk drawer where he stores extra office supplies but there is no toner cartridge to be found. He yanks open and slams each drawer in frustration.

" _Olivia!"_ He yells, walking across the room to check on the bookshelf for a cartridge. _"Olivia!"_

"What is it, Fitz? I just got JoJo down for her nap. You know she's been cranky."

"We don't have any toner", looking at her wild-eyed.

"What?" Looking at him in confusion. She does not have a clue what he is talking about.

"The printer", pointing over to the device with the red light flashing. "It's out of toner."

"Did you look in your desk drawer?"

He cocks his head and looks at her sarcastically and she twitches her lips in response.

"I rarely print anything, Fitz. You know I hate all of that paper", waving her hand dismissively and wondering why he is bothering her about printer toner.

"It's mom."

"What?"

"Mom. Apparently she has been working in here. I found her papers all over my desk. There was no paper in the printer tray and now we're out of toner. What the hell is she printing anyway?"

Olivia shrugs her shoulders as she laughs to herself. She wonders if her husband will summon the courage to scold his mother about using his office.

"I have to print the contract for my meeting in …" Looking down at his watch. "In eight minutes."

"Well babe, you just have to do it online."

"You know I hate that", walking back to the desk.

"Just like your mother apparently", chuckling as she runs from the study.

"You're going to pay for that later", he hollers after her.

 **XXX**

As Olivia bands Cena's hair, Fitz sits on the sofa cooing and humming as he feeds Jolie. Like with Cena, he wants to be involved in feeding his baby daughter. So, Olivia pumps and bottles breast milk so he spend this special time to bond with his daughter. Jolie, who recognizes her father's voice from hearing it while in utero, stares at her father with the same big brown eyes as her mother. When Olivia finishes combing Cena's hair, the little girl springs from the floor immediately, runs over to the sofa, and tries to nuzzle against her father.

"Careful, Cena. We don't want to wake JoJo." Cena ignores her father's warning and continues to nestle into his side.

"Do you want to hold the bottle, Biker Princess?"

Cena shakes her head no as she peeks up at her sleeping sister.

"I gotta get going Liv", glancing at his watch. "I have to meet Darius and Phil at the restaurant in an hour."

"Well give me Miss Jo", lifting the sleeping baby from her husband's arms. "Say night – night to daddy – Cee."

"Night – night, daddy."

"Night – night, Princess", kissing her on the top of her head.

Fitz is unfamiliar with the restaurant Councilman David Johnson selected for their dinner meeting, so he slowly navigates his car through the city streets as he listens to the GPS. Finally, arriving at the restaurant, he pulls the car up to the valet stand, and looks at the eager young attendant approaching the sleek, black BMW. He hands the valet key to the smiling attendant and walks toward the restaurant door. As he approaches the door, he looks over his shoulder and frowns when he hears his car tires screeching across the parking lot. He closes his eyes and silently prays his precious car is returned to him unscathed.

When he gives Councilman Johnson's name to the hostess, she escorts him to the table where the two councilmen are sitting and takes his drink order.

"Good to see you Fitz", Darius says with a mouthful of bread.

"Darius", extending a handshake to the councilman with the voracious appetite, then to Councilman David Johnson.

"Fitz, how are you this fine evening?" David asks, setting his drink onto the table.

"Fine – just fine" sitting down and crossing his legs. "Congressman Guildford isn't here tonight?"

"Phil's down in DC. He has to vote on some bill tonight."

Fitz nods as the waitress sets his scotch on the cocktail napkin in front of him.

"Cheers gentlemen", Darius says, lifting his glass. Fitz and David lift their glass in the air.

"So, I hear you have another daughter - congratulations", David says.

"Thank you", smiling proudly.

"Well if she's anything like your older daughter, she will have you wrapped around her fingers in no time."

Fitz smiles and nods, thinking about the dinner meeting he and Cena attended with Councilman Johnson when Olivia was away.

"Well let's get down to business, shall we?" Darius says, looking around the table. Fitz and David nod.

"Fitz, the President of City Council serves as the regular chairperson of council meetings. In consultation with the majority of council members, the president appoints members to the various standing committees of the council. The president is also responsible for selecting and overseeing most council employees."

"And that's a lot of people", David chimes in. "A lot of political appointments."

"The President of the City Council is a powerful position, Fitz", Darius continues. "Nothing happens in this city – no new ordinances – unless the president decides to refer a bill to one of the 25 standing council committees."

"The mayor is going to have to deal with the next president, who controls every piece of legislation that is voted on in committee or on the floor of City Council", David says.

"I had no idea", Fitz says, intrigued by the inner workings of city government.

"Some say the president is as powerful, if not more powerful than the mayor."

"Really?" Lifting his glass to his lips as he watches Darius closely.

"And, all tax legislation must begin in the Council. If you become president, we expect Wilson won't get one cent of his tax bills passed. But if your opponent is president then …. "

"Wilson is afraid if he doesn't get his guy in office then all of his pet ordinances will be DOA (dead on arrival).

Fitz listens intently to the two councilmen.

"Marla was a very powerful woman in this city, Fitz. She and Mayor Wilson have been on different sides of the political issues since he took office two years ago."

"What do you mean, David?"

"Wilson doesn't give a damn about the citizens, especially our low-income residents. He's the lackey of a certain segment of the business community."

"He might be the executive administrator, but he's nothing more than a figure-head", Darius chimes in.

"Marla has always been an advocate of the underprivileged, but she was savvy enough to know she had to take care of the business community too. She referred some bills that favored the business community to the appropriate committee and encouraged the chairperson to make it happen", Darius says.

Fitz nods.

"We need businesses in this city Fitz and the business owners know it. Some regularly threaten to move their businesses outside of the city if they don't get certain ordinances passed. The city is strapped for cash, we can't afford to lose the tax revenue from any our businesses", says David.

"And the citizens can't afford to lose the jobs the business owners provide", Fitz says reflectively.

"Marla balanced everybody's needs well", David says.

"Or so we thought", Darius says softly, shifting in his seat.

Fitz nods, wondering if he really wants to become part of the morass of city politics. The waitress returns to take their meal order.

"The mayor is proposing we disband the police department and contract out our police services. He claims it will save the city 15 million dollars over the next three years", Darius says when the waitress walks away.

"There's not a lot of room to increase taxes", David says. "We just had a tax increase last year."

Fitz nods again, thinking how he blanched when he received his last business tax bill.

"This is a very divisive issue, Fitz. The mayor is pushing for this because he wants to replace the police force with contract police. And of course, one of his friends owns the company who will get the contract. He claims we can no longer afford the police force, but I'm the chairman of the Finance Committee and I know we have other options. Wilson doesn't want to hear it."

"Of course he will get a kickback", David says.

"These are the kinds of ordinances Marla refused to refer to committee. That's why she and Wilson have been in a perpetual battle for the past two years."

"I see", sipping on his scotch. "I must admit, you're not making this job sound appealing. It all seems to be a mess. Why would I want to get involved in this quagmire?"

"Because you can make a difference. You're not part of the system. You're not a professional politician. Hell, you're not a politician at all", says Darius.

"And you'll be objective."

"And bring your business acumen to the council", Darius says. "This city needs someone like you, Fitz. You know how much the citizens need someone on their side. The work Olivia does is just a small example of the need."

"Why don't you run for president, Darius?"

"I'm needed as chairman of the Finance Committee. If I step down the next person in line for my seat is a Wilson supporter. The council is divided, half of the members supported Marla and the others support Wilson."

"And I'm not interested", David says. "Just in case that was going to be your next question."

The two men anxiously watch Fitz because they need him to agree to be the candidate. If he rejects the offer, Mayor Wilson and his hand-picked president will set the city back for decades. Fitz thinks about it for a long and takes a few sips of his drink as the waitress sets the entrees in front of them.

"Okay. I'll do it. I'll run for president", he says smiling as the waitress walks away.

"Do you need to discuss this further with Olivia?" Darius asks.

"No, she's onboard. She wants me to do it. She thinks I can be a help to the city."

"Good man – good man", David says.

"You won't regret this, Fitz."

"I certainly hope not", still not quite sure what he has just gotten himself into.

"Are you going to eat that, Fitz?" Darius asks, eyeing Fitz' untouched entrée.

"By the way, who is Wilson backing – who's my opponent?" Pushing his plate across the table to Darius.

"Someone else from the business community of course", Darius says. "Not one of the good guys."

"Yeah, a guy by the name of Charles Barber. He goes by Charlie."

Fitz eyes grow wide. Things just gotten more interesting.

"What's the matter, Fitz? Do you know this Charlie?"

Fitz spends the next hour explaining his connection to Charlie.

"Wow", David says.

"Is this going to be a problem, Fitz?" Darius asks with a mouthful of mushroom risotto.

Fitz takes a long swig of scotch before responding.

"Would you have a problem with me if I bashed in your face?"

Darius and David lean back in their chairs, stare at Fitz for a long while, then nod.

"Remind me never to get on your bad side", David says somewhat jokingly.

"Don't mess with my family and you won't have anything to worry about", Fitz says seriously, staring the man in the eyes.

Darius and David now look at Fitz a little differently, even more impressed with the man. Not only is he smart and successful, but he can also kick ass when necessary. For the next two-and-a-half hours the men discuss how to get Fitz' campaign underway.

"We have to introduce you to the various communities – the business people and local residents. We have to help them get to know who you are", Darius says.

Fitz looks curiously at Darius.

"What? That's what politicians do - set up meetings - connect people", cutting into his key lime pie. "Both you and Charlie are businessmen. It's just one of you has been successful and other hasn't. Successful business people like other successful people."

"Although you will run on the Man of the People platform, you're going to have to work with the business class well", says David.

Fitz nods.

"They're going to want to know what you're going to do for them", Darius says.

"And the citizens are going to want to know what you're going to do for them", David says.

Fitz nods at the quandary he is now in.

 **XXX**

Remediation work has been underway at the foundation for two weeks and Mona has been working closely with the contractor to make sure the project is on schedule. Today she toured the foundation and was surprised at the state of the office. While she was happy to see all of the soiled carpet has been removed and the offensive odor is gone, she was surprised to see the drywall has been removed throughout, revealing the wall studs.

"Mona, the water did a lot of damage. We had to remove all of the drywall", the contractor responds to the surprise in her voice. "This place will be better than before once we're finished", he adds quickly.

"I'm counting on you Pete."

"Remember, you're going to have to select new carpet, furniture, paint color …"

"I know, I know", she says, surveying the space one last time before leaving for her next appointment.

 **XXX**

Mona heads over to the Springfield Heights community center to discuss the training program with Marcella. The first course is scheduled to be presented in two weeks and she wants to finalize the schedule, the list of presenters, and the names of community organizers who will be involved in the five-week-long program.

"How many people are we expecting, Marcella?"

"Fifteen - not including the speaker", Marcella's says, looking down at the list. "We have five from Tilghman, four from Roosevelt, and six from Springfield Heights."

"Sixteen then", Mona says, making a note on her tablet. "I'll order the refreshments."

"That'll be terrific, Mona. By the way, I heard Mrs. Grant had her baby. I bet that's a pretty baby girl."

"Her name is Jolie and she is as beautiful as her older sister. Olivia and Fitz make beautiful children."

"Well, tell her I said congratulations."

"I will."

Marcella looks at the training schedule and nods.

"This is a terrific slate of speakers, Mona. I don't know how you got all of these people to agree to participate in the program, but I'm glad you did."

"I think Olivia's husband had a hand in that."

Marcella rubs the back of her neck as she continues to look down at the schedule, and Mona notices the change in the young woman's demeanor.

"Is something wrong, Marcella?"

"Do you think Mr. Grant will still want to participate in the program?" She asks hesitantly. "He has two courses according to the schedule."

"Why wouldn't he?" Mona asks with surprise in her voice. She knows from Maura that Fitz has been preparing for his presentations for some time now.

"Well, I thought he might find an excuse to back out since I had to fire his sister."

" _What?"_ Mona exclaims with bulging eyes.

"You mean you didn't know – haven't heard?" Marcella asks somewhat nervously.

"I know nothing", Mona says with shock still lacing her voice.

Marcella closes her eyes and inhales deeply. She is not sure if she should discuss what happened with anyone, especially Mrs. Grant's office manager.

"Marcella, you better start talking - and talk fast."

"I don't want to cause any problems", Marcella says hesitantly.

Mona looks at Marcella with concern. Although she has no idea what Marcella is reluctant to say, she knows it cannot be good.

"Talk, Marcella."

"Well", Marcella begins cautiously. "You know Mrs. Grant asked me to hire her sister-in-law, Nora, to help out around the center."

Mona narrows her eyes and nods her head slowly.

"Well, I told Mrs. Grant I could definitely use the extra help but I didn't have the budget to hire another person."

Mona tilts her head slightly and frowns as she listens intently to Marcella.

"Well, Mrs. Grant said she would cover Nora's salary. It was apparent she was just trying to find something to occupy her sister-in-law's time. Nora is lucky to have someone like Mrs. Grant in her corner."

Mona quickly nods her head up and down, urging Marcella to get to the point.

"So, Nora has been working here for about two months now, and Mona, I knew she was trouble the first time I laid eyes on her", shaking her head when she thinks about when Noras arrived late for her first day of work.

"Really?" Mona says with interest.

"I didn't like her immediately, but I wanted to do Mrs. Grant a favor. She's not the kind of woman that asks for favors, so I hired Nora because it was important to Mrs. Grant."

"Go on, Marcella", Mona says anxiously.

"Well, she had an attitude the very first day she got here. She really didn't want to be here and she all but said so. But after a few weeks her attitude began to change. She started coming to work on time, she was pleasant, and she did whatever I asked her to do without complaining."

Mona lips curl down as she listens closely to Marcella.

"Did you know she is an artist?" Marcella asks Mona, who is now leaning forward in her chair.

"I don't know anything about her. In fact, I've never met her."

"Well she is, and she's pretty good if I must say. She started helping Amir paint a mural on the wall in the community room."

"How is Amir doing? It's such a shame about what happened to him."

"He's coming along but he'll never be the same again, Mona. The night those guys attacked him, beating him within inches of his life – well that changed him forever. He takes a lot of medication to control the seizures."

"That's such a shame. He couldn't go to college to study art after that. He is such a talented artist."

"He is. In some ways Amir is like a child again. And some people try to take advantage of him, but I won't have it."

"You two have always been close, but what does all of this have to do with Nora?"

"I had my suspicions that something was going on with Amir and Nora."

" _What?"_ Mona squeals in surprise.

"Does she know about his condition?"

"I doubt it. But she's not the kind of woman who would care. Something's seriously wrong with her, Mona."

"So what happened, Marcella?"

"Like I said, I had my suspicions about them, which were confirmed when I returned early from a meeting with the Tilghman organizers. I went over to Tilghman to discuss getting them and the organizers in Roosevelt involved in the training program. That's why we're up to 15 people now."

"What happened, Marcella?" Mona insists, bracing herself for whatever is coming.

"She's nasty, Mona. Trifling. I caught her masturbating in the community room."

" _What?"_

She was doing it out there on the tables where children do their homework. She was trying to seduce Amir – get him to have sex with her out in the open." Marcella frowns, shaking her head in disgust.

"You gotta be kidding me."

"I figured they were having sex, but this is the first time I was able to catch them."

"Oh my god", Mona says, placing her hand across her chest.

"I told her to get out and to never come back."

Mona cannot believe what she is hearing.

"That's why I don't think Mr. Grant would want to work with me – to teach a class here."

"This is shocking Marcella, unbelievable."

Marcella nods her head in agreement.

"I'm sure Olivia doesn't know a thing about any of this. She would be over here if she knew."

"She just had a baby, Mona."

"Doesn't matter", Mona shakes her head dismissively. "And if Olivia doesn't know then that means Fitz doesn't know."

"What should I do, Mona?"

Mona places her index finger on her mouth and thinks about the question for a long while.

"You continue doing what you're doing. Continue with the training program and let that Nora handle the mess she created."

Marcella nods. She just wants the training program to go well.

"I'm glad you stopped over, Mona. Thanks for the advice."

"It's always something", Mona says, grabbing the folders from the desk and stuffing them into her case.

 **XXX**

Councilman Johnson has arranged for Fitz to meet some of the most powerful business leaders in the city. This group of business people, men and women, have enterprises in the city that range from the technology industry to hospitality. Each has a vested interested in who becomes the President of City Council. None of these business leaders are supporters of Mayor Wilson, and therefore, are looking for a council president who will support their interests with the same vigor as Marla Briggs. Although most of the business owners are familiar with Fitz' reputation as a negotiator, they are less familiar with his political views. They need to know if they can count on him to support their concerns before they decide to throw their support and money behind him.

When Fitz enters the upscale restaurant in downtown center city, the hostess escorts him to a private dining room on the second floor. As he enters the room, he immediately recognizes the CEO of the chain of grocery stores, who was present at the meeting he attended for Olivia months ago.

"Gentlemen and ladies", Fitz says, walking into the smoke-filled room.

 **XXX**

Darius has scheduled a series a meetings at churches and community centers across the city to introduce Fitzgerald Grant to the everyday citizen. Tonight, Fitz is scheduled to meet with the residents of Tilghman and he grows more nervous with each passing minute. As he sits on the edge of the bed bending over to tie his black shoes, he thinks about changing into his brown brogues. But when he glances at his watch, he realizes needs to leave soon if he is going to be on time. He hates being late. He grabs the red tie from the bed and walks over to the mirror.

"I finally got JoJo to sleep", Olivia says as she walks into the room. "And if we don't convince Cena to select another bedtime story I'm going to go nuts."

Fitz grimaces as he looks in the mirror, fumbling with his necktie. Olivia shakes her head, realizing her husband is nervous.

"Let me do that for you", taking the tie from his hands. He huffs and lets his hands drop down to his sides.

"You have to connect with the people, babe. Nobody cares how smart you are. They're going to want to know that you care about their issues."

His blue eyes are filled with fear.

"I don't know how to do this, Liv. I'm not a politician."

"And that's a good thing. You're a blank slate. You are not a politician with a history. So the people are willing to give you a chance, but you have to tell them how you're going to make their lives better.

He nods, feeling a bit more relaxed.

"I love you", giving her a deep and passionate kiss.

"I love you too", patting him on the chest. "Now go meet your constituents."

 **XXX**

Fitz enters the Tilghman High School auditorium with Councilman Johnson and glances around the packed room. The auditorium is abuzz with chatter as the residents continue to file in from work or their homes. He becomes jittery again and wonders once again why he is doing this, why he is running for president. As he takes his seat on stage, he realizes he has never been to this part of the city and wonders what he could possibly say to convince the residents they should cast their vote for him.

Rashid Thomas, the community activist who organized this meeting, walks over to Councilman Johnson and informs him the meeting will start in five minutes.

"All right", David says. "But you should meet the man-of-the-hour before we get started."

Rashid smiles, displaying a set perfect, white teeth.

"Rashid, this is Fitzgerald Grant. He's our candidate for council president."

Fitz flashes a polite smile and extends his hand to Rashid.

"It's good to meet you, Rashid. Thank you for inviting me to speak at your meeting tonight", shaking the young man's hand.

"Well, we need to hear what both candidates have to say. Most people don't realize how important the president of City Council is to their everyday lives. Thank you for coming, Mr. Grant."

Five minutes later, after Rashid introduces Fitz, the residents begin to pummel Fitz with questions.

" _You're running against Charlie Barber, ain't you?"_ An old man with a stubbly gray beard yells from the back of the room.

"Yes, I am", smiling politely.

" _Charlie's from Tilghman, you know? Born and raised here. He went to this high school we standing in."_

Fitz smiles politely, not knowing where the old man is going with his statement.

" _He might be from here, but he is not one of us – not any more", a women yells._

" _That's right. Once he started making a little money he moved away and never looked back."_

" _All right. All right", Rashid calls out. "We're not here to hear to talk about Mr. Barber's past. We're here to find out what we can expect from Mr. Grant if he is elected president."_

" _Are you going to increase the budget so our children can get experienced teachers in their classrooms?"_

" _Are you going to make sure the swimming pools are going to stay open throughout the summer?"_

" _Are you going have police patrol our neighborhood on foot? They need to get out of their cars sometimes, and not jut to arrest us."_

Fitz' head is spinning. He answered all the questions to the best of his ability, but he quickly realized how unprepared he is for these town hall meetings. He just does not know enough about their issues because he has not been part of their world. After the town hall meeting, Fitz and David go to the Seeford Restaurant for drinks and to debrief. David ogles the pretty young waitress as she sets the drinks in front of them.

"Can I get you gentleman anything else?" She smiles politely, looking at Fitz.

Realizing the young woman is flirting with him, he fiddles nervously with his glass and shakes his head no.

"Well, let me know if I can get you anything", she smiles flirtatiously as she walks away with the tray tucked under her arm.

"You can get me something", David yells after the waitress.

"Fitz, I think she has eyes for you", chuckling as he lifts the glass to his lips.

"I'm a married man, David."

"And so am I", laughing out loud. "So how do you think the town hall went?"

"I don't think I'm your guy, David. I couldn't effectively answer most of those questions."

"That's the point of getting you out to these kinds of events. Give you a chance to understand the issues."

"Charlie already knows their issues. He lived in Tilghman for god's sake."

"You heard those people. Charlie Barber is a pariah, they hate him down here."

Fitz shakes his head, unconvinced of David's assessment.

"Fitz, you have the resume. You have the dedication. You just need to become more familiar with the issues. And we'll help you with that. Tonight was just a test run. The debate is in four months. By October you'll be quoting facts about the issues like a pro."

"I'm not supposed to be a professional politician, David."

"Then you'll be like a movie idol", David says, looking across the room at their waitress. "The women are going to love you."

 **XXX**

When Fitz arrives home from his meeting with David, he is happy that somebody finally remembered to set the alarm. Although Cedar Falls is safe and quiet, upper-middle class community, he is quite aware that crime can happen anywhere. He climbs the stairs and stops in Cena's room to give her a good night kiss.

"Daddy", she says half asleep.

"Go back to sleep, Princess. Daddy just wanted to say good night."

Cena nods her head, turns on her side, and falls back to sleep. He sees that Olivia has twisted her hair and becomes somewhat melancholy because he has not had the time to comb his daughter's hair in quite some time. He shakes his head when he thinks about how much time the campaign will require him to spend away from his family. He gives Cena another kiss on the top of her head, turns off the night light, and walks from the bedroom and down the hall to check on Jolie. He smiles when he sees Jolie laying on her back spread eagle. A spit bubble has formed on her lips and she laughs in her sleep. Fitz kisses his baby daughter and pulls the blanket over her body. He sets the foot stool back in the corner and walks from the room and down the hall to the master bedroom. He is surprised to see Olivia is sitting up against the plush headboard, wearing her eyeglasses, and tapping on her tablet.

"You're up late", walking over and giving her a kiss.

"Did you eat?"

"I'm not hungry", sliding the tie from around his neck and sitting onto the bed.

"How'd it go?" Removing her eyeglasses and setting them on top of the tablet on her lap.

"I don't know anything, Liv", unbuttoning his shirt.

"It's going to take time, babe."

He unbuckles his belt and steps out of his pants.

"There might not be enough time", walking to the closet to hang up his suit.

"What do you mean?" She asks curiously as he walks back into the bedroom removing his watch.

"Did you know Charlie is from Tilghman?"

"Why would I know that?"

"Well he is", pulling his undershirt over his head. "He has a big advantage over me, Liv. He knows the people of Tilghman. He understands their issues."

"Tilghman is just one community in the city, babe. What did David say?"

"He'a not worried at all. He says tonight was just a test run. A way to get people to become aware of who I am and for me to hear their issues."

"Well if David isn't worried then neither am I."

"Liv, last week I met with some of the business owners and tonight I met with ordinary citizens. Their needs and expectations are so different."

"That's to be expected, babe."

"Darius has several more of these town hall meetings scheduled in other parts of the city. While there may be some common interests, you can bet each area is going to have unique concerns. I don't know how to reconcile all of the competing interests."

"You have to listen to them, Fitz. Really listen to them."

"I'm going to take a shower. Do you want to join me?" Looking at her with desire.

"Two more weeks, babe. Nothing's happening here until Dr. Perry gives us the green light."

"I guess it'll be a cold shower", he mumbles as he walks into the bathroom.

 **XXX**

Fitz sits on one of the metal folding chairs near the table holding the refreshments, listening intently to Marcella give an overview of the five-week-long training program. As she talks about the Speaker Series part of the program, he smiles to himself, thinking about how proud he is of his mother for suggesting this addition to the program. He watches patiently and somewhat anxiously as Marcella distributes the program schedule, including the list of speakers who will add insights for each planned topic.

"Remember, this training program has two parts – lecture and speakers. Industry experts will come in to provide us insights into how these concepts can be and have been applied in the real world."

"Marcella, I recognize some of the names of the speakers. These are some real important people. Why are they coming down here to talk to us?" Brad asks.

"Brad, all of our speakers have volunteered to support this program. They are taking time out of their busy schedules and away from their families because they are invested in helping us to develop the skills to support our communities."

"So how much are they getting paid?" Marcus, the skeptic, asks.

"Marcus, we couldn't afford to pay any of our instructors and speakers even if we wanted to. So listen carefully because I already said the instructors and speakers are volunteering their time."

Marcus frowns and twists his lips.

"It's important that each of you make every session and arrive on time. There is a lot of content that needs to be covered and we can't hold up the class just because people can't get here on time. And, if you don't think you can commit to attend all five sessions, then let me know at the end of class tonight."

Marcella looks around the room at all of the faces, checking for understanding, before she continues.

"All right then. Let's get started."

"One more thing Marcella", Jason says, raising his hand.

"What is it Jason?"

"Are we gonna have snacks like this every week? I really like these cookies", biting in a chocolate chip cookie.

"Shut up Jason", Emory says, and a few others laugh. Jason is always the jokester.

"Okay, okay", Marcella says, putting up her hands to stop the chatter. "And without further ado, I would like to introduce our first speaker in the series. You have his bio in your packet. So let's give a nice round of applause for Mr. Fitzgerald Thomas Grant the Third."

The class claps unenthusiastically as Fitz stands from his seat and joins Marcella at the front of the room.

"Thank you Marcella for that wonderful introduction", giving her a nervous smile.

Marcella returns his smile and takes a seat in the last row of tables. She has a lot to learn as well. As Fitz looks out at the class of 15 millennials, he takes a deep breath before he starts to share his background in a bit more detail than what is outlined in his biography. Then he begins to delve into his assigned topic. He is not sure if he is connecting with the class because they are just looking at him with blank stares.

"Any questions?" He asks at the end of his presentation. And to his surprise, every hand in the room goes up.

Fitz answers a wide variety of questions. Some were seeking clarification about a point he made, while others wanted more detail about something they scribbled in their notes. He is so relaxed and really enjoying interacting with the young minds.

"One final question", Marcella says. "We have kept Mr. Grant here well beyond the agreed-upon time."

"Aren't you running for President of City Council?" Marcus asks.

"I am", nodding his head.

"I thought I recognized him", someone says.

"Why?" Marcus follows up.

" _Why?"_ Fitz replies, unsure of the question.

"Yes. Why do you want to be president?" Marcus persists.

"Well Marcus, I really didn't come here tonight to talk about politics."

He is an inexperienced politician and does not know how to deflect when he does not know the answer to a question, or when he is asked a question he does not want to answer.

"This is all about politics. Your whole presentation was all about politics", Marcus says.

"That's right, this whole program is about teaching us how to get our message across to the political class – how to make things better for our communities."

Fitz turns to Marcella for permission to take the discussion in a different direction. Marcella nods, encouraging him to answer their questions. He looks at Marcella for a long while, like a deer in headlights, and she nods again, giving him an encouraging smile. Before he turns back to the class, he nods and returns Marcella's smile. Forty-five minutes, Fitz is still answering questions. Now sitting on the edge of the metal desk with his shirt sleeves rolled up, he is totally engaged, answering every question that is fired at him. He stumbles over some of the answers because he was not prepared for the question or he was not aware of the issue. After another 30 minutes of questions and answers, Marcella brings the impromptu town hall meeting to a close.

"All right. All right", Marcella says, cutting off Rashid, who is trying to get in one more question. "That's enough for tonight. Mr. Grant didn't come here tonight to talk politics, but we appreciate him taking the time to answer your questions. He now needs to get home to his family."

Everyone starts to stand from their seats and walk to the front of the room to thank Fitz for the information he presented in the lecture and answering questions about his campaign.

"I hope you're going to present another topic Mr. Grant", Tyrone says.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it, Tyrone."

"You have to come back, Mr. Grant", Amanda chirps demurely.

Fitz smiles politely at the young woman.

"You're all right, Mr. G", Jason says.

After everyone has left, Marcella thanks Fitz again for presenting and staying longer to answer the unplanned questions.

"You did great tonight, Mr. Grant", cleaning up the leftover snacks Jason did not take home.

"Well if you need me to come back to take more questions on this topic, just let me know."

"Thank you, Mr. Grant. I appreciate that. You have one more course to teach."

"I do", grabbing his suit jacket from the back of a chair and sliding it on.

"Do you need a ride home, Marcella? It's pretty late."

"No, I'm fine. Thank you any way", she smiles politely.

"Well good night, Marcella."

"Good night, Mr. Grant"

As Fitz walks toward the exit, he stops, and turns around as if he has forgotten something.

"Oh, Marcella, thanks for giving my sister Nora a chance to work here. How is she doing by the way? I hope she isn't causing any trouble", he smiles brightly.

 **XXX**

He does not know how many red lights he sped through in an effort to get home as quickly as possible. His thin lips curl into a hard scowl as drives down their street and pulls the car into the driveway. He is mad as hell when he walks the front door of his home and stomps down the hall toward the family room. Nora looks up from her phone when she hears her brother enter the room.

"Welcome home, professor. You're awfully late. Did you have to stay after class for being a bad boy?" She asks teasingly.

"I want you out of my house – tonight." He says angrily with eyes the color of coal.

" _What?"_ Nora responds in surprise.

"You heard me. I don't want you around my family. Take your sickness somewhere else."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Turning around in her chair and getting angry because of the tone her brother is using with her.

" _Marcella told me everything. What the hell is wrong with you?"_

Nora's eyes grow wide with fear.

"You can't talk to me that way", trying to defend herself.

" _I. Want. You Out. Of. Here",_ he says through clenched teeth.

Hearing her son yell at the top of his lungs, Maura grabs her robe and runs downstairs from her bedroom to see what is going on.

" _Fitzgerald",_ Maura says somewhat out of breath. "What's going on? Why are you waking the house with your yelling?"

" _I want her ass out of here. Now!"_

Maura looks over at her daughter who is in the chair, curled into a ball, and sniveling like a baby.

" _Fitzgerald! Your language."_

"She's heard worse - done worse."

"What's the matter – what's going on?" His mother insists.

" _She's a goddamn disgrace. She's sick, mom."_

"What are you talking about?"

" _She got fired from the community center for having sex with another worker."_

"Who told -?"

"You mean you knew about this?" Looking at his mother in surprise. "You kept this from us –been lying to us all of this time?"

"Let me explain -"

"I don't believe you mom. She does something like that, at a place where Olivia got her a job, and you keep this from us?"

"We're working through it, Fitzgerald. I'm helping her."

"What she did was reckless – indefensible. Not only did she humiliate herself, but she put Olivia in an untenable position. She asked someone for a favor on her behalf – and she does something like this?"

The single vein that runs down the middle of his forehead, and those in the sides of his neck throb to the point of almost rupturing.

"I'm handling it Fitzgerald", his mother persists.

"I want her out of here tonight. I told you before I didn't want that kind of behavior around my family."

Fitz stomps over to the chair and yanks Nora by the arm, but she holds on as tight as she can, trying to prevent her brother from pulling her from the chair.

" _Mom. Mom."_ Noracalls out, trying to fight off her brother.

" _Let her go Fitzgerald"_ , his mother demands.

" _I want her out of here!"_

" _Fitz!"_

Olivia yells with a look of confusion on her face. Red-faced, and still not releasing Nora's arm, Fitz turns and looks at his wife.

" _She has to go!"_

" _Mom. Please mom"_ , Nora yells, kicking wildly at her brother.

" _Let her go, Fitz!"_ Olivia screams.

" _Do you know what she did? Marcella fired her because she caught her fucking at the center."_

" _What?"_ Olivia says in shock, bringing a hand to her lips.

Maura stands protectively over her daughter with her hands clasped to the sides of her face. This is not how she wanted Nora's situation to be revealed. Fitz stands in the middle of the room breathing heavily, with his hands resting on his hips.

" _Tonight I had to hear about my sister, the slut, who can't seem to get enough so she has fuck wherever she goes, even at work."_

With eyes almost bulging from her head, Olivia looks over at Nora who has stopped fighting her brother and is once again curled into a tight ball. Breathing heavily with her chest rising and falling, Olivia walks slowly over to Nora, who buries her face in the crook of her arm when she hears Olivia's voice.

"Nora", Olivia says slowly, trying maintain control of her rising anger.

Nora does not respond.

"Look. At. Me. Nora", Olivia says sternly.

"Olivia, please", Maura tries to intercede on her daughter's behalf.

" _I said look at me"_ , Olivia yells, in staccato tone, causing Maura and Nora to jump.

Nora lifts her tear-stained face from the crook of her arm and looks up at an outraged Olivia.

"Tell me this isn't true, Nora. I'll believe you if you tell me it's not true."

"Liv -", Fitz says.

"Tell me, Nora. Tell me it's all a lie."

Olivia is trying to remain calm, but inwardly she is panicking. She does not want this to be true. She is praying that her husband misunderstood Marcella, praying that it is all a mistake.

"I'm so sorry, Liv. I'm so sorry."

The room is eerily quiet, except for the faint wails of Jolie that flow from the nursery and down the staircase. The tacit confession feels like a punch to her gut and Olivia stumbles backward, stunned and dismayed. She looks in disgust at the sniveling and disheveled woman for a long while. She cannot muster up enough energy to get angry, the disappointment is too deep. Nora curls her body into a tighter ball and Maura clutches her pearls as she watches Olivia walk away in a zombie-like state.

"Liv …"

Fitz calls to his wife as she walks past him in a daze. With balled fists, Olivia stops in the doorway but does not turn around.

"Get her out of here, Fitz", she says without emotion. "Tonight."

Maura gasps and Olivia walks up the stairs to comfort a crying Jolie. At the top of the stairs she sees Cena standing with tears streaming down her face and clutching Biker Princess.

"Oh Cee, what's the matter?" Swiping the tears from her daughter's cheeks.

"Daddy's yelling. Daddy's mad."

"Daddy's okay, sweetheart. He'll be up soon to give you a good night kiss. Okay?"

Cena rubs her eyes and nods her head up and down.

"Let's go get JoJo. Would you like to help me change her?"

Cena shakes her head no.

"Well come with me so I can change her diaper."

Cena follows her mother into the nursery where JoJo is screaming at the top of her lungs.

"Make her stop crying mommy", putting her hands over her ears.

"Get the stool, Cena."

Cena drags the small wooden stool from the corner, over to Jolie's crib, and steps onto it to watch her mother change her crying sister.

 **XXX**

"It's time to go, Nora. Get whatever you need for tonight and I'll send the rest of your things wherever you want", he says tiredly.

" _Mom_ ", she cries for help.

"Fitzgerald, she has nowhere to go."

"That's not my problem, mom."

"If she goes then I have to go too", Maura says in a threatening tone.

Fitz looks at his distraught mother in surprise.

"Mom, you're welcome to stay as long as you like, but she has to go."

"Then I will leave with her."

Fitz looks into the eyes of the woman who sat in the kitchen with him as a boy when he came home from school. The woman who always had a snack waiting for him. The woman who listened to all of his ramblings about what happened during his day at school. And he feels the uneasiness in build his chest whenever he has to deliver unpleasant news to his mother. Olivia cannot intercede on his behalf, not this time. He has to be the one to deliver the news.

"Then that's your choice", he says flatly.

Those were some of the hardest words he has ever had to say, but it is time for everyone to move on. He gives his mother one last look before going upstairs to help Olivia with a screaming Jolie.

 **XXX**

When Fitz gets upstairs to the nursery, Olivia is sitting on the rocker and nursing Jolie. Cena sits on the stool and listens to the sucking sounds of her sister.

"Daddy", Cena screams, running over to her father and jumping into his arms. "You scared me, daddy."

"I'm sorry, Princess. Pucker."

Cena gives her father a kiss and wraps her arms around his neck.

"Is JoJo okay?" Looking at his wife's sad face.

"She's fine. Almost back to sleep."

Olivia looks down at her baby girl and smiles mirthlessly.

"Has she left?"

"Leaving. Mom's going with her."

Olivia nods and, Fitz, consumed with guilt and shame, looks sadly at his wife.

"I'm sorry, Liv."

"This is not your fault", she says glumly.

He nods again, wondering how he can make this better.

"Let's get you back to bed", tickling Cena's stomach, who giggles and squirms in her father's arms.

 **XXX**

His crystal blues eyes are filled with confusion and disbelief when he opens the door and sees his wife and daughter standing on the front steps of their home. He looks at his daughter, who is trembling like a leaf in the wind, as the nonstop tears cascade down her face. He has no idea what has prompted his estranged wife and daughter to return home in the middle of the night, but something is happened, something bad has definitely happened.

"We need to come in Gerry", Maura says anxiously with an arm wrapped around their daughter's shoulders.

"Of course. Of course."

Gerry steps aside, allowing his wife and daughter to enter as if they are strangers.

"Nora, go up to your room and lay down. I'll be up shortly", Maura says softly.

"Mom", Nora replies with a trembling voice.

"I'll be up shortly, dear. I promise. Okay?"

Maura brushes the hair away from Nora's face and Nora nods and begins the ascent to her former bedroom.

"What the hell is going on, Maura? What's wrong with her? Why aren't you at Fitzgerald's?"


	22. Chapter 22 Back on Track

**Chapter 22. Back on Track**

While living at Fitzgerald and Olivia's home, Maura sometimes wondered how she would feel if the time ever came, no, when the time came for her to re-enter the house she called home for the last 40 years. But she never bothered to prepare herself mentally or emotionally for an event that probably would not happen until sometime in the far and distant future. Well the future is tonight. The unexpected events of the evening precipitated the need for her to return to her former home much sooner than she anticipated.

As Maura slowly walks into the family room a tsunami of memories flood her mind, all stirring an array of melancholic feelings. As she glances around the space she thinks _family room_ is the appropriate name for the space in which they spent so much time celebrating milestones and individual accomplishments, or just having fun as a family unit. Walking deeper into the space she thinks about the many lively discussions that took place in the room over the years. She thinks about the raucous voices during game night. She thinks about the whooping and howling by Gerry and the boys whenever they watched one of those silly wrestling matches on TV. Filled with a mix of emotions, she swipes her fingers across her cheek, removing the evidence of grieving for a time gone by.

Standing in the middle of the room, it appears as though nothing has changed in the five months since she has been gone. In fact, everything looks remarkably in order, pristine, almost frozen in time. She shakes her head because Gerry never lifted a finger to clean a thing in all of the years they were married. She wonders if he has hired a housekeeper. As she studies the room's décor, she can remember where each item of furniture was purchased, much of it from Feingold's Furniture Store. She looks over at the drapes, remembering the day she suddenly went out and bought the fabric to make them. She stayed up all night sewing those drapes because she was feeling sad and lonely, even though her husband was down the hall asleep in their bedroom. She chuckles mirthlessly to herself because weeks went by before anyone noticed the new drapes.

Sitting down, she runs her fingers across the small, wooden table positioned next to the chair, her chair. She crosses her legs and thinks about the many cups of tea she savored while sitting in this chair and reflecting on her life.

"What the?" She squeals, lurching forward and reaching behind her back, between the seat cushion and the back of the chair, to retrieve whatever is jabbing her in the backside.

"I'll take that", Gerry says, extending his hand to relieve her of one of Ethan's toys John apparently left the last time they visited. I guess I missed it when I was cleaning", he says somewhat sheepishly.

"May I have a sherry?" Handing her husband the toy as she leans back against the familiar cushion.

"Of course. Of course", Gerry sputters, setting the toy onto the coffee table before walking over to the well-stocked bar and pouring her favorite sherry into the small glassware. He hands his wife the etched crystal glass, sits onto the sofa across from her, and watches his wife with concern as she sips the fortified wine.

"What's going on, Maura? Why aren't you and Nora at Fitzgerald's?"

"It's complicated Gerry", shaking her head sadly as she lifts the glass to her lips.

Gerry furrows his brow, waiting for his wife to provide some detail.

"It's all a mess, Gerry. Our daughter is in trouble, she needs our help."

"What the hell is wrong with Nora? She hasn't stopped crying since she got here", eyeing his wife as she lowers the glass from her lips and sets it onto the wooden table.

"We did our daughter a disservice, Gerry. We let our problems affect her – emotionally."

Gerry has no clue what his wife is talking about because he did not even know they were having problems. And he groans silently because has heard more talk about emotions over the last five months than he has heard in his entire life.

"We've all been through a lot over the last few months", he says solemnly.

"Nora has some serious problems - emotional problems."

Gerry does not know where this conversation is going, but he senses he is going to need a stiff drink to deal with whatever his wife is about to tell him. He has not had a drink in weeks, and his body feels much better without the alcohol flowing in his system and clouding his thoughts. But tonight he needs to break the drought, so he walks over to the bar and pours himself a healthy amount of scotch. Holding the decanter in one hand and the glass in the other, he takes a long sip before sitting back onto the sofa.

"She has never felt loved by you, or by me for that matter. I know I didn't give her what she needed as a child."

Gerry takes another sip and runs his hand through his thick, white hair and sighs. Once again he feels like he is going to end up being the bad guy.

"She needed love and attention Gerry, but she never got it."

"You're talking in circles, Maura?" He says tiredly. "What does all of this have to do with you leaving Fitzgerald's?"

With tears stinging the back of her eyes, she looks away from her husband and tries to collect her thoughts.

"Fitzgerald threw us out tonight, Gerry."

" _He did what?"_ Scooting to the edge of the sofa cushion and looking bug-eyed.

"Well, he wanted Nora to leave and I left with her."

" _Why did he want Nora to leave?"_

Getting information out of his wife has always been akin to pulling teeth.

"Fitzgerald found out tonight what I have suspected for some time. He does not want her around his family."

Gerry leans forward and listens intently as his wife relays the sordid details of their daughter's sexual proclivities. As he listens to his wife recount their daughter's sick behaviors, he can understand why his son no longer wants his sister around his family.

"How long has this – this nonsense been going on?" He asks in disgust.

"A long time, Gerry. Too long", Maura says sadly. "After she was – was _caught_ at the center, we had a long talk about all of it."

"Well what did she say? Did she say why she does this – this thing?" Waving his large hands in the air.

"It's become a pattern I suppose."

Gerry walks over to the bar, pours another hefty drink, then walks over to the window and stares out into the night. He shakes his head in disbelief. No father wants to hear about his daughter doing those kind of lewd things with different men, and in public no less.

"Did we do this to her, Maura? Did we cause this – this thing in her?"

"I don't know, Gerry", Maura says wearily. "She doesn't even know why she does it. She just says it makes her feel good in the moment."

Gerry's mouth curls down in disgust.

"She does not know if she is doing it because she just enjoys having sex or if she is looking for love – looking for some kind of connection."

"What the hell do we do about this?" He asks with fatigue lacing his voice.

"She obviously needs help – professional help."

He nods and raises the glass to his lips as Maura lets out a heavy sigh.

"I'm exhausted, Gerry. Can we finish discussing this in the morning?"

Gerry nods, watching his wife sip the last of the sherry before taking the glass to the kitchen to wash. Gerry turns back to the window and stares out into the night, thinking about how his family has completely fallen apart. He wonders how they got to this place when he worked so hard to build the perfect family. Deep in thought, he is somewhat startled when he hears his wife's voice in the room again.

"I'm going upstairs to check on Nora."

He turns with drink in hand and nods as he looks into the sad eyes of his estranged wife.

"I'll be sleeping in the guest room", she says quickly.

His eyes darken and he grips the sweating glass tightly. In all of the years they have been married they have always shared the same bed when sleeping under the same roof.

 **XXX**

It is early and the room is still dark because the sun has yet to rise, but Fitz lay awake with an arm hooked behind his neck and looking up at the ceiling. The events of last night weigh heavily on his mind, preventing him from finding any meaningful rest. He sighs when he thinks about how the evening started out on a high note. He taught his first course, which went really well once he got over the jitters of presenting to a group of bright, young community organizers. He answered a lot of off-topic questions and was feeling great by the end of the class. Actually, he was feeling energized until Marcella told him what his sister had been doing at the center.

"Do you regret your mother and Nora leaving?" Olivia asks, unable to sleep as well.

"No, it's my job to protect _our_ family – what we have here. Besides, mom didn't have to leave. It was her choice."

Olivia turns onto her side and studies his profile, looking for any signs of regret.

"We gotta get back on track Liv", still staring at the ceiling. "Things have been so hectic around here since we got back from Mirage. We haven't had a lot of time just for us."

She nods.

"Mom moving in was a surprise – unexpected."

"We couldn't turn her away, Fitz."

"I know. Then Nora showed up", he shakes his head. "I should have sent her packing the night we caught her with that guy."

"We were trying to help, babe."

"I just want some damn normalcy around here for a change."

"Normal is overrated babe", running her hand up and down his chest. "Our lives are anything but normal right now - we have a lot going on. A new baby. The campaign. The foundation. It's a lot."

"We need to get away, just us and the kids."

"We can't possibly get away with everything that's going."

"Joan sent us some listings for the house in the mountains. We need to look at them and decide."

She nods again, still studying his profile.

"Win or lose, I want us to have the new place by the time the election is over."

"You're going to win, babe. I have confidence in my brilliant, handsome husband", pecking him on the tip of his nose.

"We can go up there for a couple of weeks. Relax. Swim. Do naughty things to each other", turning his head and giving her a devious smile.

"Celebrate Cee's birthday", running her thumb back and forth across his smiling lips.

"Has she mentioned her birthday again?"

"No. She doesn't have a real sense of time, babe. She has forgotten about it for now."

He nods slowly.

"Babe …"

"Hmmm?" Still thinking about everything that is going on in their lives.

"Have you noticed a difference in Cee since we brought JoJo home?"

He looks at her curiously, now laying face to face with his wife.

"Cena was used to having us – _you_ \- all to herself. Now she has to share you with JoJo."

"We discussed this with her", furrowing his brow.

"Babe, JoJo is a reality. She is not make-believe any more."

"So what are you saying?"

"I'm saying Cena is jealous, not that she understands her feelings. And, on some level she's feeling abandoned because you spend time with JoJo."

" _What?"_

"Haven't you noticed how she tries to jostle her way onto your lap whenever you're holding JoJo?"

He frowns as he thinks for a moment.

"Haven't you noticed how she now only wants you to read her bedtime story? Not that I'm complaining about not having to read _Goodnight Moon_."

"So what do we do?"

Olivia arches a brow and cocks her head slightly to the side.

"You mean what do _you_ do?" Jabbing her index finger on his shoulder. "She's attached to you. You're the one with the _S_ on your chest." And he rolls his eyes.

"I never want Cena to feel like I've abandoned her", he says sincerely.

"I know."

"I hate that this campaign is taking up so much of my time."

"Only a few more months before you're president."

"I'm glad you're so confident that I'm going to win."

"Take Cena out, just the two if you, for a daddy-daughter date."

He nods, thinking about where to take his four-year-old daughter.

"Maybe bike riding. She'll like that.

He nods slowly, looking into his wife's eyes.

"Okay, we'll go bike riding on Saturday."

"And buy her some ice cream. She'll think she's getting away with something if you give her ice cream when I'm not around."

He nods again, pulling her close and kissing her forehead. And, within a few minutes they are both sound asleep.

 **XXX**

Maura peeks into Nora's bedroom, who is still curled into a ball and sleeping, so she gently closes the door and walks downstairs to the kitchen to start breakfast. As she descends the stairs, she feels somewhat sad because it seems like she is right back where she was five months ago. She feels like all of the progress she made has disintegrated into a thousand little pieces. But she quickly dismisses the thoughts because this is not the time for her to be selfish. She cannot think about the new life she had begun to build because she now has to think about her daughter. She has to think about getting Nora the help she needs to become healthy.

When Maura walks to the kitchen she is surprised to see her husband standing at the stove with a dish towel draped over his left shoulder. Apparently he is cooking breakfast.

"Good morning", she says sheepishly, as she stands barely inside the doorway. For some reason she feels like a visitor in her own home.

Gerry turns from the stove and gives her a look she cannot quite read.

"Good morning", he says with a slight smile.

"Something smells delicious", walking into the kitchen.

"Hot water for your tea", waving the spatula in the direction of the whistling tea kettle.

"Thank you", moving effortlessly in her kitchen and retrieving her favorite mug from the over-the-counter cabinet.

She opens the tin containing her favorite tea bags and feels somewhat sad as she thinks about the welcome basket Fitzgerald sent on her first day of work at the foundation.

"Breakfast will be ready in a minute", Gerry says, shaking her from her reverie.

"When did you learn to cook?" She asks with surprise.

"I've only watched the best cook prepare our meals for 45 years", giving her the Grant smile she used to love.

"Well you never showed any signs of knowing how to cook all of these years", she says with a slight edge in her voice.

"Sit down Maura", he says, sensing an argument is brewing.

Maura sighs, takes her seat, and blows onto the surface of the hot tea.

"Is Nora coming down for breakfast?" He asks, setting her usual breakfast of two eggs over light, two strips of bacon, and one slice of lightly buttered rye toast.

"She is still sleeping", looking in awe at the wonderful breakfast set before her. And, for some reason she loses her appetite. Her change in demeanor does not go unnoticed by her husband.

"What is it, Maura? What's on your mind?"

"Our daughter –"

"It's not Nora", he interrupts. "Well, it's not _just_ Nora", he self-corrects. "After 45 years I think I know a something about you."

"Were you ever happy in our marriage? Be honest, Gerry." She looks at him holding the steaming cup of tea mid-air.

He runs a hand through his thick hair and lets out a heavy sigh. He had a feeling their marriage was going to be a topic of discussion this morning.

" _Happy? What the hell is happy, Maura?"_ _If happy is having a family and doing your best for them, then yes, I was happy. If happy is watching your children grow up and start their own lives with their own families, then yes, I was happy."_

He throw his hands up in frustration and Maura looks at him, surprised by his outburst.

"You get married because that's the thing to do. You have children, because that's the thing to do. _You stay married until you die, because that's the thing to do._ _That's what my parents did._ "

" _We weren't your parents, Gerry. I never wanted to be like your parents, or my parents for that matter. I always wanted more."_

" _What the hell did you want, Maura? God knows I don't know what you want."_

" _I wanted a husband. I wanted a partner. I wanted a friend. I wanted a career. And yes, I wanted a lover."_

Gerry's eyes widened and his nostrils flare.

"I was dying here - in our home - Gerry", looking around the kitchen. "If I hadn't left this place I would have died. Maybe not a physical death, but I would have been dead nonetheless."

"So what does this mean for us? Do you want to throw everything away – after 45 years?"

She looks at him blankly and twists her wedding rings.

"I don't know what you want me to do, Maura", looking at the woman he feels he no longer knows.

"That's just it, Gerry. I don't want you to do anything. I have - had what I wanted. I had a job, a job doing something that made a difference – that made me happy."

Gerry studies his wife's beautiful face for a long time, thinking it is time he put all of his cards on the table too.

"You know I could've walked away too, Maura. A long time ago."

She looks at him in surprise because it never occurred to her that he too might have wanted to walk away at some point in their marriage.

"Don't look surprised, Maura. I never acted on it, but I had a chance for this thing called _happy_ you keep talking about", sitting down and tossing the towel onto the table. "But my family – my commitment to you and the kids – was always more important than some fantasy."

She nods and stares at him blankly.

"Many of our friends did just that – walked away from their families – away from their wives, away from their children, away from their commitments. And you saw the effects it had on their families. Hell, Andy left Patty and she could barely support herself and those five kids after he was gone. She had nothing. If it weren't for the help she got from us and our friends … "

"The kids got out of control. Todd got on drugs and Jennifer got pregnant at 14 for God's sake", running his fingers through his white mane again.

"Andy thought he was leaving for something better – for a _happy_ life. But he left his family devastated. And when he came back years later, when his _happy_ ran out on him – well you know the story. So if that's what happiness is then count me out."

" _It's not a binary option Gerry"_ , she shouts in frustration. "Couples can be committed to each other – to their family – and have fulfilling careers", Maura says sadly.

 **XXX**

After getting a few hours of sleep Fitz left the house to meet Councilman Moton to discuss the upcoming community meeting. Olivia got up shortly after he left to feed Jolie and get Cena ready for school. She then called Abby and asked her to meet at the park after she dropped Cena off at school. She needs another perspective on what happened last night with their in-laws.

"I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so", Abby smirks as the two women push their baby strollers around the park.

"I just don't understand her, Abbs. I kind of feel sorry for Nora. She obviously has some serious emotional problems", staring down the pathway as the sun warms her face.

"I always knew something was wrong with that woman - toxic", Abby says unsympathetically.

Olivia nods.

"Olivia, you can't get stressed about someone else's poor decisions - Nora is not your problem. Gerry and Maura helped to create whatever is going on with her, they have to fix it."

"I suppose", she says absently. Still wondering if she and Fitz did the right thing.

"They should've left your home a long time ago. Did they think they were going to live with you and Fitzgerald forever?"

"I really enjoyed having them around, Abby."

"I know. I know. They're the family you never had. And you should thank god you never had a family like that."

Olivia frowns as they walk in silence for a few more minutes.

"When Fitz and I first started dating he took me to the family game night. Once a month, as ordered by Gerry of course, whoever was available would come to the Grants and play all sorts of board games."

"I'm glad I missed that era", Abby snorts and rolls her eyes.

"I thought they were the greatest family – big, loud, loving, competitive ..."

"Everything isn't always as it appears, Olivia."

"It was the kind of family I always wanted to be a part of", she says with a hint of sadness in her voice. "Sure, Gerry could be a bit overbearing at times, but they all seemed to be happy, including Maura."

"You saw what you wanted to see, Olivia. That mother was the biggest pretender of all. I spotted the phoniness right away and told Jonathan I wasn't going to pretend to be part of that 1950s Cleavers-like family."

Olivia smiles at her feisty friend and wonders how John tolerates Abby's sharp tongue.

"You have an idyllic and romanticized perception of what it's like growing up in a large family. Well trust me, there's nothing ideal about having to share everything, about never having enough of anything, and never having a place of your own – a place where you could be alone with your own thoughts. There was always someone around in that small, tight house I lived in as a kid. Be grateful you didn't have to deal with that."

Each consumed by thoughts of their childhood stroll in silence along the winding path, listening to the chirping birds and inhaling the odoriferous scent of the blooming flowers.

"So how is Fitzgerald dealing with having to throw his sister and mother out into the streets in the middle of the night?"

"You know it wasn't like that Abby", rolling her eyes at her friend and sister-in-law.

"Well you gave him the green light to do it."

"I just couldn't tolerate Nora's behavior any longer. I am so disappointed in her."

"So how is Fitzgerald handling it?"

"Well, he's very busy with the campaign right now and transitioning responsibilities at the office to Geoffrey."

"How does he feel about having to step away from his business if he wins?"

" _When_ he wins", smiling at Abby who now rolls her eyes. "I'm sure it will be difficult. He's worked very hard over the years to build that business. The law says the business would pose a conflict of interest if he becomes city council president."

"That sucks."

They stroll around the duck pond, enjoying the scenery and smiling at the toddlers running around and testing their newfound independence. Ethan gurgles and kicks his legs wildly and Jolie continues to sleep, as she has been doing since they dropped Cena off at school.

"JoJo is such a good baby, Abby. She sleeps a lot though", peeking in the stroller at her baby girl who has not budged since they left the house to meet Abby. "Sometimes I just want to pinch and wake her."

"You better enjoy this time while you can, Olivia. Soon she'll be wide awake all of the time and demanding your attention along with Cena."

"Cena's a daddy's girl, Abby."

"How is she handling having to share _daddy_ with her little sister?"

"Actually she's having a hard time. She competes with JoJo for Fitz' attention. I don't think she understands what it means to have a sibling around all of the time."

Abby gives her a look of concern.

"Fitz didn't seem to be aware of it. He's just so busy."

"Well you better keep your eyes on this and make him aware of Cena's feelings. They became so close while you were away."

"I know."

 **XXX**

Olivia sits on her husband's lap in the study as they discuss the voters' skepticism about him. Polling data show the voters are not sure if they can trust him because he seems to have come out of nowhere and handpicked by the establishment.

"I don't feel like I'm winning anyone over at those town halls, Liv."

"You just have to learn about what's important to them. Talk to them in their language."

"I've never been to any of those communities until I decided to run for office. They can see right through me."

"Give it some time babe", running her hand through his hair. "How is the transition going with Geoffrey?"

"Better than I expected", he says solemnly.

The timbre of his voice causes her to eye him with concern.

"Aww babe, are you having second thoughts about turning over the keys to the kingdom to Geoffrey?"

"I didn't think it would be so hard letting go."

"It won't be forever", wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him a smile and a quick peck on the lips. He quickly turns the peck into a make-out fest, sliding his tongue into her mouth, roaming his warm hand under her blouse, and caressing a leaking breast.

"JoJo is a very lucky girl", he mumbles through the kisses.

She turns and straddles him, roaming his mouth with her tongue. He slides a hand down the front of her yoga pants and she begins to ride it slowly.

"How much longer?" He asks breathlessly, sliding the blouse down her shoulders.

"Mmm", grinding harder and getting caught up in the pleasure.

"How much longer?" He repeats desperately.

"One week – seven days", kissing him and grinding rhythmically on his hand.

"Are you sure?" Trailing wet, open-mouthed kisses down her throat.

"Dr. Perry appointment ... next week", getting lost in the feelings.

He unsnaps the front of the navy blue nursing bra and bends his head to suckle. She glides her fingers through his curls and guides him to her breast when suddenly, ear-shattering wails jolt them from their afternoon of passion. Panting heavily, they stop and look at each other with concern in their eyes because they have never heard this kind of ear-piercing screams from their bundle of joy. Olivia jumps off his lap and sprints from the study with her unbuttoned blouse flapping open and revealing an exposed nipple. With Fitz close on her heels they encounter Hildie standing at the foot of the staircase with a look of concern etched on her face.

"What's wrong, ma'am? Is she not feeling well?" Hildie asks anxiously as she takes in their disheveled appearance.

Olivia and Fitz run up the stairs with Hildie following closely behind. In the nursery they find a red-faced Jolie with fists tightly clenched and feet kicking wildly. Fear once again flash in Olivia's eyes as Jolie's blood-curdling cries fill the room. She quickly checks the diaper, which is dry. Then she picks up a screaming Jolie from the crib, who quickly stiffens her body and cries louder. Fitz touches the squirming baby's forehead with the back of his hand.

"I'll get the thermometer", Hildie says, rushing across the room and grabbing the thermometer and petroleum jelly from the top of the dresser.

Olivia lay Jolie face down in the crib, removes her diaper, and carefully inserts the thermometer. And Jolie screams louder.

"She doesn't have a fever", Olivia says, handing Fitz the thermometer who in turn passes it to Hildie.

"Maybe she's hungry", he says over Jolie's cries.

Olivia sits in the rocker and offers Jolie her exposed nipple, but Jolie only screams louder. After trying to console the crying baby for over an hour, Fitz reaches into his pocket.

"I'm calling Dr. Jordan. Something's wrong with her", running a hand through his already tousled hair.

Olivia and Hildie give him a nod of approval.

 **XXX**

"Welcome to the world of colic", Dr. Jordan says with a smile, although having a colicky baby is nothing to smile about.

" _Colic?"_ Olivia says in shock, rocking Jolie who has finally decided to take a break from crying.

"Cena didn't have colic", Fitz says quickly.

"Every child is different, Fitz", Dr. Jordan says.

"What causes colic?" Olivia asks, worry lacing her voice.

"It's a mystery, Olivia. Colic is uncontrollable crying in an otherwise healthy baby. A baby is considered colicky if she is younger than five months old and cries for more than three consecutive hours, on three or more days a week, and for at least three weeks.

Olivia and Fitz nod.

"Colic isn't a disease and won't cause Jolie any long-term harm, but it's a tough thing to go through for her and the rest of the family. Be prepared if you cannot comfort Jolie no matter what you try."

They look at the doctor with concern.

"You should be prepared for Jolie to repeat the awful crying or fussiness around the same time every day."

Olivia and Fitz look at each with wide eyes.

"Take this diary and track her crankiness. Once you have tracked her crying pattern you can be better prepared to try and soothe her and the family."

 **XXX**

Jolie cried the entire ride home from Dr. Jordan's office. Fitz turned on smooth jazz, spa music, and even tried hard rock in an effort to soothe his crying daughter, but of course nothing helped. When they walk through the door with a crying Jolie, Hildie and Cena are standing in the foyer waiting.

"What's wrong with our baby?" Hildie asks with concern.

"She has colic", Olivia says, rocking Jolie in her arms.

"Poor baby", Hildie says, stroking Jolie's tear-stained cheek with the back of her hand.

" _Take her back to the hospital daddy",_ Cena screams while cupping her hands over her ears, trying to block out Jolie's crying. Fitz and Olivia look at each other in surprise.

 **XXX**

Now that Jolie has decided to give herself and the family a break from her crying, and Cena has been tucked into bed after Fitz has read her favorite bedtime story, Olivia and Fitz collapse onto their bed, exhausted from the day's activities.

"I didn't think she would ever stop crying tonight", Olivia says, as she rubs her favorite lotion on her hands. Fitz slides his tablet from the nightstand to review his notes for the upcoming town hall.

"I'm sure she's just as miserable as we are Liv", looking down at his tablet.

"I'm just saying Fitz", looking at him curiously as she climbs into bed. "Babe …" Lifting her tablet from her nightstand.

"Hmm?" Focusing on his speech.

"School will be out in a few weeks. We need to think about what we want to do with Cena for the summer."

"What do you mean?"

"She needs to do something that is special, something that's just for her."

Fitz looks at his wife with puzzlement spread across his face.

"We talked about this Fitz, before JoJo was born."

"So what do you suggest? What do we do for her?"

"Well, you know she's high energy and likes to dance – always twisting and turning all over the place."

He smiles.

"I called a dance and gymnastics school in the city. I had an appointment to meet with the school's director to discuss the program, but I went into labor earlier than I expected."

"I didn't know you were looking into dance schools."

"You've been a little busy lately."

He frowns as he listens to his wife.

"Cee needs a break from everyone fawning over her baby sister. Enrolling her in a dance class will give her an opportunity to have something of her own, and meet new friends", she adds quickly.

"Do you think she will like it?"

"I do."

He nods slowly, pondering everything his wife has said.

"Okay, when do we go check out this school?"

"Next week."

 **XXX**

Three days have passed since Jolie was diagnosed with colic and the crying does not seem to be subsiding at all. She has been crying nonstop for the past two hours and Olivia cannot do anything to calm her. She is at her wits end and Fitz cannot provide her any respite from the incessant crying because he is attending a luncheon this afternoon with Councilmen Johnson and Moton. As she paces back and forth in the family room trying to soothe Jolie, her phone rings, and she smiles when she sees Colin O'Donnell's name display on the screen.

"Hi Colin", trying to speak over Jolie's screams.

"Olivia, it sounds like you have your hands full."

"I do. The baby is colicky and nothing I do will calm her."

"I understand. My wife and I went through it with two of our children. It's hell, but it will stop as mysteriously as it started."

"I can't wait", shifting Jolie to her other shoulder. "Hold on a minute Colin, I want o take Jolie in the next room so we can talk."

Olivia sets the phone onto the table next to the sofa and walks into the kitchen in search of Hildie.

"Hildie, can you please take Jolie for a few minutes? I'm on the phone and I can't hear a thing with her crying."

"Of course ma'am", quickly standing from the island and walking over to the sink to wash her hands.

 **XXX**

"Sorry, Colin. I'm back now", plopping onto the sofa.

"No problem, Olivia. I'm calling to let you know we'll be installing new plumbing in the last six houses over the next two weeks."

"That's terrific Colin", she says with a big smile. "We're helping to change the quality of life for a lot of people."

"You should be proud of yourself for getting the funding to finance this project, Olivia. It wasn't cheap to replace all of that old lead plumbing."

"A lot of good people made this project happen Colin", she says somewhat sadly, thinking about Marla.

"Well, I just wanted to give you an update. The formal report is in the mail. Call me when you're ready to go over and visit some of the homes – to talk with the residents about their satisfaction with with the work we've done."

"Will do. Oh – and Colin – thank you for the flowers. They are absolutely beautiful."

"You're welcome, Olivia. Take care."

As she disconnects the call, she realizes she does not hear Jolie screaming. She smiles in relief and takes this time of quiet to call Mona and check on the progress of the renovations at the foundation.

 **XXX**

"Hello Mona", she says, leaning back against the sofa cushion.

"Olivia, it is so good to hear from you. How are you and that beautiful baby doing?"

"I'm fine, Mona. A little tired, though. Jolie is colicky and none of us is getting much rest around here these days."

"Poor baby", Mona says sympathetically.

"Was that intended for me or Jolie?"

And the women burst out in laughter. They both miss their daily talks at the office.

"And how are you doing, Mona?"

"I'm fine. Just trying to get used to working from home. I miss our little office, Olivia."

"Me too, but Fitz convinced me it's going to be a much better space once the renovations are complete. That's the only thing that keeps me sane."

"I understand. We have a lot of good memories in that office. But Fitz is right, the renovations are going to make for a much more efficient workspace. By the way, we have to meet soon to discuss paint colors, finishes for cabinets and shelves, and flooring. We also have to select new furniture – desks, chairs …"

"Wow. I haven't thought about any of that, Mona."

"I didn't want to bother you with those details until after you had some time to settle in at home with Jolie. But the designer says we have to get the order in by the end of next week if we want to have any chance of completing this project on schedule."

"Okay. Why don't you bring over all of the samples next Thursday and we can make the selections and submit them to the designer."

"OK. I'll see you next week – and take care of that beautiful baby", Mona smiles as she disconnects the call.

 **XXX**

Olivia left JoJo home with Fitz so she could go to her post-delivery checkup with Dr. Perry and run a few errands while she is out. Fitz sits at his desk in the study trying to finalize the transition plan for Geoffrey when once again the unmistakable odor of Jolie's full diaper wafts through the room. JoJo has had diarrhea all day and this time she has made a mess of the blanket and her socks.

"Not again JoJo", walking over to his daughter who has a pained expression on her face.

This will be the third time he has changed his baby girl since Olivia left the house this morning. And, running up and down the stairs to the nursery to clean and change JoJo has gotten old.

"Come on Jo, let's do this again", scrunching his face as he bends down and picks up his daughter with the weighted-down diaper.

Fitz carries Jolie and the soiled blanket to the kitchen and lay her on the granite island top and removes the soiled onesie, diaper, and socks. He drops the soiled diaper into the trash bin, along with her pink onesie, socks, and blanket, and carries Jolie over to the large copper farmhouse sink. He fills the sink with a few inches of warm water and places Jolie into the sink.

"This makes more sense doesn't, JoJo?"

Jolie kicks her feet wildly and gurgles, also happy to have her soiled diaper removed.

"Maybe you should just stay in the sink, JoJo, until this diarrhea business over? Would you like that?"

He reaches for a cup in the dish rack, scoops a cupful of the water, and pours it over Jolie's round stomach. She squirms and kicks her feet, splashing water over her father's tee shirt. He scoops another cup of water and drizzles it over Jolie's chubby legs and she coos and smiles.

 **XXX**

After leaving Dr. Perry's office Olivia drove over to the Springfield Heights community center to meet with Marcella. Bringing the car to a stop on the parking lot's crumbling asphalt, she reclines her seat and reflects on her appointment with Dr. Perry before going in to see Marcella.

 **Flashback**

"Olivia, six weeks for recovery is just an estimate. Some women need more time to heal from the bruising, swelling, and sore muscles."

She nods, wringing her hands on her lap.

"Are you still doing the sitz baths?"

"Yes, a couple of times a day."

Dr. Perry nods and types notes in her chart.

"Are you experiencing any cramping?"

"Some – a little", she says softly.

"Well, that's normal. You might continue to have mild cramping as your uterus slowly contracts back to its usual size, shape, and position."

She nods again.

"And how is Jolie taking to breastfeeding?"

"She has a voracious appetite. I'm producing a lot of milk."

"Good. Good. Are you having problems with engorgement?"

"Only if I forget to take my pump when I go out for several hours."

"I see", typing more notes into her chart.

Dr. Perry finishes typing the notes, removes his spectacles, and sits back in his chair.

"Well Olivia, everything seems to be going according to schedule. Although you're healing nicely, you still have some swelling and bruising. Therefore, I highly recommend you refrain from intercourse for another two weeks - at least. You need to give your body more time to properly heal."

She nods as she thinks about her husband.

"Any questions?" He smiles kindly.

"No. I think you covered everything. Thank you, Dr. Perry."

"Good. Stop at the front desk on your way out and make another appointment for two weeks."

 **End Flashback**

Olivia thinks about how grumpy Fitz has been lately, and it is not just because of what happened with his mother and Nora. It has been two months since they have made love and his tension is building. Although he is always so thoughtful and understanding about the need for them to wait until she has fully recovered from the delivery, she knows he is going to explode if he does not get some loving soon. She smiles as she recalls him telling her before they got married that he likes lots and lots of sex.

Staring at the graffiti-covered building, she sighs and sets aside her husband's libido and thinks about the day she came here to ask Marcella to hire Nora. She shakes her head at the memory because little did she know a few months later she would be back here to apologize for her sister-in-law's behavior. She reaches across the console and grabs her purse from the passenger seat and slides from behind the steering wheel. As she walks down the hall toward Marcella's office, she glances into the community room where she sees the beautiful, but unfinished, colorful mural. She shakes her head as she proceeds to Marcella's office.

"Mrs. Grant", Marcella says in surprise. She is truly shocked to see Mrs. Grant standing in the doorway.

"Hello Marcella", giving Marcella an uncomfortable smile. "May I come in?"

"Of course. Of course. Have a seat", standing from behind her desk.

"Thank you", nervously glancing around the small office as if this is her first visit.

"Congratulations, Mrs. Grant. I hear you have another beautiful baby girl", giving the woman a genuine smile as she sits back onto her chair.

"Thank you, Marcella."

"Well, you look wonderful. You don't even look like you had a baby. Whenever I have a baby I will probably be as big as a house."

"Thank you, and you'll be fine whenever you're ready", trying to continue the small talk.

Once the social pleasantries are over, the two woman look at each other uncomfortably.

"Marcella ..." Olivia begins.

"I know why you're here, Mrs. Grant", putting up her hand to halt Olivia's apology. "It's not necessary."

"I'm sorry I haven't gotten here before now, but so much has been happening lately. Jolie has colic."

"Is that the baby's name? That's such a beautiful name", Marcella smiles dreamily.

"Thank you. But Marcella, I owe you an apology – for my sister-in-law."

"What she did is not your fault, Mrs. Grant."

"You're being kind, Marcella. I asked you to hire Nora and she came here and disrespected you and the center. I had no idea …"

"It's all water under the bridge", Marcella smiles politely. She really likes Mrs. Grant.

"Well, my offer still stands. I will still pay for someone to help you around here."

Marcella turns her head slightly, giving Olivia a doubtful look.

"Anyone of _your_ choice", Olivia adds quickly.

"That's kind of you Mrs. Grant, but we are fine around here now."

Olivia looks at Marcella with a new level of respect for the young woman.

"How is Amir? I saw the mural."

"He hasn't been around since …"

"I see", Olivia says.

"He just needs some time away", Marcella says sadly.

Olivia nods and begins to stand.

"And Marcella if you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to call me. I mean that, okay?" She says sincerely.

"OK."

The two women give each other a final smile before Olivia turns to leave.

"Oh - Mrs. Grant", Marcella calls out, stopping Olivia in her tracks. "Your husband, Mr. Grant, he's really something. The organizers love him. They can't wait for his next class."

 **XXX**

When Olivia returns home from trying to make things right with Marcella, she hears Fitz talking and Jolie gurgling. She smiles at the sounds as she walks into the kitchen, but stops suddenly when she sees her husband bathing their infant daughter in the copper farmhouse sink.

" _What on earth are you doing?"_ She asks in disbelief.

"Bathing JoJo", he says as if it is the most natural thing in the world to do. "She hasn't gotten over the diarrhea so _we_ thought the sink would be better than running up and down the stairs."

"Aww JoJo", Olivia says, walking over to the sink. And JoJo begins to cry when she hears her mother's voice. "Is that bad diarrhea still bothering you? Come to mommy", pushing Fitz aside so she can save her crying daughter from further embarrassment.

Fitz reaches into the drawer and pulls out a large kitchen towel so Olivia can dry Jolie.

"Oh my god Fitz, it smells awful in here. Did you put the soiled diaper in the kitchen trash bin?"

"I did", leaning against the sink and folding his arms across his chest.

Olivia looks into the trash bin and scrunches her face when the powerful odor makes contact with her nostrils.

"Did you throw away her clothes too?" Looking at him in disbelief as she holds a dripping Jolie close to her chest.

"They couldn't be saved, Liv. JoJo has some powerful poop."

She shakes her head and closes the trash bin.

"Put that trash bag into the bin out back", walking quickly to the foyer carrying Jolie who is wrapped only in the kitchen towel. Olivia knows she has to make quick time to get to the diaper bag and put a diaper on Jolie before she lets loose again.

After dressing Jolie in a new onesie and socks, Olivia places the smiling baby in her father's waiting arms.

"Take JoJo, I'm going to pick up Cee from school."

 **XXX**

As soon as her car seat is unbuckled _,_ Cena takes off running, leaving her mother in the driveway to bring her backpack into the house.

" _Daddy. Daddy"_ , Cena yells, running down the foyer and to the study holding a flapping sheet of paper in her hand.

" _Cena. Shush"_ , Fitz says, bringing his index finger to his lips trying to quiet his excited daughter. "Lower your voice. JoJo is sleeping."

Cena looks at her father who resumes pacing around the study, holding Jolie close to his chest. Cena drops her head and walks from the study and into the kitchen where she finds her mother looking into the refrigerator.

"Did you show daddy the picture you made for him?"

 _Silence_.

Setting various foodstuff onto the counter to prepare for dinner, Olivia looks over at her daughter who has not responded to her question.

"Cee, did you show daddy his picture?"

"No", she says sadly, setting the sheet of paper with a caricature of her father onto the island.

"Why not?" Looking at her daughter curiously.

"Daddy said _shush_ ", she says softly, and Olivia nods.

"Would you like to help me prepare dinner until daddy is ready to look at his picture? I'm making tacos", Olivia says in a sing-sing voice, trying to cheer up her daughter.

"No", Cena says, folding her arms across her chest and poking out her bottom lip.

 **XXX**

Councilmen Moton and Johnson and Congressman Phillip Guildford have joined Fitz at his small campaign office to discuss his upcoming community event. Fitz sits behind the desk holding a print-out of the latest polling data, Councilmen Moton and Johnson sit in the small, metal chairs situated in front of the desk, and Congressman Guildford stand next to the window. The congressman clears his throat, signaling Darius to get to the matter at hand. Getting the hint, Darius shifts in his seat before bringing up what he knows is going to be a sensitive topic for their candidate.

"Fitz …" Darius begins, shifting in his chair again.

"Mhm", still reading the polling data.

"You need to bring Olivia to some of these events."

"Why?" Not looking up from the pages of polling data.

"She'll make you more …"

"More what?" Now looking up from the sheets of paper.

"More – well more likable."

" _Likable? You mean I'm not likable?"_ Tightly gripping the papers in his hand.

"You're likable enough Fitz", Johnson says.

" _Likable enough? What the hell does that mean?"_ Tossing the latest polling results onto the desk.

"You're all facts and figures Fitz", Darius says.

"And a little distant – cold", Johnson says. "You've been uptight lately."

" _Distant?"_ Looking at the men with his mouth hanging open.

"Don't forget cold", the congressman reminds him from across the room and Fitz rolls his eyes. "You've not been yourself lately Fitz and the voters are picking up on it."

"People want to see you as a trustworthy, believable, and warm family man", Darius says.

Trying to mask the hurt, he stares at the three men as he leans back in the chair and plants his foot on the edge of the desk.

"A lot of people know and love Olivia", Congressman Guildford says, sliding the handkerchief from his pocket and dabbing his glistening forehead.

"Just give it some thought Fitz", Darius says.

 **XXX**

"You're home early tonight", looking up from her tablet when she hears her husband enter their bedroom.

He snatches his tie from around his neck and tosses it somewhere across the room and his jacket soon follows. Olivia's mouth falls open and she removes her eyeglasses as she watches him storm across the room, throwing his clothes everywhere.

"What's the matter? What happened?" She asks anxiously.

With his thin lips set in a hard line, he removes his watch and tosses it onto her vanity table, then unbuttons his shirt at the wrists.

"Fitz …" She calls to him as she climbs from the bed.

"I'm cold." He says in frustration, snatching off his shirt.

"Should I turn on the heat?" She asks in confusion, and he rolls his eyes as he steps out of his pants, leaving them on the floor.

"I'm taking a shower", pulling his tee shirt over his head and flinging it across the room as he walks into the bathroom.

Olivia's eyes follow the white tee shirt as it sails through the air and lands on the floor by the window. She scrunches her face wondering what has him so upset. A few moments later she hears the water in the shower.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Stepping into the shower where he is letting the water beat down on his bent head.

"I'm distant."

" _What?"_

She has no idea what he is talking about. But when he looks at her with those sad, blue eyes she just wants to make everything better for him. She steps closer and wraps an arm around his waist and pulls him to her.

"Darius, Phil, and Johnson say I'm not connecting with the voters because I'm cold – distant."

And she bursts out laughing, bringing her hand to her face. He tries to pull away because she is only making matters worse.

"Aww babe", wrapping both arms around his waist and locking him close to her. "Is that what has you so upset?"

He continues to sulk as the water beats down onto his back.

"They just don't know you the way I know you. You're not cold at all. In fact …" She says seductively as she runs her knee up and down his manhood. "You're very, very hot", slowly brushing her lips across his.

"Liv ..."

He closes his eyes as she continues to stroke him with her knee. She reaches down and wraps her hand around him and pumps life into him.

"So very hot", she says, squatting in front of him and taking his hardness into her mouth.

He stumbles back against the wall and instinctually begins to pump slowly into her mouth. It feels like it has been years. It feels like heaven. She bobs her head up and down and he runs a hand through her wet hair that has begun to curl.

"Livvie …" Moaning in pleasure. He has waited for so long.

She cups his sac and squeezes gently as she slowly glides her wet her mouth from shaft to tip.

"Oh my god. Just like that", pressing her head closer.

She runs her tongue around the head and he flinches from the sensation, rolling his head from side to side against the shower wall.

"It feels so good, Liv. Can you?"

She shakes her head from side to side.

"Can I?"

She nods slowly as she sucks him with ferocity, running her tongue up and down his length. She flattens her tongue onto the head and he thrusts deep into her mouth. He thrusts and thrusts and thrusts and his buttocks tighten as he shoots his seed down her throat. Holding her head close, he moans out in pleasure as he continues to flow into her mouth.

Giddy from the sensation, his thighs tremble and he collapses against the shower wall. She releases him from her mouth, stands to her feet, and allows the water to pulsate over her face and into her mouth. He reaches over and adjusts the water to one of their favorite settings and pulls her close.

"I love you more than anything", he smiles brightly as his hands travel down and caress her plump butt. The fever has been broken.

"I love you too. Now, tell those councilmen you're neither cold nor distant."

With the goofiest smile spread across his face, he cups her face and kisses her deeply.

 **XXX**

When Olivia walks toward the kitchen the next morning, she smiles when she smells breakfast cooking and hears Cena laughing and Fitz whistling a tune.

"What's so funny baby girl?" Kissing Cena on the cheek.

"Daddy teach me to whistle", she giggles again. "Watch mommy."

Cena puts her lips together and blows, but only spit comes out, spraying across the room, and she laughs out loud again.

"I think you need a little more practice Cee", tousling her daughter's hair as she peeks at Jolie who is sleeping in the carrier on top of the island. Thank goodness, Olivia says to herself as she walks over to the stove where Fitz is cooking.

"Good morning babe", giving him a peck on the lips.

He pulls her around the waist and sticks his tongue in her mouth and she scrapes her nails through the hairs at the nape of his neck. He backs her against the wall and they get lost in the moment, kissing and stroking each other with intensity. Cena tries to whistle and once again and bursts out in laughter, breaking her parents out of their morning tongue fest.

"Somebody's in a good mood this morning", smiling up at her husband.

"That's because I'm in love, with an incredible woman", showing every tooth in his mouth as he smiles brightly.

"And don't ever forget it", she says playfully.

"Sit down and I'll get your breakfast", sneaking another kiss.

As he quickly scrambles the eggs and sets two strips of bacon onto the plate, Olivia takes her seat across from Cena, who is still practicing how to whistle.

"By the way …" Setting the plate in front of her and kissing her on the cheek. "The team thinks you should come with me to a few political events."

" _What – why?"_ Looking at him with wide eyes.

"To make me appear less cold and distant."

" _I already did"_ , she thinks to herself.


	23. Chapter 23 Secret Weapon

**A/N:** I own nothing Scandal related. **Reader575** , glad you caught how Abby was projecting her childhood experience onto Olivia. We have to be vigilant about that. The Grants had many good times, all wasn't bad. **Bujuman** , hold tight, the Popes will make an appearance in about three or four chapters. **Kkimberly49** , you're right, working with a family member can be messy. And yes, Maura could have left Gerry many years ago, but she chose to stay because she didn't believe she had a way to make a living during that era. She also enjoyed the lifestyle her husband provided and she did not want to give it up. **Cleo** , when I came along three years after my older brother he used to pinch me as a baby. My parents caught him in the act. : - (

Thanks for the reviews, the new follows, and new favorites. Here we go!

 **Chapter 23. Secret Weapon**

When Fitz left the house this morning he thought he only had one campaign stop scheduled for the day, but he learned late in the morning Darius had arranged for him to attend two events before noon. After the last event across town with a group of business people, he had to hurry to the other side of town to pick up Cena from dance class because Olivia is not feeling well and is unable to drive into the city to get Cena from class. He buys Cena chicken fingers and fries for dinner at the fast food restaurant and makes his way over to the community center to teach his second and final course. He is somewhat on edge about teaching tonight because he has not had a lot of time to prepare.

Fitz sits Cena at one of the tables where the children who live in Springfield Heights do their homework and work on arts and crafts projects. Then he walks to the other side of the room to make a phone call.

"Hello Cena", Marcella says, smiling at the little girl who is still dressed in her red and black dance leotard.

"Hi", she says softly, looking over at her father who is in a heated discussion with someone on the phone.

"That's a really nice toy you have. Does she have a name?"

Cena nods her head up and down and Marcella smiles to herself thinking getting answers from the little girl is going to be like pulling teeth.

"Can you tell me her name?" Marcella asks, bending at the waist and smiling at the pretty little girl who looks like her mother and father.

"She's Biker Princess. And my daddy calls me Biker Princess too", she says quickly, looking up at Marcella with her big blue eyes.

"Wow, that's a nice name. Would you like some paper and crayons to make a picture?"

"Yes, please."

"Okay. Don't move, I'll be right back."

"My daddy told me to stay here", Cena says, rolling Biker Princess back and forth across the table.

Marcella walks over to the cabinet on the other side of the room and pulls out a couple sheets of construction paper and the set of crayons and colored pencils Nora bought last month. She shakes her head at the irony.

" _I won't cosign on that. I can't support unjust policies."_ Fitz says adamantly, pacing back and forth with a hand resting on his hip.

Marcella frowns when she hears the raised voice coming from across the room. Realizing that all eyes in the room are on him, Fitz turns and looks at the organizers, who are trying to stifle their laughter.

" _What?"_ Giving Marcella a puzzled look.

" _Cosign?"_ And she and the rest of the room burst into laughter.

"I've also learned a thing or two since I've been coming here", he says with a smile.

"You're pretty cool Mr. Grant", Jason says, still smiling.

 **XXX**

At the end of class a few students huddle with Marcella watching Fitz as he puts on Cena's coat. They are trying to decide if they should tell Mr. Grant what they have been discussing for the last two weeks.

"Let's go home Biker Princess", he says, lifting the sleepy little girl from her seat and walking toward the exit.

"My picture daddy", Cena says sleepily, pointing limply to the picture she spent all evening drawing.

"Got it", bending slightly to slide the paper from the table and placing it in his daughter's hand.

Rashid nudges Marcella as Fitz walks toward the exit.

"Okay - okay", Marcella says, frowning at Rashid. "Mr. Grant, can we speak with you for a minute?"

Fitz looks down at his sleeping daughter, then over at the group huddled together.

"I'm sorry, I can't stay much longer tonight", shifting Cena in his arms. He wonders when she got so heavy.

"We understand. We just need a few minutes."

Marcella and her cohort walk over to Fitz.

"Is there a point you need me to clarify from class?" Looking at the four faces.

"You're going to lose this election", Jason blurts out, and his cohort looks at him in surprise.

" _What?"_

"You're a good man, Mr. Grant. But you're going to lose if you keep listening to those old Gs, the old political machine."

Fitz shifts Cena in his arms and looks at Marcella for clarification and Cena's picture falls from her hand and floats to the floor. Jason picks up the paper and smiles.

"What he's _trying_ to say", shooting Jason a mean look. "The old guard doesn't really know what's going on in our communities any longer. They are too disconnected from what our needs are."

Fitz looks down at his watch and frowns, thinking this discussion is going to take much more time than he has tonight.

"I would like to discuss this with you but I have to get my daughter home. Why don't I call Marcella tomorrow and we can schedule a time and location when we can meet to discuss this further."

"That sounds good Mr. Grant", Marcella says.

 **XXX**

Fitz and Cena arrive home well after her bedtime, so he undresses her quickly, puts on her pajamas, and tucks her under the covers. No bedtime story tonight. He then walks down the hall to the nursery and checks on Jolie, who has once again kicked off her blanket. He pulls the pink blanket with the fringed edges over her tummy and she instinctually kicks it off again. He smiles, kisses her forehead, and turns off the light.

"You and Cena are hanging out pretty late these days", Olivia says, looking up from her tablet.

"I hate having to drag her all over town with me and keep her out so late. She's going to be cranky all day at school tomorrow", loosening his tie as he walks into the bedroom.

"Sorry I couldn't pick her up from dance class. I think I have JoJo's stomach virus."

"How are you feeling?" Removing her eyeglasses and kissing her on the lips. "You taste like Pepto-Bismol. Can I get you something?"

"No", waving her hand in the air dismissively. "Hildie has given me enough tea and crackers today to last me a life time. So what took you so long? Did your students have a lot of questions again tonight?"

"They're hardly my students, Liv. I taught two courses", stepping out of his pants and hanging them in the closet.

"Well I'm sure they would differ", calling after him as he walks into the bathroom to brush his teeth.

He turns off the bathroom light, flops onto the bed, and lets out a heavy sigh.

"Are you really that tired?" Looking at him as he lay his head in her lap.

"I'm beat", wrapping an arm around her waist. "And so is Cena. She didn't wake up the entire ride home, or when I put her to bed."

"Poor baby", running her fingers through his hair. "Are you going to miss teaching?"

"No. It's a lot of work preparing for those classes. Those kids are really smart – ask a lot of questions."

He lets out a loud and long yawn.

"You are tired", massaging his scalp.

"I told you", nuzzling closer to her.

"So how was the meeting today with the Darius and the business people?"

"They're a bunch of Old Gs", his eyes are getting heavy.

" _Old Gs? When did you start using that kind of language?"_

"I've learned a lot from those young organizers, Liv", he says sleepily. "In fact, we're going to meet so they can advise me on my campaign."

" _What? Advise you?"_ Looking down in astonishment at her sleeping husband.

 **XXX**

A few hours later Olivia is jolted awake by Jolie's shrill screams, so she kicks Fitz on the leg to wake him, but he does not budge.

"Wake up, Fitz", kicking him again and he mumbles something unintelligible. She pinches him on the arm, which usually does the trick.

" _Ouch!"_ He shouts and jumps up in bed. "What – what's wrong? What happened?" Rubbing his arm.

"JoJo. She's crying again", trying to suppress her laugh.

"Well you didn't have to pinch me", rubbing his arm.

"You wouldn't wake up", smiling mischievously in the dark.

"Couldn't you just get her?" He asks tiredly.

"I had her all day. Besides, I'm still sick."

He sighs and rolls out of bed for Jolie duty.

"And make sure Cena's door is closed so she doesn't wake up."

He nods and walks toward the bathroom.

"Where are you going?"

"Can I go to the bathroom first?"

"What were you going to do if I didn't wake you?"

He ignores her question and closes the bathroom door to relieve himself.

"Don't be in there all night", she hollers to him, placing the pillow over her head to block out Jolie's screams.

 **XXX**

The next morning when Olivia awakens she is feeling much better than she felt yesterday. She seems to have survived her stomach bug. She glances over at her sleeping husband and shakes her head as she listens for a moment to him snore lightly. She rolls out of bed, takes a quick shower, then goes downstairs to prepare breakfast. A half-hour later Fitz drags into the kitchen still wearing his pajama pants and tee shirt. He is on autopilot as he takes his seat at the island.

"I don't know how you can sleep through JoJo's crying", she says, pulling his favorite mug from the cabinet.

"I had a long day. You know I don't hear a thing when I'm tired", he says tiredly, holding his head in his hands.

"Poor baby", she says teasingly, setting his coffee in front of him and pecking him on the cheek.

"Between the campaign, transitioning things to Geoffrey, teaching …. I'm wiped out, Liv."

"Why are you still transitioning responsibilities to Geoffrey? He and Sandra know how to run the office."

He ignores her question.

"French toast or waffles?" She asks, pulling dairy products from the refrigerator.

"Waffles", sipping the hot, black liquid. "It's my company, Olivia. I have to make sure everything is in order before I turn things over fully to Geoffrey."

"You have to learn how up let go and allow Geoffrey and Sandra to do their jobs, babe."

He sighs and takes another sip of coffee.

"The longer you hold on to the old the less time you'll have to do the new things in your life", she says, turning the sausage in the skillet.

He rolls his eyes thinking she sounds like one of those motivational speakers she listens to in the car. He hates when he borrows her car and the radio is always tuned to the _Oprah Channel_.

"Where are the girls?"

"Sleeping. Cena has a half day of school today, and JoJo, well she's just JoJo."

"I thought Dr. Jordan said she would cry at the same time every day. Have you been tracking her crying in the journal?"

"JoJo doesn't care about that journal, babe. She cries whenever she wants", setting the plate of waffles and sausage in front of him.

"Syrup?" he asks, biting into a sausage link. "I swear I can't take it much longer, Liv. I don't understand how she can cry like that, and for so long. Didn't Dr. Jordan say three weeks?"

"I'm sure she's miserable too babe", setting the syrup and a glass of milk in front of him. She has been waiting to use his words against him but he is too tired to notice. "Besides, it hasn't been three weeks and Miss Jo will stop crying when Miss Jo is ready to stop crying."

She rubs her hand up and down his back trying to provide some comfort, and he just shakes his head in despair.

"So why are you meeting with the organizers?" Filling her bowl with fruit. She wants to lose the baby fat.

"They want to advise me on the community issues – how to win the election."

"What about Darius and Johnson?"

"The old guard and new guard. They both have different, yet valuable perspectives on the problems that face their communities."

"My husband the negotiator."

"Don't forget we have that community meeting Wednesday night."

"Got it on my calendar", she says, biting into a slice of melon.

"Will Hildie be able to stay late to watch the girls on Wednesday?"

"She's always happy to babysit", she says, sipping her tea.

 **XXX**

"I want this farce of a campaign shut down, Charlie. Grant's message is beginning to resonate with a large swath of voters. I don't want to run against this guy for mayor in two years."

"We have to get to his wife, Olivia Pope", Charlie says, scowling as he thinks about the Grants.

Wilson stares at Charlie thinking his interest in this election is not all it seems to be. Something deeper is going on but he does not care. He just needs Charlie to win.

"Too much is riding on this election, Charlie. Too many important people have too much to lose. These people are highly invested in me remaining mayor and you becoming council president. So don't make this personal."

"That ship has already sailed", Charlie mutters under his breath.

Puffing on his cigar, Wilson leans back in his chair and closely eyes the man sitting across from him. He hates having to deal with idiots like Charlie, but under the circumstances he does not have a choice. Wilson reaches into his desk drawer, pulls out a black folder, and tosses it across the desk. The folder lands in front of Charlie.

"Take a look at that Charlie. Our October surprise."

Charlie opens the folder and throws his head back in laughter as he reads the contents.

"This is good, really good. I can't wait to take down that bitch and her husband. This is going to be much better than a little water."

"Don't get reckless, Charlie. Too much is at stake, more than you know."

 **XXX**

Fitz and Olivia arrive at the community meeting with a few minutes late. The GPS in his car directed them to the wrong address. Instead of guiding them to West Elm Avenue it took them to East Elm Avenue.

"It's disrespectful to be late", Olivia says, holding his hand as they run down the hall in search of the meeting room.

"I'm writing a letter to the company. What's the point in having a navigation system that only gets you lost?" He says nervously.

"I think it's this way", she says, glancing to the left at the sign with the big red arrow taped on the concrete wall.

They walk swiftly down the hall and stop abruptly in front of the door of the meeting room to catch their breath and compose themselves. Olivia brushes his hair back and straightens his tie.

"Babe, Marcella says your students love you."

"Really?" He says in surprise.

"Yes, really. So, whatever you've been doing in your class with the organizers, you have to do it in that room tonight."

He scrunches his face, not sure what she is talking about.

"You have to show them who you are. Ready?"

He takes a deep cleansing breath and nods his head.

"Ready."

Fitz opens the door and lets Olivia enter the packed room first, then he follows behind her. There are about 75 people in attendance and all 75 pairs of eyes turn and look at them, including the pair that belongs to Councilman Johnson who is standing at the front of the room. Johnson rushes over to greet Fitz and Olivia.

"I'm sorry we're late", Fitz says apologetically.

"No problem. Everybody is just getting settled. Hello, Olivia. We're glad you could join Fitz for this meeting."

"Hello Councilman. Of course, I would do anything to help Fitz to get elected."

Fitz smiles and squeezes her hand.

"I'm glad to hear that", Johnson says with a smile. "Let's get this meeting started", ushering the couple to the front of the room.

"Ladies and gentleman, we are ready to get this meeting underway", Johnson says. "Please meet our candidate Fitzgerald Grant and his wife Olivia Grant."

The crowd gives a lackluster applause as Fitz and Olivia smile and wave. Olivia sits on one of the hard, metal chairs situated to the right of where Fitz is standing. She smiles proudly at him as he begins his speech, which was filled with a lot of policy talk and economic language. The crowd seems bored.

"I hope what I've said has promoted some controversy and some questions", he smiles expectantly.

"So, can we expect you to pass an ordinance that will stop the city for fining people for trash outside of their homes? Nobody has money to pay for those fines."

"That's right, especially when the wind blows the trash from around the corner and onto our street", someone yells out.

"Well I have thought about those kinds of fines in terms of a macro monetary policy rather than in the context of a social policy. You certainly have given me something to think about."

There is grumbling in the room and Johnson frowns.

"So you're a Republican?"

"Yes, I am."

"And you Republicans don't believe in spending money to help people who are in need."

"That's not quite true, sir. While I do believe in fiscal conservatism, I also – "

"Well, my family ain't never voted for no Republican", a woman sitting on the front row says.

More grumbling, folding of arms, and scrunching of faces is displayed in the room.

"Well, I can assure you –"

"Ain't you that lady who helps people?"

The old woman sitting in the third row yells out, ignoring the candidate. Olivia gives Fitz and Johnson a puzzled look, unsure if it is appropriate for her to respond. Johnson waves a hand up and down, encouraging Olivia to stand and answer the question. She looks at Fitz, who nods for her to stand. Olivia smiles nervously as she walks over and stands next to her husband.

"You're that lady, right?" The old woman persists.

"Well, I try to help as many people as I can", Olivia says softly.

"You fixed my sister's well out there in Wycombe. That old well had been broken for years."

"Is she the lady who had all of those wells out there fixed?"

"Sure she is. That's the water lady", someone yells out from the left side of the room.

"My mother couldn't' afford to get that well fixed. We had been buying her cases of water for years."

"Are you the same lady who is having all of those old lead pipes replaced in those houses over in Springfield Heights?"

"Well a lot of people in the both business and government communities made that happen."

"My cousin has lived in Springfield Heights for seven years. When she bought that house she had no idea that it had old lead pipes in it. She couldn't get help from anyone. She has three children in that house."

"Well I heard they already replaced the pipes in those houses. Those workers have been out there every day working real hard", the man sitting on the last rows calls out.

"Well thank you for your questions", Olivia smiles politely as she walks back to her chair.

"Are you the same lady who used to teach those classes about water over at Rev. Walker's church?"

"Yes, I am", turning and looking at Fitz again. He nods for her to continue.

"Well why don't you do it anymore? That was real good information."

"Well, since we had our first child I didn't have a lot of time to teach those courses as often as I would like. But our foundation now holds annual sessions in March at the World Water Day Conference down at the Convention Center. You should receive information about the conference from your church."

"You have children?"

"Yes, we have two girls", Olivia smiles proudly.

"How old are they?" Someone asks.

"Cena will be five in November and Jolie is just two months."

" _Two months?_ She doesn't look like she just had a baby."

"We didn't know he was married to you", someone else shouts out.

"How long have you two been married?"

Olivia walks over to Fitz before responding.

"We've been married for seven years", smiling at Fitz.

"Where did you two meet?"

"Well, Fitz spent 15 years in the Navy."

" _Fifteen years?_ I didn't know he was a vet. My son is in the Navy. Did you two meet while in the Navy? That's where my son met his wife, Danielle."

"No – no. Fitz and I met at the retirement party his parents gave him. We became friends, then began dating once we realized we had a lot in common."

"Are you a water person, too?"

"No – no. I leave that to my wife. My experience is in litigation - mergers and acquisitions litigation, contract litigation, antitrust litigation, and other litigation, both at the trial and appellate levels."

"But Fitz and I both have the spirit of service", Olivia adds quickly. "When my husband was serving his country he used his law degree to defend the rights of enlisted women and men who were being taken advantage of by big corporations. He became known as the Negotiator because he negotiated a lot of agreements that benefited our soldiers and their families."

The crowd says _amen_ in approval.

"I believed he could do the same thing for our city – help our city. And that's why I encouraged him to run for Council president."

The room breaks out in applause, now appreciating another side of Fitzgerald Grant. Fitz walks over to Olivia and kisses her on the cheek, and an old man stands, holding his hat close to his chest, and looks squarely at Fitz.

"Young man, you better hold on to the water lady. She's not only pretty, but she's smart too."

Everyone in the room laugh out loud. Johnson smiles approvingly, thinking he just found their secret weapon.

 **XXX**

The doorbell chimes and Hildie scurries down the hall to open the door for Mona who is carrying in her canvas tote bag the samples they will use to select the new furniture and finishes for the renovated office. Mona wanted to arrive at the Olivia's home before 9:00 because they have a lot of decisions to make by the end of the day.

"Good morning Hildie", Mona says with a strained smile, trying to balance the tote bag, her purse, and the wrapped gifts.

"Good morning ma'am", watching the woman trying to juggle everything in her arms. "May I help you, ma'am?"

"That would be lovely, Hildie. Thank you so much", giving Hildie the canvas tote bag.

" _Mona"_ , Olivia screams as she walks quickly down the hall with her arms spread wide. "It's been forever", wrapping her friend in a tight embrace.

"It's good to see you too, Olivia", trying to maintain her balance, hug Olivia, and not drop her purse and gifts.

"Let me take those from you, Mona. You know you didn't' have to buy another thing."

"The small one is for Jolie and the bigger one is for Cena."

"Thank you. This is so thoughtful, Mona. Cena is going to love getting a gift."

"Well I hope she enjoys it", following Olivia down the hall toward the family room.

"Sit down Mona", Olivia says, setting the gifts onto side table.

Hildie enters the room carrying a tray with the coffee and tea service as Olivia and Mona get settled.

"Your bag is over there ma'am", nodding her head in the direction of the wall as she sets the tray onto the table.

"Thank you Hildie", Mona says, setting the purse onto the cushion next to her. Olivia looks at the purse and wonders if Mona is packing her gun today.

"So catch me up on everything", Mona says, pouring herself a cup of coffee.

"Well, everything is wonderful really – for the most part. Jolie is still colicky, though."

"Give it time, Olivia."

"Fitz is busy with the campaign and teaching, of course. Well, you know he has taught his last course."

Mona smiles nervously as she sips her coffee.

"So how is the campaign going?"

"It seems to be going well. He's done a few town hall meetings to better understand the issues and let people to know who he is. Would you believe I went to a meeting with him last night?"

" _You did?"_ Looking at Olivia in surprise.

"I was there to support Fitz, of course, but the audience started asking me questions."

"What kinds of questions?"

"They wanted to know if I was the water lady."

" _The water lady?"_

"Apparently some of them have heard about our work and that's what they call me. Can you believe that?" She asks with a chuckle.

"Now that's funny", Mona says shaking her head as she sips her coffee. "I have to get that printed on a sign."

"They wanted to know how long Fitz and I had been married, how many children we have, and their ages. They didn't know that Fitz was a vet – that he spent 15 years in the Navy. That bit of information went over well."

"Wow. Sounds like you made Fitz more relatable", reaching for one of the pastries Hildie set on the table.

Olivia cocks her head to the side and gives Mona a puzzled look.

"Olivia, Fitz is a wonderful man, once you get to know him."

"What do you mean?"

"Fitz is usually all business - formal. That's probably why his team wanted you to join him at some of these events. You show a different side of him that isn't so – well so apparent."

"Well I don't see him that way at all", Olivia says, shrugging her shoulders. "And how is Tom?"

"Tom is Tom. He likes having me around the house, but I can't wait for the office to be finished. I hate working home when Tom is there. I can't get a thing done. He wants to talk all the time."

Olivia laughs out loud because Fitz was the same way when she started working from home.

"So how is the office coming along? Sounds like a lot of progress has been made."

"It has. You're not going to recognize the place once everything is completed – once we're up and running again."

"I can't wait", Olivia smiles brightly, rubbing her hands together. "I guess we better start making our selections so we can get them to the designer."

For the next three hours Olivia and Mona pore over catalogs to select furniture. They select a neutral-color, hardwood floors, and mesh window treatments to block the strong sun during the afternoons.

"Wow. That was a lot", Olivia says, flopping back against the chair cushion. "You know we didn't have to do any of this when we first moved into that office", Olivia says reminiscently.

"It was move right in and get to work", Mona laughs.

"It was. We've done a lot in that old office – had a lot of laughs over the years."

"We did", Mona smiles, leaning back against the sofa cushion.

"You'll stay for lunch, right?" Looking over at Mona whose stomach has begun to growl.

"Of course. I wouldn't dare miss one of Hildie's famous meals."

"Good. Relax for a while, Mona. I'm going to check on JoJo. I'm surprised she hasn't started crying yet."

As Mona scrolls through her phone reading Tom's latest text, Hildie walks into the room and begins to remove the tea and coffee service.

"Hildie, is the other Mrs. Grant around? I would like to speak with her."

"The other Mrs. Grant and her daughter no longer live here, ma'am."

Mona's eyes widen and she brings a hand to her mouth as Hildie walks from the room carrying the tray.

 **XXX**

"Mona, I can't believe JoJo is still sleeping – not that I'm complaining mind you", Olivia says as she sits on the chair across from Mona.

"You better enjoy this time Olivia", placing the phone into her purse.

"You don't have to tell me twice. JoJo being colicky has everyone around here on edge these days."

"You'll get through it."

"That's what Colin said."

" _Colin?"_

"He called last week to update me on the Springfield Heights project. That's when he told me two of his children had colic."

"I see", Mona says, nodding as she stares out the large floor-to-ceiling windows admiring the landscaping.

Olivia wrings her hands, takes not a deep breath, and closes her eyes. She has been fretting all morning how she was going to tell Mona about Maura.

"Mona, there's something I need to tell you."

"What is it, Olivia?" Praying it is not what she thinks it is.

"Maura might not return to the foundation when we reopen. A lot has happened over the last few weeks", she adds quickly.

Mona looks at Olivia and remains silent.

"Mona, Fitz' mother and sister are no longer living here with us. Fitz – we - had to ask Nora to leave our home."

Maintaining a neutral face, Mona nods for Olivia to continue.

"Maura didn't have to leave but she chose to do so – to go with her daughter. It's understandable I suppose."

Mona listens intently.

"Mona, what I'm about to tell you isn't easy. In fact, it's rather embarrassing."

"You don't have to say anything, Olivia."

"We asked Nora to leave our home because Fitz found out – Marcella told Fitz – that she had to fire Nora. We had no idea."

"I know."

" _What. What do you mean you know? You know what?"_ Stunned by Mona's response.

"I know Marcella fired your sister-in-law and I know _why_ she did it" shaking her head, still unable to believe the things that woman was doing with Amir at the community center.

" _You mean you knew all of this time and you said nothing to me about what was going on?"_

"Olivia, I found out shortly after you were discharged from the hospital. I wasn't going to bother you with that nonsense. You were already dealing with the foundation flooding."

" _You had no right to keep this from me. You are supposed to be my friend, Mona. You're not supposed to hide things from me. I hate that."_

" _And that's why I didn't tell you, because I am your friend. I wasn't going to allow Nora's bad behavior to destroy yours and Fitz' happiness."_

"You should have told me Mona", frowning at her friend.

" _When? When was I supposed to tell you, Olivia – when you were home enjoying your new baby? I wasn't going to do that to you. Besides, it wasn't my story to tell."_

Olivia stares at Mona for a while, nodding as she processes what Mona just said.

"We have to figure out what we're going to do about the remaining courses. Rev. Walker is presenting in another week."

"I can finish the courses, Olivia. The last time Maura and I talked she was putting the final touches on the content."

"Thank you, Mona. And I'm sorry for getting upset."

"No apologies necessary, Olivia.

"Lunch is ready, ma'am", Hildie says, looking at the two women with her hands folded in front of her.

 **XXX**

The community organizers get off the elevator and walk down the long hall in search of suite 4214. When they approach the suite, they are immediately met with the thickest, double glass doors they have ever seen.

"Don't touch that", Marcella says in a hushed voiced, swatting Jason's hand away from the glass emblazoned with Fitzgerald T. Grant Enterprises. "You're going to get fingerprints all over it."

Jason snatches his hand from the door and frowns at Marcella. Marcus finally pushes open one of the heavy glass doors and the visitors walk into the receptionist's area.

" _Dang",_ Jason exclaims, looking bug-eyed around the massive space. "This place looks like something out of a magazine."

This time not even Marcella and Marcus can restrain their excitement when they see all of the contemporary oil paintings hanging on the walls, the plush furniture, and carpet so thick one could almost sink into it.

"I didn't know Mr. G had it like this", Jason says.

"Me either", Marcella says half to herself, thinking about Mrs. Grant's tiny office and wondering why she would spend her time doing community work when she is married to a man who is obviously quite wealthy.

"Why would he want to run for political office if he has a successful business like this?" Marcus wonders out loud.

"Hello", Sandra the office manager says with a kind smile.

Startled by the greeting and feeling as if they were just caught in a place in which they do not belong, the four mouths fall open as they look at the woman who is dressed impeccably in a cream-colored suit, sensible pumps, and holding a tablet in her hand.

"You must be Mr. Grant's friends. My name is Sandra Hardison. I am Mr. Grant's office manager."

The four continue to stare at the woman with their mouths hanging open.

"Mr. Grant is finishing up with his meeting and will be out shortly. You may have a seat", sweeping her hand toward the plush chairs.

The four stumble their way over to the waiting area and sit bunched together on the sofa like sardines in a can.

"May I get you some refreshments while you wait?" Scanning the dumbfounded faces. "Coffee, tea, soft drinks, cookies?"

"No, that won't be necessary", Marcella speaks for the crowd, and Jason rolls his eyes once again because he really wants some cookies.

"I'll have some of those cookies ma'am", Jason says eagerly and Rashid elbows him in the side.

" _Ouch"_ , Jason squeals. "What you do that for?" Looking at Rashid in annoyance.

"I'll be right back with those cookies", Sandra says with a smile.

"Do you always have to eat everywhere we go?" Marcella says through clenched teeth.

" _Okay Geoffrey. You fly to Denver and meet with Scarsdale to get his signature on the contract."_

" _Will do, Fitz. I'll be leaving for Denver first thing in the morning."_

The visitors sit up straight on the sofa when they hear Fitz' voice flowing down the hall. Their eyes grow the size of meatballs when they see their teacher walk into the waiting area looking like he just stepped off the cover of a Brooks Brothers catalog. Mr. Grant, who usually wears a blazer and a casual pair of slacks when he is at the center, looks good. He is wearing a navy blue suit that is tailored to perfection. His crisp, white shirt is topped with a red, striped tie. His black oxfords are shined to a high luster, a habit he picked up while in the Navy. And, he is wearing a pair of those funky, patterned socks Olivia bought him.

"Marcella, Rashid, Jason, Marcus", flashing a smile at his new advisers. "I'm glad you could all make it."

"Mr. Grant", Marcella, Rashid, and Marcus say in unison.

" _Mr. Geeeeee"_ , Jason says, bringing a fist to his smiling lips.

"Hello, Jason", smiling at the excited young man. "I would like for you all to meet my business partner, Geoffrey Tynes."

Geoffrey smiles politely and shakes everyone's hand.

"It's good to meet you all, but I must be going. Fitz, I will call you tomorrow."

"Have a safe trip, Geoffrey", shaking his partner's hand before turning back to the organizers. "Let's go back to my office so we can discuss your ideas."

Jason looks around the waiting area wondering where the lady is with the cookies. As they follow Fitz down the long hall, the four visitors glance around the space where they see more artwork of all kinds hanging on the wall and placed on pedestals. They pass an open door that reveals an expansive conference room with a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows, a huge conference table, and more artwork. Everything is so bright and shiny. With mouths hanging open, they look at each and shake their heads in disbelief.

"In here", stepping aside to let his guests enter his private office.

" _Damn_ ", Rashid says, unable to restrain himself any longer.

"Wow", Marcella says in awe, as she takes in the panoramic view of the city that lay before them.

"This is really something", Rashid says, observing all of the plaques and sports memorabilia staged around the room.

" _Dang, Mr. G_ ", Jason says. "I didn't know you had it like this. This looks like one of those offices in the magazines or the movies."

"Have a seat", sweeping his hand toward the huge conference table on the other side of the room, in front of the windows.

Jason's eyes almost bulge from his head when he sees the spread of sandwiches, salads, cheeses and crackers, crudités, pastries, drinks, fruit, and an assortment of cookies arranged on a table on the far wall.

"Please, help yourselves. I tried to remember the kinds of refreshments we had at the last class." Fitz smiles kindly.

Jason does not need to be told twice. He hurries over to the table, picks up the china and silverware, and begins to dig in, piling his plate high.

"I hope those are the cookies you like, Jason."

"He likes all cookies, Mr. Grant", Marcella says with a smile.

Marcella sets a vegetarian wrap on her plate, sits onto one of plush chairs situated around the conference table, and glances around the room, trying to take in everything without being too conspicuous. She has never seen anything like Mr. Grant's office. She wonders what the Grants' home looks like if his office is this fancy.

Marcella stares at the framed wedding photograph on his desk and smiles slightly, thinking Mrs. Grant was a beautiful bride. They look so happy. Her eyes travel to the long, wooden credenza behind his desk where more pictures of him, Mrs. Grant, and their children are displayed. Her eyes linger on the photograph of them all dressed in white and bare feet. Mrs. Grant is holding the baby and looking at Cena, who is squirming in Mr. Grant's lap and pulling his nose. They look like such a happy and loving family. Then she stares at the photograph of Mr. and Mrs. Grant walking on the beach at sunset and wonders who took the picture. It is obvious to anyone looking at the pictures that they are in love.

Fitz removes his suit jacket and sets it on the arm of his chair. He loosens his tie and rolls up his shirt sleeves.

"Mr. G, this is really good", Jason says, chomping down on his food with voracity.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it, Jason. Have as much as you like."

Marcus scans all of Fitz' degrees, certifications, and honors hanging on the walls. He is quite impressed by the man's accomplishments. There is more to Mr. Grant than he realized.

"So, tell me why do you think I'm going to lose the election?" Fitz asks, glancing at the faces.

"Mr. Grant, those politicians who are supposed to represent the interests of our communities are so far removed from what's going on in Tilghman, Roosevelt, and Springfield Heights", Marcella says.

"The weak, feckless elected leadership in office don't care about us. They rarely reach out to us – come to where we to talk to us", Marcus says.

"Only at election time", Rashid says, still admiring the office.

"They just want to preserve their positions", Marcus says, slowly circling the office and admiring everything.

"And we won't have it", Rashid says.

"Not any longer", Marcella chimes in.

"A change is going to come, and they're going to have to deal with us."

"Mr. Grant, we have a strong collation of young and enthusiastic activists in our communities who are ready for a change", Marcella looks at him intently.

"We use all forms of social media to get our messages out – to spread the word. And, we have registered thousands of people to vote for candidates who will support our causes."

"No more party politics."

"So, if you or any other politician wants to get elected, you're going to have to deal with us", Jason says, as he bites into a cookie. "The old way just won't work anymore."

Fitz looks at the four serious faces and nods, quite impressed with their passion and political acumen.

"I appreciate your candor. You have definitely given me a lot to think about tonight", Fitz says, looking down at his watch. "It's getting late, how about I have Sandra order a car to drive you all home and I'll get back in touch with you soon? Okay?"

The four young advisors nod and file out of the office and down the hall.

 **XXX**

With the diaper bag hanging from her right shoulder Olivia walks into Triumph Tabernacle carrying Jolie in her arms. This is Jolie's first visit to church and she is dressed in a pink and yellow dress, yellow hat and booties, and wrapped in a pink and yellow blanket. Fitz follows behind Olivia carrying Cena, who is rolling Bike Princess up and down her father's arm. He swears Cena gets heavier with each passing day. As they enter the anteroom, Congressman Phillip Guildford and Councilman Johnson walk over to greet them.

"Good morning Fitz – Olivia", the congressman says to the couple and smiles at Cena.

"Good morning Phil", Fitz says, extending a handshake.

"Congressman", Olivia nods with a smile.

"It's good to see you back at church, Olivia."

"It's good to be back", Olivia says, rocking Jolie back and forth.

Melissa Johnson, one of the Sunday School teachers, walks down the hall, greets everyone a good morning, and reaches to take Cena from her father's arms.

"Pucker daddy", Cena says, cupping her father's face and giving him a kiss.

"Does mommy get one of those?" Olivia asks, feeling somewhat overlooked.

Cena gives her mother a peck on the cheek then walks down the hall toward the Sunday School holding Miss Johnson's hand.

"She's a beauty Fitz", Johnson says.

Fitz and Olivia smile.

"And this little one, does she ever wake up?" Peeking at Jolie who is fast asleep in Olivia's arms.

Olivia and Fitz burst out laughing, thinking if Councilman Johnson only knew how often Jolie is awake and crying.

"Olivia, I heard you were at hit at the community meeting the other night", the congressman says.

"Well, I just answered a few questions."

"From what I heard the crowd loved you – warmed up to you quickly."

"She was terrific", Fitz says, beaming proudly as he drapes an arm around her shoulder.

"That's good. That's good", the congressman says, dabbing his mouth with the handkerchief.

"Let's keep the voters excited."

The usher whispers the service is about to begin and beckons everyone to take their seats in the sanctuary. Olivia stiffens and holds Jolie tighter as she thinks about Marla. Fitz runs his hand up and down her arm in comfort as he guides her toward the entrance.

"And Fitz …." Johnson calls out before they enter the sanctuary. "Let's talk tomorrow about you meeting with those young organizers."

 **XXX**

Olivia and Fitz marvel at the Praise Dancers leaping through the air and expressing the joy that is in their hearts for God. As Olivia rocks Jolie to the rousing music, hoping she does not start to cry, Melissa walks nervously down the aisle trying to get her attention.

"Mrs. Grant", Melissa calls out just above a whisper.

Engrossed in the performance, Olivia continues to watch the dancers and rock a sleeping Jolie.

"Mrs. Grant", Melissa says a little louder, and everyone within earshot turns around and looks at the Sunday School teacher. Olivia and Fitz look at the young woman with their brows knitted together, unsure of what Melissa wants.

"Mrs. Grant", Melissa repeats in a hushed voice. "Cena needs you."

"You stay, I'll go." Fitz says, beginning to stand.

"She wants her mommy", Melissa whispers again, wringing her hands nervously. Fitz frowns and looks at the woman somewhat stunned, and Melissa gives him an apologetic look.

"Hold JoJo, babe", Olivia whispers, placing the sleeping baby in his arms. And he nods slowly, wondering what is wrong with his daughter. Olivia follows Melissa from the sanctuary and down the hall toward the Sunday School classroom.

"What's the matter, Melissa? Is Cena not feeling well?"

"She's upset, Mrs. Grant", Melissa says nervously. "I couldn't get her to stop crying. She only wants you."

Olivia frowns because this is so unlike Cena. So, she tries to run down in her mind all of the possibilities of what could be wrong with Cena as they walk toward the classroom. Cena did not eat anything unusual this morning, just Fitz' panny cakes. She was fine when they left the house and on the drive to church. She was fine when she went to Sunday School. Olivia shakes her head, wondering what could have happened in the last 20 minutes. When they reach the classroom, Olivia sees all of the children are playing happily on the computers and reading biblical stories with the other teachers. However, Cena is sitting behind the desk on Miss Johnson's chair with tears streaming down her face. Olivia hurries over to her little girl and picks her up quickly to find out what has her so upset.

"Cee, baby, what's the matter?"

Olivia wipes the stream of tears from her daughter's face and Cena wraps her arms around her mother's shoulders and buries her tear-stained faced in her mother's neck.

"Are you hurt? Does your tummy hurt?" Rubbing Cena's back and trying to console her.

Cena shakes her head no, and peeks across the room at the other children playing on one of the computers.

"Mrs. Grant, let's talk back there", Melissa says softly, motioning toward the windows at the back of the room.

Olivia nods and follows Melissa to the back of the room.

"I think I know why Cena is upset", Melissa says cautiously, and Olivia gives her a perplexed look. "Deon said something that might have upset her – just kid stuff", Melissa interjects quickly.

Olivia continues to rock Cena and wonders what the heck Deon has said this time.

"What did he say?"

"I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it, ma'am."

"What did he say, Melissa?" Growing annoyed.

"Well …" Melissa begins to wring her hands nervously. "He said Mr. Grant and Jolie are bad", looking into Olivia's eyes, searching for a sign that it is safe for her to continue.

" _Bad?"_ Olivia says in disbelief, wondering why Deon would think that a baby could be bad.

"Deon told Cena that her father and sister are bad because they are …"

" _Because they're what, Melissa?"_ Now getting angry.

"Because they're - because they're - white", Melissa whispers nervously.

" _What?"_

"He's only five, Mrs. Grant. He doesn't know any better."

And now Olivia is angry, but continues to rock Cena, who has calmed down somewhat as she looks over at Deon who is laughing and pointing at something displayed on the computer screen. She now realizes that Fitz was right about Deon and they should have addressed his comments with his parents a long time ago.

"Are the Fords at church today?" Olivia asks angrily.

"Yes. They're in the sanctuary", Melissa says even more nervously.

"Good. We're going to settle this today. Thank you, Melissa. I'll take Cena back to the sanctuary with me."

"I understand, Mrs. Grant. Let me know if there is anything else I can do."

Cena peeks over at Deon one more time as her mother carries her from the classroom. She wraps her legs around her mother's waist as they walk down the hall toward the sanctuary.

"Is my daddy bad?" Cena asks sadly.

"Of course not, Cee. You know your daddy is a very, very _good_ daddy."

"Are Grams and Gramps and Uncle John and Aunt Abby bad?"

"Not at all. They are all very, very good. And they all love you very much."

"And Uncle Bennie and Aunt Nora, too?"

Olivia stops walking and lifts Cena's chin so she can look into her daughter's eyes.

"Cee, remember when daddy and I talked to you about skin color? And we told you why daddy, you, JoJo, and I have different color skin?"

"Because God likes all of the pretty colors?"

Olivia smiles.

"That's right. And do you remember when daddy and I told you that the color of a person's skin does not make them good or bad?"

Cena nods.

"And we told you that what makes a person good or bad is not what they look like but the things they do."

Cena nods again.

"And daddy, Grams, Gramps, and your uncles and aunts do good things because they are good people. Okay?"

"But Deon said –"

"Deon doesn't know what he's talking about."

"He doesn't?" Looking at her mother with confusion in her eyes.

"No, he doesn't. You know how I know that?"

Cena shakes her head no.

"Because I'm the boss lady."

Mother and daughter laugh and continue walking toward the sanctuary. By the time Olivia and Cena get to the sanctuary the service is over and everyone is in the hall socializing. Olivia walks toward Jeanette and Hiram Ford and asks if she could meet with them in Rev. Walker's office.

"Is there something wrong, Olivia?" Jeanette asks. "You look upset."

"We need to talk, Jeanette - Hiram and Fitz too. Hopefully Rev. Walker can join us in his office."

Deon runs down the hall to his father, who scoops him up right away.

"Hey, buddy. Did you enjoy Sunday School?"

With the most angelic smile on his face, Deon nods his head up and down as Fitz walks from the sanctuary with Jolie, who is still sleeping. Fitz scans the hall for Olivia and Cena and frowns when he sees that Cena has been crying. He knows immediately that Deon has done something to upset her again.

"Liv, is everything all right? Is Cena okay?"

"We need to talk with Jeanette and Hiram in Rev. Walker's office – today."

Fitz nods, looking over at Jeanette and Hiram Ford.

"Hello Jeanette, Hiram. It's good to see you again", shaking Hiram's hand.

"Hello Fitz", Jeanette says. "How's the campaign going?"

"Just fine – just fine", he says somewhat distracted.

"Let me see that pretty baby", Jeanette says, pulling back the blanket and watching Jolie blow bubbles in her sleep. "She is just adorable, Olivia."

 **XXX**

The Grants and the Fords all sit in Rev. Walker's office holding their children. Deon sits on his father's lap and Cena sits on Olivia's lap while Fitz holds Jolie. The leather chair squeaks as Rev. Walker leans back, looks at the two sets of families, and wonders what has precipitated this unplanned meeting.

"Jeanette, Hiram, it's good to see you today. How's Claire doing?"

"Mom is fine, recovering nicely from hip surgery. She's happy she can attend service online."

"Well you tell her I'm praying for her speedy recovery and I'll stop by to see her later in the week."

"She'll appreciate that, Rev. Walker."

Rev. Walker turns to the Grants, whose demeanor clearly indicates they are upset.

"So Olivia, you wanted us all to meet. What can I do for you today?"

For the next few minutes Olivia explains to the Fords and Rev. Walker what Deon said to Cena.

Rev. Walker looks at the two families and thinks a long while before responding.

"Proverbs 22:6", he says, looking at the Fords. "Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it."

Both sets of parents nod their heads.

"We have to teach our children the right way, even when we are upset. They listen to everything, even when we don't think they are listening."

Hiram shifts in his chair.

"You must remember the experiences we have or don't have as children shape our attitudes as adults. During childhood, our attitudes are molded directly and indirectly by the race, ethnicity, and status of the people around us."

Olivia nods.

"Right now, there's a lot of racial turmoil in our country, and it doesn't seem like it's going to get better anytime soon. Our political leaders are race-baiting - making us all divided. So it is our responsibility to control the narratives in our homes – with our children."

"We don't teach Deon those horrible things", Jeanette's says defensively.

"Of course not, Jeanette. I'm not saying you do. Our children get messages from so many sources these days. They overhear adult conversations when we're talking on the phone or around the kitchen table. They hear the messages on TV, at the supermarket, on the playground. It's all around them."

Jeanette nods slowly.

"But as parents we must become more vigilant about what our children hear. And when they say something that can be hurtful or disrespectful to others, then we have to shut it down right away."

Fitz nods with a hardened face.

"It's common for children this age to assign positive traits to people of their own ethnic group and negative traits to people who look different. As a result, you may hear troubling comments like, 'That boy has funny-looking eyes' or 'Her skin is dirty', or what Deon said. The best way to respond is to rebut these statements in a calm and straightforward manner."

Hiram and Jeanette nod.

"Olivia, Fitz, there is no escape from the racial conflicts with which children must cope - avoiding the problem isn't helpful. Too much parental protection from life's realities may hamper a child's ability to cope with life as it really is."

Olivia and Fitz listen intently to Rev. Walker.

"Unfortunately, it is not enough to set a good example for our children. Nor can we shield children from bigotry. But we must fight it every step of the way – every day."

Both sets of parents nod.

"Olivia, Fitz", Jeanette begins, turning in her chair to look at the distraught parents. "I am so sorry that Deon said those awful things to upset Cena."

"I'm sure you are, Jeanette. But this is not the first time Deon has said inappropriate things to Cena. I never said anything in the past because I thought it was just child's talk. But this … "

"I had no idea. They've been friends forever", Jeanette says.

"I know", Olivia says, close to tears. "That's why this is so upsetting."

"Fitz – Olivia. I will assure you that nothing like this will ever happen again. Like my wife, I sincerely apologize for Deon's behavior."

Fitz can do no more than nod because he is fuming. He does not like when anyone hurts his family.

"Deon", his father says sternly. "I want you to apologize to Cena for what you said to her. And you must never say anything like that again. Do you understand?"

Deon nods, looking innocently at his father.

"So you won't say it again about the man on your job, daddy?"


	24. Chapter 24 Scandal

**Chapter 24. Scandal**

 **A/N: Guest1** , I've been giving hints about Jolie's features since she was born. Maura said she looks like Nora and thinks she is going to be a blonde. She reminded us that Fitz was a blonde as a child. For now Jolie has a fair complexion and her eyes are brown, like her mother's. Note that a baby's features, including complexion, can change over time. **Guest2** , I know you don't like the political storyline (you've said it a few times) but thanks for continuing to read. This is what they have chosen to do for now. **Dakidd** , glad you love the story. BTW, you can keep saying it. **Reneeharris49** , YUP, kids will out you all of the time. **Symone0939** , keep loving and talking to your babies. **Kkimberly49** – Liv did run to Mirage several chapters back, but she won't be lacing up her running shoes again. Also, I think what you perceive as a straight-laced Fitz' might be his uneasiness as a politician; he's out of his realm. He's trying to develop cultural competence, learn more about the issues, while also trying to relate to the electorate. It's a difficult dance but Olivia is helping the public (and Mona) to see another side of him. Finally, I haven't watched the show in a few years but I always saw canon Fitz as reserved and introspective – private/public personas. Remember lines like: "Show them who you are" and "I know you" from canon? Olivia brought out another side of him during their private times. Don't know if this helps but that's all I got. Thanks again for all of the reviews. Here we go!

Except for the sounds of the birds chirping outside, the house is quiet, almost serene. Fitz is meeting again with his new advisers at his office, Cena is at school, and Hildie has the day off. Olivia sometimes wonders what Hildie does on her day off. The woman protects her privacy like the United States protects its bullion depository at Fort Knox.

It is shortly after noon and Jolie is beginning to stir in her crib, and Olivia understands why when the familiar scent connects with her nose. She smiles at her distressed baby as she removes the weighted down diaper. She then swaddles Jolie in the pink blanket Mona gave her along with a huge bag filled with all sorts of gifts shortly after Jolie was born. As she lifts the whining baby from the crib, Olivia strokes her cheek and thinks how blessed she is to have been given the opportunity to bring another life into this world.

"Come on my beautiful angel", settling onto the rocker to prepare for their daily lunch meeting. Jolie stops whining and smiles when she hears her mother's voice.

Olivia opens her blouse and Jolie instinctually gravitates toward her mother's breast and begins to suckle. This is their special time, just the two of them. This is the time of day when she and Jolie discuss family matters and make important decisions.

"Miss Jo, you have such a big appetite today", looking down at her daughter who has yet to come up for air. Jolie balls her tiny hands into fists, and looks in the direction of her mother's voice.

"So Miss Jo, Cena is going to be five in a few months and we have to start planning her birthday party. Do you have any idea what we should get your sister for her birthday?"

"I didn't hear that. Can you repeat it? A what? Ah, that sounds like a good idea. You're such a smart baby, Miss Jo."

Olivia shifts Jolie to her right breast when she begins to cry because of the lack of milk.

"You know Miss Jo, we also have to get started on the Wraparound Program", looking around the beautiful nursery at the expensive furniture and collection of books and toys. She shakes her head when she thinks about the upper-middle class life her children live compared to that of the children of Springfield Heights.

"Miss Jo, we have to help those babies in Springfield Heights who drank all of that bad water. We have to make sure they get all of the help they need. Yes we do", she says in a sing-song voice.

"Your daddy is going to be President, Miss Jo. Maybe not of the United States, not yet anyway." Olivia giggles. "But he is going to be President of the City Council. And as President he'll be able to help so many people, especially those children. Yes he will", rubbing her index finger across Jolie's chin. Jolie seems to be listening intently as she continues to suckle.

When Olivia looks down she sees Jolie is smiling in her sleep again. Some say the angels are playing with the baby when they smile and laugh in their sleep. Olivia smiles at her baby girl, rocking Jolie for a few more minutes before placing her into the crib.

"We'll continue this meeting tomorrow, Miss Jo; same time, same place", kissing Jolie on the forehead before leaving the nursery.

 **XXX**

"Mr. Grant, there has been an erosion of social trust by certain groups who are feeling more marginalized or more uncertain relative to their government", Marcus says as he walks around the large conference room admiring the artwork hanging on the walls.

"People like Mayor Wilson and your opponent, Charles Barber, have been bought and sold by their white political masters. No offense", says Rashid, swiping his long index finger down the tablet screen.

"None taken", Fitz says, leaning back in his chair and listening closely to gain another perspective of the issues.

"They're political whores who readily sell out the interests of their communities for tenuous power – economic and political", Rashid continues, and Jason nods as he types on his laptop. "Instead of doing the socially just things, they desperately cling to their token positions. Whether they are honest enough to admit it, they are little more than convenient pawns."

Fitz nods, reflecting on what Councilmen Moton and Johnson told him about Mayor Wilson being in the pockets of some the city's business owners.

"If we decide to support you - rally people to vote for you Mr. G - then we want something in return", Jason says, still typing on his laptop.

"I wouldn't expect anything less", Fitz says, glancing at the serious expressions on the faces of his expanded advisory team.

"We're tired of our issues being ignored. We want our actions to result in policies that support our causes and our communities", says Marcella.

"What do you want?" Fitz asks, tossing the orange stress ball in the air.

"We want you to propose legislation that targets the high poverty areas in our city, and we all know who lives in those areas. We want you to look at the poverty rates across the city and target those areas to increase funding for job training programs and to improve our schools", Marcella says.

"However, if the rest of the electorate thinks you're doing something specifically for our communities they will fight you tooth and nail", Marcus says, looking closely at an odd piece of sculpture placed on the credenza against the far wall.

"But, if the language in the legislation focuses on the poorest areas of the city, then –"

"No one can claim favoritism. Smart. Brilliant actually", Fitz says half to himself. "There's just one problem with your plan, I'm not running for Mayor."

"But you are running for President of the City Council. And if you win, you'll have control of the legislature. And with that kind of control you make choices - lots of choices", says Marcella.

"If there is something that is important to the electorate who overwhelmingly voted for you, then you would undoubtedly make a choice to take a very close look at what they are asking for", Jason says, now looking directly at Fitz.

Fitz nods, thinking these kids are quite shrewd.

"Okay. Deal", setting the stress ball on the table as he stands to shake everyone's hand.

"We're going to hold you accountable Mr. Grant", Rashid says.

"Hold your feet to the fire", Jason chimes in with a mouthful of cookies.

"Deal", Marcella says, smiling excitedly.

"Deal", Marcus says, shaking Fitz' hand.

"By the way, you're going to need a place to work since you cannot help run my campaign from the city community centers. So, how about you set up shop here?" Looking around the conference room. "You can come here a couple of days a week, or as often as you like, and do whatever you need to do to help me win", flashing his politician's smile.

"That sounds terrific", Marcus says, trying to mask his enthusiasm.

"You'll have access to the entire facility. I'm hardly here anymore", he says somewhat sadly.

"Thanks Mr. Grant, that's real generous of you", Marcella says, running her fingers across the highly polished conference room table.

"I'll let Geoffrey and Sandra know they should expect to see you around here and to give you whatever you need. Okay?"

"Okay", Marcus says. He really likes coming to Mr. Grant's luxurious office.

"Not so fast Mr. G", Jason says. Everyone turns and looks at Jason, wondering what objection he could possibly have to such a sweet deal.

"What's up, Jason? What's the matter?" Marcus asks, looking at Jason with confusion in his eyes.

"Mr. G first has got to agree to have these cookies around here all of the time."

"Shut up Jason", his cohort says, throwing balled up paper and ink pens across the room at him.

 **XXX**

After leaving his young advisers at his office, Fitz drives across town for his lunch meeting at Armand's with Darius and Johnson. The restaurant is well-known for its contemporary Italian cuisine. It is also well-known for being the place where political deals are made. As he pulls into the restaurant's parking lot he thinks he needs to start cooking again because he really misses the creative process. He misses using all of the expensive cookware and gadgets he bought to practice the techniques he learned in cooking class and by watching the cooking shows on TV.

As the three men finish their entrees, Fitz begins to inform Darius and Johnson about his evolving with relationship with the community organizers. And it becomes apparent early on that they are not interested in hearing anything about the so-called advisers.

"They are vested in the process, Darius. They have a lot of great ideas", Fitz insists.

"And our ideas aren't great?" Johnson says defensively. "Who the hell do you think has gotten you this far?"

"I appreciate everything you both have done for me, but –"

"Are you trying to give us the kiss off?" Johnson says angrily.

"Of course not. I just think we can benefit from some of their thinking and tactics."

"There can't be two masters", Darius says tightly.

"There are no masters here, Darius. Just groups of people with their own agendas. You might want to listen to them."

Darius and Johnson snort and roll their eyes.

"They want to have stake in the democracy. They're highly invested in who their elected representatives are and learning how city government works. They won't be ignored."

Darius waves his hand in the air in disgust.

"They're bringing in a lot of people who to date have not been involved in the process. You'll need those new voters for your next elections gentlemen."

Fitz gauges the men's reaction and can see by the expressions on their faces that the light has gone off in their heads. They are beginning to realize the potential benefits of partnering with the young community organizers. After all, it is all about self-preservation. Politicians are always looking for ways to get re-elected, and by any means necessary.

 **XXX**

Olivia sits in the booth at Restaurant 52 smiling to herself as she waits for her lunch date, Dr. Marion Harris, Director of the city's Health Department. It is starting out to be a pretty good day she thinks to herself as she uses the black plastic straw to twirl the lemon slice in her water. Her second postpartum checkup with Dr. Perry went well because he did not uncover anything unusual. Her uterus has returned to its normal size and there are no signs of swelling or tenderness. She is thankful for the good report because she is ready to return to work full time. Jolie is two months old and her maternity leave is officially over. While she loves being a mother and wife, she cannot wait to initiate phase two of her water program.

"Olivia", Dr. Harris says as she approaches the booth with her arms outstretched. Olivia stands and gives the woman a warm hug.

"You look absolutely marvelous. You don't even look like you had a baby two months ago."

"That's so kind you Marion."

"I'm not being kind, it's the truth. And how is the new baby – a girl right?" Marion asks as she slides onto the booth.

"Yes. Her name is Jolie and she's wonderful and beautiful", Olivia says, smiling proudly.

"Of course she is. You and your husband make beautiful children, Olivia."

Ready to take their lunch order, a waitress comes over holding a pencil and pad in her hand.

"Are we having wine to celebrate?" Marion asks, looking at Olivia with her mouth stretched into a smile.

"You go ahead, I'm still breastfeeding."

"Of course you are", looking over at the waitress. "I'll have a Chardonnay and my breastfeeding friend will have an iced tea."

The waitress nods with a smile and walks across the dining room to place the drink order at the bar.

"So Olivia, I hate to bring up a sensitive subject …"

Olivia tilts her head slightly to the side and looks curiously at Marion.

"Marla. How is she doing? It's such a shame."

Olivia closes her eyes and exhales softly. It is still difficult for her to talk about Marla's condition.

"She's coming along, Marion. As you can imagine she has a long road of recovery ahead of her. She's been transferred to a rehabilitation center."

"And she doesn't have any family I understand?"

"No. No one", Olivia says sadly.

"Well she's fortunate to have you. Everyone knows you're like a daughter to her. The daughter she never had."

Olivia smiles sadly as the waitress sets their drinks onto the table.

"Are you ready to order, ladies?"

Marion orders a bison burger with sweet potato fries and Olivia orders a house salad.

"So that's how you stay in shape", Marion says, lifting the glass of wine to her lips.

"Marion, I want to get your advice on a new program I'm starting."

Marion leans back against the booth and smiles as she holds the wine glass midair.

"Advice? What kind of advice, Olivia?"

"You might recall the last times we met, in this very restaurant as a matter of fact, we talked about the lead plumbing in the houses in Springfield Heights."

"Yes. Dear Marla was here and so was that horrible Darius person – and Amelia. Those two really went at it."

"Well, we were able to get the funding to replace the plumbing in those homes. In fact, that project will be completed shortly."

"That's terrific, Olivia. I knew Marla would come through for you."

"Marion, the funding Marla was able to secure from the city was just a small amount of the overall cost to replace those pipes."

Marion nods with a smile, not really buying Olivia's claim.

"Marion, you said at that meeting if children are exposed to lead for a significant period of time they can have physical and emotional problems in the future."

"That's true, Olivia. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers lead the most serious environmental health hazard for children in the United States. Many lead toxicologists agree and have even suggested that the EPA's lead standard for children's drinking water ought to be more stringent than that for adults."

Olivia furrows her brow as she listens to Marion.

"Lead can cause brain damage, premature birth, reduced birth weight, seizures, behavioral disorders, and a lower IQ level in children. In most cases this damage is irreversible.

"In most cases?" Olivia asks as the waitress sets their entrees in front of them. Marion finishes her wine and orders another glass of Chardonnay. Olivia looks at her with a raised eyebrow.

"What?" Marion says in response to Olivia's disapproving look. "I'm not breastfeeding and probably never will", she says as her voice trails off.

"Marion, are you okay?" Olivia asks with concern. She and Marion are not close friends but she cares about the women's well-being.

"I'm fine. I'm fine", biting into her bison burger.

Olivia listens intently as Marion continues to explain the effects of lead on children and fetuses.

"Lead poisoning in children can also lead to developmental delays, hearing, speech, and language problems –"

"Oh my god", Olivia says, shaking her head in frustration.

"And, in cases of extremely high lead levels, seizures and unconsciousness can occur."

"Marion, these children already face a difficult life without also having to deal with the effects of lead poisoning. This just makes life even harder for them."

"So true, Olivia."

"So how can we find out if the children in Springfield Heights have lead in their system?"

"A blood test is the only way to find out for sure. All of those children age six and under should be tested. And pregnant mothers should also be tested."

"So what happens if the blood test shows a child has lead in their system?"

"Well the treatment will vary, depending on how much lead is found in their system", Marion says, taking another sip of wine.

Olivia nods for Marion to continue.

"Often times small amounts of lead in the system can be treated rather easily. But, the most important part of therapy is to reduce or eliminate children's exposure to lead. And it seems like you've already done that by replacing those lead pipes in the homes. Gradually, as the body naturally eliminates the lead, the level of lead in the blood will fall."

Olivia nods as she sips her water.

"However, children with severe cases and extremely high lead levels in their blood will need to be hospitalized to receive a medication called a chelating agent. This agent chemically binds with lead, making it weaker so the body can get rid of it naturally."

Olivia nods, listening intently to Marion.

"Olivia, when a kitten is born, 65 percent of its brain is already developed."

Olivia turns her head slightly and looks at Marion curiously.

"And, when an ant is born, 90 percent of its brain is already developed."

Olivia has no idea what kittens and ants have to do with lead poisoning in children.

"But the human brain, well it is only 40 percent developed when a child is born."

"I really don't understand the point you're trying to make, Marion", looking at the woman skeptically and wondering if she has had too much to drink.

"The point I _am_ making, Olivia, is the human brain at birth is woefully immature developmentally, compared to other species."

Olivia nods slowly, still not fully comprehending why Marion is sharing this bit of information.

"Olivia dear, the human brain is not as developed at birth as other species because _we_ have so much more to learn."

Olivia nods slowly, now understanding the point Marion is making.

"Children have to learn coping and social skills. They have to learn languages, how to read and write. They have to learn how to play, how to care for others."

Olivia nods slowly, absorbing everything Marion is saying.

"When a child's brain is impacted by something like lead, then the long-term effects on their lives can be immeasurable."

"That's my concern Marion - the long-term effects."

"Unfortunately, these children will need to be monitored for years to determine if they have any physical, emotional, or learning problems."

"I see."

Olivia is beginning to understand the gravity of the situation.

"With these health problems Marion, it will be virtually impossible to break the cycle of poverty in a community like Springfield Heights."

"Difficult, but not impossible." Taking another sip of wine.

"I need your help, Marion."

" _To do what?"_ Marion says with incredulity, setting the wine glass onto the table.

"To bounce ideas off you. To test my thinking. To advise me. This is important work, Marion."

"Well, you're going to need more than a sounding board, Olivia. You're going to need funding, and lots of it."

Olivia nods repeatedly.

"But that shouldn't' be a problem for you", Marion says, stuffing a couple of sweet potato fries into her mouth.

"What do you mean?" Looking at Marion quizzically.

"Come on, Olivia. Your husband is on track to become the next President of the City Council. And like with Marla, I'm sure you'll have sway over him – probably more so than with Marla." Marion gives Olivia a playful wink and finishes the rest of her wine.

"Can I count on your help Marion?" Olivia says tersely, somewhat offended by the women's presumptions.

"Sure, why not?" Marion says, shrugging her shoulders. "What else do I have to do anyway?"

 **XXX**

By the time Olivia arrives home from running her errands and meeting with Marion, Fitz has already started dinner. She smiles as she walks down the foyer, through the family room, and into the kitchen.

"Something smells good", wrapping her arms around his waist as he stands at the stove stirring the vegetables sautéing in the skillet.

"It's my new cologne", he says, turning and pecking her on the lips. She elbows him playfully before walking over to Jolie, who is sleeping in the carrier on top of the island.

"How is my JoJo?" She asks, stroking the sleeping baby's cheek. "Has she been crying this afternoon?"

"Not a peep since I've been home. I think she might be over the colic."

"I hope so", Olivia says tiredly, sitting on her chair at the island and smiling at her baby girl. "I think the swaddling helped."

"What?" He asks, still stirring the vegetables.

"Nothing", she says sadly.

"What's the matter? I thought you'd be excited that we all can finally get some sleep around here."

"I am. I'm just a little bummed today."

He turns from the stove and looks at her with concern in his eyes. He knows she had an appointment with Dr. Perry today for another postpartum exam.

"What's the matter? Is something wrong?"

"I met with Marion Harris for lunch today."

He nods, trying to recall the name.

"We talked about getting the Wraparound Program started."

He nods again.

"Fitz, according to Marion, some of those children in Springfield Heights might be facing lifelong problems - physical and emotional problems – just because they drank tainted water. I wish I could have done something sooner."

"Don't blame yourself, Liv. That problem has existed in Springfield Heights long before you became aware of it."

"I know. It's just when I look at Jolie and Cena …"

"You can't compare our children to the children in Springfield Heights, Liv."

Jolie begins to stir.

"I know", she says sadly, picking up Jolie from the carrier. "Your daddy is going to fix the problems in those communities when he is elected President, right Miss Jo?"

Fitz looks at his wife in astonishment because he had no idea she had these kinds of expectations of him as President of the City Council.

 **XXX**

After Fitz has finished cleaning the dinner dishes and putting away the leftovers in the refrigerator, he walks into the family room where Olivia is sitting on the sofa patting Jolie on the back, trying to get her to burp. Cena is sitting on the floor across from the unlit fireplace surrounded by a pile of toys.

"Give me my Angel", lifting Jolie from Olivia's arms and assuming the task of trying to get Jolie to burp. And after a few more pats on the back Jolie lets out a loud burp, causing everyone to laugh out loud.

"Daddy, JoJo burped loud", Cena yells from across the room.

"She did, Princess. Are you feeling better, Angel?" Holding Jolie close to his chest as he paces back and forth across the room.

"Babe, how'd your meeting go with your students?"

"They're not my students Liv", laying on the sofa and resting his head on her lap as he lifts Jolie up and down like barbells. "I'm tired", he says with a heavy sigh.

"You're going to make her sick if you keep doing that."

"My baby girl is fine. Isn't that right, Angel?"

"So what did they have to say?" Grazing his scalp with her fingernails.

"They're smart, Liv." He smiles at his baby girl as a stream of drool falls onto his face while Jolie is lifted in the air.

"Well, I already know that. What advice did they give you about the campaign?"

"None – not until they negotiated a deal."

" _Negotiated a deal? What kind of deal?"_

Fitz lay Jolie on his chest and rubs her back as he tells Olivia about his meeting with Marcella and the others. Cena runs from across the room and crawls onto her father's lap.

"Be careful Princess, you don't want to hurt your sister."

Cena ignores her father and snuggles closer to him.

"So what kind of deal?" Olivia persists.

"Well, in exchange for their support, they want me to push forward some of their agendas in Council."

"It sounds like you taught your students well", she says with a chuckle. "So how did the meeting go with Darius and Johnson?"

"They don't like that I'm working with the organizers."

"Why not? You need all the help you can get, babe."

He looks up at her with raised eyebrows.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Liv."

"I didn't mean it that way. I just think Marcella and her friends can help you bring out a part of the electorate that has not been that engaged in the process."

"That's what I told those Old Gs", and Olivia rolls her eyes at his use of the vernacular.

"You should have seen their faces when I told them I was giving my new advisers space at my office to work on my campaign."

"I'm sure that went over like a lead balloon", and he nods, lifting Jolie higher. "You know you're going to have to make friends at City Hall too, babe."

"Wilson hates my guts. He thinks I want his job."

"Well do you?" She grazes her fingernails slowly across his scalp as she watches drool stream from Jolie's mouth and onto his face.

"JoJo's drooling on your face daddy", Cena yells.

"Not at all. I have no interest in being Mayor."

"You know you're going to have to learn how to work with him, like Marla did."

"I don't know how she managed to do it, Liv. Wilson has sold the Mayor's office to the highest bidders. Marla is so ethical. How is she, by the way?"

"She's been moved to a rehabilitation facility. I met with her doctor and he said -"

They look at each when the doorbell chimes.

"Are you expecting someone?" Looking up at his wife as he lay a sleeping Jolie onto his chest.

" stay here babe", lifting his head from her lap. "You're a little tied up." Olivia shakes her head as she looks at who is Jolie asleep on his chest and Cena who is curled into his side.

 **XXX**

With his daughters snuggled across his body, Fitz takes a moment to look around room and admire the space. He loves this room with the high ceilings and the floor-to-ceiling windows that allow sunlight to flood the space during the day. Although the room is quite large, it has a warm and cozy feeling, especially when his family is gathered together like they are tonight.

Feeling the warmth of his daughters' bodies snuggled against his, he thinks about how much time campaigning has taken him away from his family. He has missed too many dinners with Olivia and the girls so he makes a mental note to have Darius and Johnson schedule all upcoming campaign events to end by 5 o' clock. Becoming the President of the City Council is not more important than his family. Spending too much time away from Olivia and the girls is not good for their family. He learned this lesson the hard way years ago when he was traveling back and forth across the country trying to establish his business. He also learned it months ago when Olivia was spending too much time working at the foundation. Their marriage suffered and they began to drift apart. He will not let the campaign or anything else come between their marriage and family again.

 **XXX**

" _Maura"_ , Olivia exclaims when she swings open the door and sees her mother-in-law standing outside. "Is everything all right?" Remembering the last time Maura showed up unexpectedly on their doorstep.

"May I come in, Olivia?"

"Of course", stepping aside so Maura can enter the foyer. "Fitz is in the family room with the girls. Come on in - please."

"Thank you Olivia", walking down the familiar hall to the family room.

Maura smiles when she sees her son stretched across the sofa with his daughters blanketing his body.

" _Grams, grams"_ ,Cena yells as sheclimbs off her father and runs over to her grandmother.

"How's my beautiful and smart Cena doing?" Scooping up the excited little girl.

"Mom?" Fitz looks at his mother in surprise as he sits up from the sofa holding a sleeping Jolie. He immediately feels guilty since he has not seen or spoken to her since she left with Nora on that fateful night.

"Hello Fitzgerald", his mother says somewhat nervously.

"Is everything all right, mom?"

"Grams, I go to dance class and gym -" Cena places her index finger on her bottom lip trying to remember how to say the full word.

"Gymnastics", Olivia says, leaning against the door frame with her arms folded across her chest.

Cena looks at her grandmother and nods her head rapidly, agreeing with what her mother said.

"That's wonderful Cena", sitting on the side chair and holding Cena on her lap. "Can you show Grams how you dance?"

Cena nods her head vigorously, slides off her grandmother's lap, and starts to shimmy.

"See Grams, this is what Miss Aisha teach us."

"You're the best dancer ever Cena", overly praising the little girl as grandmothers are prone to do. Cena smiles brightly as she climbs back onto her grandmother's lap.

"And how is Jolie doing?" Looking at her son with a smile as he rocks his youngest daughter in his arms.

"Jolie's been colicky for the past few weeks. We haven't been getting much sleep around here, but we think it's over now."

"Well you were colicky as a baby, Fitzgerald."

" _Really?"_ He says in surprise.

"Yes. In fact you kept us all awake and on edge for weeks. I think for a while John wanted to strangle you. I suspect he might have tried once or twice", Maura says in jest.

Fitz looks down at Jolie and rubs her back.

"Mom, can you give us a few minutes so we can put the girls to bed?"

"Of course. Good night Cena", kissing the little girl on the top of her head. "Grams loves you so much."

"I love you too Grams", pecking her grandmother on the cheek before hopping off her lap.

As Fitz stands from the sofa, Maura also stands to give Jolie a good night kiss on the forehead.

"Good night, sleepyhead", Maura says, smiling at her youngest grandchild.

 **XXX**

"Did you know she was coming tonight?" Fitz whispers as he pulls the blanket over Jolie's chest, who kicks it off immediately.

"Of course not", Olivia whispers as she turns off Jolie's lamp before walking from the nursery. "Why would I know?"

"Is Cena asleep?"

"Out like a light."

"Four pages?"

"Four pages", shaking her head at the thought of having read _Goodnight Moon_ again. "Babe", pulling him by the arm and stopping him from going down the stairs.

"What is it? Is something wrong?" Furrowing his brow.

"Babe, Cena is sucking her thumb again."

 **XXX**

Maura waits patiently in the family room as her son and Olivia put the girls to bed. She is grateful for the extra time so she can collect her thoughts, review again in her mind what she has been practicing all day.

"Maura can I get you something to drink? I'm sure we still have your tea …"

"No, thank you Olivia. I'm fine."

Fitz sits onto the sofa and crosses his legs and Olivia sits next to him, taking his left hand in her hands. Maura looks at her son's posture and thinks how much he looks like Gerry.

"Fitzgerald - Olivia, I came here tonight because I wanted to see you – both of you - before I left tomorrow?"

"Are you going somewhere, mom?" Hoping this time she has not decided to move out of state.

"The last time I was in this room …" Looking around reminiscently. "Well, it was a painful night – for all of us I'm sure."

"Mom –"

"I need to apologize to both of you for Nora's behavior and for me keeping it a secret from you. Nora needs help", she says quickly, standing and beginning to pace around the room. "I guess I've known about her – her promiscuity for some time, but I had no idea how deep her pain is."

Fitz shifts in his seat and Olivia squeezes his hand gently. He still is not ready to forgive his sister. Maura stops pacing and looks squarely at her son and Olivia.

"Tomorrow morning Gerry and I are taking Nora to a treatment facility back East. We have a 7:30 am flight. I don't know how long she is going to be there, but hopefully she will finally get the help she needs."

"That's terrific, Maura."

"And Olivia", nervously twisting her wedding set. "You extended yourself to both Nora and me. You opened up your home and found employment for both of us. You didn't deserve this. I apologize for that too."

"Thank you, Maura."

"I really do appreciate everything that you've done for us. I appreciate you giving this frightened, insecure woman the chance to discover skills she didn't know she had. You don't know how much I enjoyed working at your foundation."

"You did a lot of good work, Maura."

"I am so sorry I will not be able to complete my project – the courses." Maura turns away and wipes the tears from her face. "I have to help my daughter to get healthy. Nora needs me."

Olivia walks over to her mother-in-law and wraps an arm around the woman's shoulders.

"Maura", Olivia says softly. "The most important thing right now is for you take care of yourself and to take care of Nora. That's all that matters. Okay?"

"Thank you Olivia", she mutters through the tears.

"And, when you're ready, if you like, you can always come back to help us at the foundation. It's getting a facelift you know?" Trying to lighten the mood.

"How could I forget?" Smiling weakly as she swipes the tears from her cheeks.

"You're family Maura, and so is Nora. Family takes care of one another."

"Thank you Olivia", Maura says, giving her daughter-in-law a tight hug.

Fitz walks over to the two women and drapes his arms around his mother and wife.

"Family", he says with a smile.

 **XXX**

"So what do you think about your mother and father?" She asks, slipping into her nightgown.

"What do you mean?" Pulling back the tightly tucked bed covers.

"Do you think they're getting back together?"

"I haven't a clue, Liv. It sounds like they're focusing their attention on Nora for now."

He climbs into bed and she snuggles in next to him.

"Have you looked at the houses in the mountains Joan sent over?" He asks, reaching to turn off his lamp.

"Not yet, babe. I've been a little busy if you haven't noticed."

"Well, we're making a decision tomorrow night – after the girls are in bed. No more procrastinating", he says adamantly.

 **XXX**

Downtown, on the seventh floor of City Hall, Charlie and Mayor Wilson are having a late night meeting to discuss the status of the election. The Mayor is getting nervous about the outcome, about the possibility of Charlie losing and what the loss will mean for him.

"Enthusiasm is building for Grant. Early data reports indicate there is going to be a higher than normal turnout, and that might bode well for your opponent", Wilson says, watching Charlie chomp on the fat cigar.

Charlie simply shrugs, tilts his head back, and blows smoke rings toward the ceiling.

"You better take this election more seriously, Charlie. Grant is beginning to get some traction with the electorate."

"Well I'm not going to run down to those damn ghettoes and make speeches like he does. I'm not going to pretend I give a shit about those people. When I left Tilghman I promised myself I would never look back, and I haven't."

"Well you better look back", Wilson snarls. "Grant has those young people on his side. Some say they're even _advising_ him."

"What the hell do those kids know? They don't even turn out to vote", standing from his seat and pacing around the office.

"Word on the street is Grant's wife has developed a program to train those young organizers – helping them to build the skills to transform their communities. She's brought in experts like her husband to train them how to mobilize on issues important to their communities. And their issues are not necessarily important to certain parts of this city. And you know who controls our government, Charlie."

"You worry too much Teddy."

The Mayor cringes when Charlie uses the hated nickname his grandmother assigned to him as a child.

"I'm not worried about Grant and that bitch wife of his. Remember, we still have our October surprise."

"Yeah, but it's only August, Charlie. Anything can happen between now and November", looking at the idiot with disgust. "Remember, we'll use that bit of information only if it becomes absolutely necessary."

"Well, I gotta get going", Charlie says, grabbing his brief case from the table as the Mayor pours himself another drink.

Mayor Theodore Wilson swirls the ice around in the glass as he looks out of the windows onto his city. He chuckles mirthlessly and takes another sip of the bourbon because he, like everyone else, knows he does not control anything in this city. Everyone knows he is just a pawn of the wealthy business community. Everyone knows he has been bought for a few pieces of silver, a few fine suits, and the temporary illusion of power. He knows he is the joke of the city, but at this point he no longer cares. As long as he can profit from the game nothing else matters any more.

He takes a large gulp of the liquid that half fills the glass and thinks about his life before he was selected to run for Mayor of this fine city. Not too long ago, Theodore Wilson was once an idealistic community activist who, for many years, fought for the downtrodden and underserved people of the city. But after years of watching others get fat and rich while he continued to live in a run-down neighborhood and the circumstances of the people not changing materially, he readily agreed to be the face of the elite. When the power brokers knocked on his door asking him to run for Mayor he made a conscious decision to sell out, and he did not have to think about it twice. There is no sugarcoating what he did. He sold out his community. He sold out his organization. He sold out his soul.

 _What profits a man if he gains the world but loses his soul?_

Wilson walks over to the bar and pours himself another drink. He sips the aged bourbon one of his wealthy political donors gave him the night he won the election two years ago. He shakes his head, looks out onto the city again, and thinks about the lost opportunities. He thinks about how he squandered the opportunity to really make a difference for the people, for the city. And now everything is changing. New voices have emerged in the city and they are demanding change. These young activists are not satisfied with the status quo and they are unwilling to stand by and let the old guard continue to make decisions that do not benefit their communities. More importantly, they are not willing to sell out their communities.

And Fitzgerald Grant, who seemingly came out of nowhere, has the potential to disrupt everything he has put in place. Everyone knows Grant is a straight shooter and cannot be bought. Wilson knows he will not be able to make deals with him, at least not the kind of deals he made with Marla. Over the past two years he and Marla had developed a mutual understanding, which has served them both well. Although they detest each other, they both recognize there are no permanent friends, no permanent enemies, just permanent interests. And he and Marla have their permanent interests. But that is all over now, shaking his head as he thinks about the woman's condition.

Wilson pours another drink and sits on the plush leather chair behind the massive hand-carved, wooden desk. He knows he has to find a way maintain plausible deniability if the plan with that idiot Charlie goes awry.

 **XXX**

Olivia stands in front of the full-length mirror in their ensuite bathroom and steps into the red lace body suit he loves so much. She smiles as she thinks about the look on his face the night she wore it for the first time. When she finally squeezes into the expensive lingerie, she twists and turns from side to side, looking over her shoulder to check out her body in the mirror. Her butt is definitely rounder, cheeks straining against the delicate fabric. The breasts that nurture Jolie overflow the bra cups. She shakes her head, sucks in a deep breath to steady her nerves, and slides the tablet off the counter as she walks toward the bedroom.

"Are you ready to look at the houses Joan sent over?" She asks, standing in the doorway of the bathroom holding her tablet and giving him a come-hither look. She swipes a finger across the screen and smiles as she pretends to review the list of houses.

"You were so forceful – determined actually - when you said last night we were going to make a decision tonight about the house. Well, I'm ready to make a decision, Mister."

She sets the tablet on her vanity and slinks across the room wearing a devious smile, still wondering if the outfit is too tight, if she looks ridiculous. Although she has been dieting and working out, trying to tighten things up, she knows she still has more work to do in the gym before she is back to her pre-Jolie body. As she walks closer to him, she thinks about how Cena struggles to say _gymnasium_ and smiles at the random thought. He sets his tablet onto the nightstand next to his phone and smiles in anticipation.

"Liv …" he says with mouth hanging open, almost drooling like Jolie.

Olivia straddles her husband and immediately feels his burgeoning manhood. He wraps his arms around her back, pulls her close, and devours her mouth like a man who has been without food or drink longer than any person should. His warm hands caress her body, fingers gently squeezing her silky skin, and the sensation is is always amazed that after all of these years of marriage he still has that effect on her. She pushes him back onto the bed, pinning his arms above his head, and they both smile.

"Pretty aggressive aren't you?" He says with a twinkle in his ocean blue eyes.

"Are you afraid?" Her eyes twinkling too.

"Very", he says with a smirk.

She kisses him with ferocity, greedily really, gliding her tongue inside the perimeter of his mouth and he responds in kind. The sounds of lips connecting and the gasping of breath fill the room. Through the lace, he glides his tongue over her leaking breasts and massages her lace-covered bottom. He loves the fullness of her body.

"So good. So - so good", he mutters.

She smiles and reaches to turn off his lamp.

"Leave it on. I want to see all of you."

She nods and places kisses over his face and down his neck.

"Take off your clothes", she says, smiling mischievously.

She helps him to pull the tee shirt over his head and slowly kisses down his chest, circling his pink nipples with her tongue. He takes her face in his hands and smiles as he looks into her eyes.

"I love you so very much", he says with such intensity she thinks her heart actually stopped beating for a moment.

He slides the lace straps down her shoulders and marvels at her large, full breasts. Sticking out his tongue, he captures the milk slowly oozing from her hard nipples and she throws her head back in pleasure.

"Sore?"

"I'm good", panting in pleasure.

"I've missed this so much", he says breathlessly.

"Take off everything", she commands.

He lifts his bottom from the bed and removes his boxers, liberating his burgeoning hardness from its cotton prison. And she slides down his body, intertwining her hands with his. Their platinum wedding rings touch, the symbols of their eternal love, and in that moment they remember a time when they watched sunrises and sunsets together. They remember a time when they lived in his apartment in the city. They remember a time when there was no Cena and no Jolie. They remember a time when it was just them. She slides down his body, now eye level with his erection, and runs her tongue slowly across the leaking slit. He twitches from the attention.

"Oh god", squeezing her hands tighter and squirming as her wet mouth suctions him. "Just like that, Livvie. Just like that, baby."

She bobs her head up and down and he presses her head closer, pumping and writhing with pleasure. The feeling is absolutely exquisite. In fact, he could cum right now, right this instant. But not yet, not like this, not tonight.

"Come to me."

He reaches for her hand, pulls her close, and haphazardly removes the body suit and tosses it across the room.

"That's an expensive piece of material, Mister", she says playfully.

"I'll buy you another one", flipping her onto her back and licking her breasts tenderly.

Wanting to taste what he has missed for all of these months, he licks and nibbles his way down her body, slowly making his way to the sweet spot. He inhales deeply, rubbing his nose up and down her opening.

"I've missed you so much", spreading her wide and twirling his tongue tortuously slow. "Missed this so much."

"Fitz", she moans, trying to wriggle her way from the overwhelming pleasure his wonderful mouth is providing her. But he drapes an arm over her stomach, halting her attempts to escape.

"You're not going anywhere Livvie", he says huskily, his flattened tongue lingering on her inner lips. She gasps from the sensation, slowing her movements to a rhythmic grind.

"Yes, Fitz. Oh yes", lifting her bottom as he darts his tongue in and out of her wetness.

He captures her clitoris and suckles hard until she screams out loud in pleasure. He quickly slides up her body and kisses her passionately, roaming her mouth with his tongue.

"I love the way you taste. Always will", sitting on his knees and running his hardness up and down her sensitive lips.

"Kiss me", she says, spreading her legs wide. He kisses her deeply and slowly as he slides in.

"Are you okay?" Reveling in the feeling of being inside of his wife for the first time in months.

She nods and he begins to move slowly, enjoying the wetness engulfing him. She feels wonderful, and he gulps in air to steady himself. She wraps her legs around his waist and he picks up the pace, enjoying the feeling of reconnecting. Their slickened bodies slap together frenetically as each is close to realizing the promise. But he waits, holds back, always maintaining control until she is fulfilled.

She arches her back, inviting him to go deeper, and he wraps his arms around her waist, pumping and pumping and pumping until he hits that magical place. As another wave of pleasure washes over her, she swears she hears the sound of mandolins playing. Slumping across his chest, she no longer has control over her body, trembling and twitching inside and out.

As she clings to him, he pumps and thrusts like the prospector who is in search of a hidden treasure. He holds her tight, penetrating deeper as he seeks his release. He rides her with abandon, until as if suddenly hit by a bolt of lightning, he stiffens, and time seems to have stopped. His watch no longer ticks. The blue numbers on the clock no longer change. His cell phone no longer displays the hour. Time has stopped as he revels in the wonderful feeling of expressing love for his wife. He holds her tighter and, after a moment, he expels a heavy sigh and rests his head on her shoulder as he slowly comes down from the euphoric high. They collapse onto the bed, both a glorious mess and completely spent. With hair going every which way, smiles spread across their lips as they stare at the ceiling.

"Worth the wait", they say in unison and begin to laugh uncontrollably.

"You're silly", she says.

"No, _you're_ silly", he says.

"No, _you're_ silly", she says, and once again laughter fills the thick air.

 **XXX**

A few hours later, after more rounds of reconnecting and laughing, they are in a deep sleep, no eye or body parts move. Legs spread open, Fitz lay on his back with Olivia sprawled across his chest and his hand rests on her bare bottom. Time has moved on. He stirs briefly when he hears the faint sound of his phone vibrating on the nightstand. He hopes he is dreaming because he does not have the energy or desire to answer the phone. His wife has worn him out. The phone stops shaking for a moment, but starts to dance across the nightstand again. With eyes closed, he fumbles for the vibrating phone.

"Hello", he says with a gravelly voice.

"Who is it?" She asks, half asleep.

"Go back to sleep", massaging her bottom absently. And on command she falls back to sleep.

"Fitz, is that you?" The anxious voice on the other end asks hurriedly. "I'm sorry to call you so late – sorry to wake you."

"Who is this?" He asks groggily.

"It's me, Chuck."

" _Chuck? Why the hell are you calling me at this time of night?"_ He asks in a hushed voice, trying not to waken Olivia.

"Can you talk?"

" _What?"_ He asks, still trying to find his bearings.

"Fitz, I'm sorry to call you so late but I have some information you need to know. But you didn't hear it from me", Chuck adds quickly.

"I understand", slowly beginning to comprehend what the voice on the other end is saying.

"Fitz, your state's Attorney General is launching an investigation into your wife's friend, Marla Briggs. There's evidence Miss Briggs has been embezzling government funds for her personal use."

Fitz' eyes pop wide open and his hand stops massaging his wife's bottom.

"This is going to be a scandal, Fitz. Later this morning the FBI is going to raid Miss Briggs' office at City Hall and her private residence.

" _What? Where is this coming from, Chuck?"_ Trying to peel Olivia from across his chest so he can get out of bed.

"I don't know any more than what I already told you. I didn't want you to be blindsided tomorrow when it's all over the news."

"Is my wife part of this investigation? Is Olivia safe?" Searching in the dark for his boxers.

"No one is safe in this case, Fitz. This is big – really big. They're going to investigate anyone and everyone with whom Briggs has had a political and business relationship."


	25. Chapter 25 The Fallout

**Chapter 25. The Fallout**

When Fitz enters the diner he is immediately struck by the rich aroma of coffee wafting through the air and the number of people sitting at the counter and in booths eating food at this hour of the morning. As his eyes dart around the dining room looking for Darius, he thinks he could sure use a cup of that coffee right now.

"Darius", he says, sliding in the booth at the back of the restaurant where the not-too-happy Councilman is sitting.

"You'd better have a damn good reason for getting me out of bed at this ungodly hour Fitz", Darius says as he stirs cream into the decaffeinated coffee.

Fitz does not care about the hour and he sure does not care that he has interrupted Darius' sleep. He wants answers and he wants them now. He rests his forearms on the table top, leans forward, and looks the Councilman squarely in the eyes.

"Did you know what Marla was doing – what she's been up to?" He demands with sweat beading on his forehead and spittle flying from his mouth

"What are you talking about, Fitz?" Darius asks tiredly, not picking up on Fitz' agitated demeanor. Darius shakes the pink packet of sugar, slowly tears it open, and then dumps it into the mug.

" _Don't play innocent with me, Darius. You know what the fuck I'm talking about",_ he says angrily, which gets Darius' full attention.

Usually an easygoing and fun-loving man, Darius is immediately angered. He stops stirring the coffee, tosses the spoon onto the table, and glares at his agitated candidate. He does not know what has the man sitting across from him so riled up but right now he does not care. No one uses that tone of voice with him, not even Fitzgerald Grant.

Darius Moton does not have many rules to guide his life, but he does require, no, he demands to be respected. For years Darius watched his father come home from work, slump into his recliner, and stare off into space with a look of despair etched into his face. This is how his father handled the humiliation of being disrespected by the white men on his job. His father never spoke up on the job to defend himself, nor did he talk to his family about the degradation he experienced almost daily, but Darius knew, and his mother and sister knew as well. But, it was just one of the many things the Moton family did not talk about. Whether the family discussed the unmentionable or not, Darius promised himself way back then he would never be that man, he would never allow another man to disrespect him.

Ever the political operator, he glances around the room to check if Fitz' outburst has drawn attention to their table. Confident no one is looking in their direction, Darius mimics Fitz' posture, leaning forward in his seat and resting his forearms on the table. He rocks his head from side to side like a prizefighter warming up for a 15-round boxing match. With face set hard, he glares into the blue eyes staring at him.

"I don't know what the _fuck_ is wrong with you Fitz, but I don't take that kind of shit from nobody", he says through clenched teeth. "So if you have something on your mind then just say it. Don't beat around the fuckin' bush."

Fitz does not back down. His family is at stake and he needs answers. So, with nostrils flaring and chest heaving, he returns Darius' glare.

"I don't beat the around the _fuckin'_ bush. I asked you a direct question and I expect a _goddamn_ direct answer", banging his fist on the table, causing the silverware to rattle and water to splatter from the glasses. This time they do attract the attention of the other diners.

Now keenly aware of the scene they are causing, the two men shoot their last daggers at each other, take a breath, and slowly retreat to their corners. The last thing they need is for some citizen reporter with a camera phone to record their interaction and post it online. So Darius picks up the mug by its handle, takes a sip of coffee, and then slowly sets the mug back onto the table. He slides the paper napkin from the tabletop and wipes his mouth. He is tired of the shadow boxing.

"What the hell is this all about, Fitz?" Balling up the napkin and tossing it onto the table.

"I just found out from a reliable source that the Feds will be raiding Marla Briggs' office and her home later this morning to seize all of her files."

" _What?"_

"They will be looking for evidence of embezzlement. Apparently Marla Briggs has been using government funds as her goddamn personal bank account."

" _Damn."_

Fitz looks at the man in surprise, now realizing Darius knows what Marla has been doing.

"You mean you've known all along?" He asks, stunned by Darius' response.

"No – no. I didn't know a _damn_ thing – not for sure anyway."

"So you had suspicions then?"

"I'm the Chairman of the Finance Committee, Fitz. I get to see all of the numbers at some point.

"God. I can't believe this", running a hand through his already tousled hair. "I'm not going to let my wife take the fall for this shit, Darius. Tell me everything you know."

Darius leans forward on his elbows, folds his hands, and looks around the diner. This time checking if anyone is within earshot of hearing what he is about share with Fitz. With lips pressed into a thin line, Fitz leans across the table and listens closely as Darius relays the sordid details of Marla Briggs' activities.

"Marla never lived an extravagant lifestyle, that's why none of this is adding up. But I guess on her salary alone she really couldn't afford to. By the way, you should know the Council President doesn't make a lot of money."

Fitz gives Darius an _I-don't-care-about-a-salary-right-now_ look.

"Well anyway, when Marla got ill - had a stroke - I had to review all of her budget expenses, and I found some – well I found some discrepancies", he says, looking around the diner again.

"What kind of discrepancies?" Fitz frowns as he leans forward, straining to hear Darius, who is close to whispering.

"It appears that Marla has been skimming money from the city's coffers for quite some time. She had three accounts where funds were being deposited as payment for the services of three different ghost vendors."

"This is just incredible."

"I thought the same thing. I worked with the woman for years, and I would never have dreamed the woman I knew was capable of doing something like this."

Fitz shakes his head in disbelief.

"The strange thing about this whole thing is the money went out of the dummy accounts as quickly as it came in."

"What do you mean?"

"The city pays all of its vendors of record on the last day of the month - like clockwork. City funds were deposited into Marla's dummy accounts on the last day of each month, but the funds were then withdrawn electronically on the first day of the following month. The next damn day, man."

"Do you know where the money was going? Was she depositing it into another account? Perhaps an offshore account?"

"I don't have a clue. I was planning to confront her about it but she never returned to work after the stroke. So I just stopped looking."

"You stopped looking? How could you just stop looking?"

"Fitz, Marla is very popular in this city. She has done a lot of good for the people and I didn't want anyone to think I was trying to take down the woman for political gain while she is in the hospital and unable to defend herself.

Fitz frowns, nodding as he tries to process everything he has heard.

"But now that the Feds are involved …" Darius shakes his head. "Well this changes everything. I don't want any parts of the Feds, Fitz. I don't want anyone to think I was involved in some kind of cover-up."

"And I don't want my wife to get caught up in this mess either."

Darius looks down at his watch and sucks his teeth.

"Thanks for the heads up, but I gotta get back home. Yvonne was wondering where the hell I was going at this hour of the morning."

"One more thing Darius", holding up a hand to halt the man's movements." Are the funds still being deposited into those accounts?"

"In and out", he says, pulling a few bills from his wallet and throwing them onto the table. It won't take the Feds long to find out where that money has been going, Fitz. The fallout from this is going to be huge. Marla didn't get away with this for all of this years without help – without more people being involved."

Deep in thought, Fitz nods slowly as he watches Darius walk quickly from the diner. He leans back against the booth and sips the flavorful coffee, thinking this is some of the best coffee he has ever tasted. He looks out the window and watches the sun begin to rise over the horizon. He shakes his head and takes another sip, wondering how he is going to break the news to Olivia.

 **XXX**

As she changes Jolie, Olivia smiles brightly when she thinks about last night, just the two of them reconnecting over and over again. With him, every day is Christmas and every night is New Year's Eve because he put a spell on her. And she remembers the exact day, the exact hour, and the exact moment it happened. She knows it was an unconscious and unintentional act, for he did not go into his kitchen and boil a pot of exotic roots and chant some magical words over it. But he captured her heart nonetheless, and the spell has never been broken. When she hears the security system chime, she covers Jolie with the blanket then walks downstairs to find her husband.

"You left me all alone", smiling as she walks across the room, sits on his lap, and wraps her arms around his neck. "You wore me out last night, Mister. Broke. My. Back."

She kisses down his neck, running her tongue around the rim of his ear, and gently sucks the lobe.

"Not now Olivia", he says distractedly, opening and closing the desk drawers as if he is looking for something important.

"It's early, JoJo and Cee are still sleeping, we can pick up where we left off last night", unbuttoning his shirt.

" _I said no, Olivia"_ , he snaps, grabbing her hands to stop her from unbuttoning his shirt.

Stunned by his outburst, her eyes widen and she climbs off his lap and slowly backs away from him.

"Liv, I'm sorry. I didn't mean –"

"No – no", putting up her hands to stop him from talking.

" _Olivia. Wait"_

He jumps from the chair and runs across the room to stop her before she can leave the room.

"Liv ", grabbing her arm.

" _Take. Your. Hand. Off. Of. Me."_

"Liv –"

"Don't Liv me. Go back to wherever you sneaked off to before the sun had a chance to rise."

"I can explain."

" _I don't want to hear it."_

" _Just listen to me. Just give me a minute"_ , he shouts in frustration.

She folds her arms across her chest and sneers at him.

"One. Minute", she says through clenched teeth.

He rakes a hand through his hair and begins to pace around the room.

"I'm sorry – I didn't' mean …"

Uninterested in his apology, she rolls her eyes and stares out the window at the early morning sun.

"I went to meet with Darius", he says quickly.

" _Darius? Before sunrise? Why?"_ Furrowing her brow.

"Sit down Liv", he says anxiously.

" _I don't want to sit down. Why couldn't you wait to meet with Darius at a decent hour? What's going on, Fitzgerald?"_

Stunned by her use of his full name, he stares at her angry face trying to figure out how to tell her the woman she idolizes is going to be accused of being a thief.

"I got a call last night – after we …"

She rolls her eyes again and turns her head away from him. She does not want to remember the beautiful time they spent together last night, at least not right now, not while she is angry with him.

"Don't you remember me telling you to go back to sleep?"

She furrows her brow trying to recall, but she honestly cannot remember because he wore her out last night.

"No", she says flatly.

"Well I did", looking at her pleadingly.

"Why did Darius call you so early this morning?"

" _What?"_ He asks in confusion.

"Why did Darius call you?"

"It wasn't Darius who called."

"Then who was it?"

"It doesn't matter", waving his hand in the air dismissively.

Tired of his vague responses, she turns to walk from the study.

"There's going to be an investigation, Olivia. A criminal investigation."

She stops abruptly and turns slowly, trying to comprehend what he said.

"A criminal investigation? What did you do?"

" _Me?"_ He says in surprise. "I've done nothing."

"Then who – who's being investigated?"

"Liv, the FBI has gotten a warrant to search Marla's home and office at City Hall."

" _What?"_

"She's being investigated for embezzling government funds."

" _You're a liar"_ , she says quickly and without hesitation. And he flinches, as if she has just slapped him hard across the face.

"Liv, sit down. Please."

" _I don't want to sit down. I want to know why you're fabricating these lies about Marla – why you're attacking her character."_

"There's evidence, Olivia - lots of it", rubbing his forehead as he paces around the office.

" _Stop it! Stop saying that."_

" _Do you think I want this to be true? Do you think I get some kind of sick pleasure out of telling you these things? It all just fell into my lap. Marla Briggs is being investigated for corruption, Olivia. And anyone she's done business with is going to be investigated too."_

He looks at her to check if she understands what this means, but she is unable to process what he is saying. Her mind is racing so fast she can hardly collect her thoughts. And her heart is pounding equally as fast, as if it is going to explode from her chest. She does not believe any of this. She does not believe him, not until she looks into his eyes, the eyes she loves and trusts more than anything.

"Oh my god", bringing a hand to her lips. "This is true. You're telling the truth."

She is in shock and the room is spinning; she feels dizzy, lightheaded. He rushes to her side and guides her over to the chair in front of the desk.

"Put her head between your knees, Liv."

After a few minutes of letting the blood flow to her brain, she feels better, somewhat stable.

"Drink this", holding the glass of water to her lips. And for the next few minutes she clenches the glass of water as she listens to her husband tell her about the illegal activities of her friend and mentor.

"None of this makes any sense Fitz", letting the tears roll down her face.

"There are going to be questions about _all_ of her activities Liv", taking the glass from her hand and setting it onto the desk.

"What do you mean?" She asks, still befuddled by what she is hearing.

"Liv", dragging a hand down the side of his face. "There are going to be questions about all of her political and business dealings – _including_ those she had with you", and her eyes widen.

" _What? I had no idea what Marla was up to."_

"I know - I know. But Liv, they're going to want to look at every dollar of city money Marla spent, including the grants and contracts awarded to you. We have to get ahead of this. I have to get you an attorney. This thing isn't going away, Olivia."

" _An attorney? Are things that serious?"_

"I don't know, but we need to be prepared."

"You're an attorney. Can't you handle this?"

"I can't represent you Liv", shaking his head as he bites down on his bottom lip.

" _Why not?"_ Looking at him with fear in her eyes.

"Because I'm your husband. Besides, I'm a litigation attorney, you're going to need a criminal defense attorney."

" _A criminal attorney?"_

He stands up straight, reaches into his pants pocket, and pulls out his phone.

"Who are you calling?" She asks weepily.

"John", looking down at his watch as her presses the phone to his ear. "He's one of the best damn criminal defense attorneys in the state. Maybe I can catch him before he leaves for the office."

 **XXX**

After dropping Cena off at school, Fitz drives them to John and Abby's house to share with them the unfolding situation with Marla Briggs and to get legal advice for Olivia. Alternately pressing and releasing the clutch and gas pedals while angrily shifting from first to second gear to accelerate the car, he navigates through the morning rush-hour traffic. Olivia stares straight ahead, expressionless, watching the pedestrians go about their daily routine, seemingly without a care. She thinks just a few hours ago she was one of those people. Everything was perfect.

She chews the inside of her bottom lip, trying to fight back the tears that have been threatening to fall since they dropped off Cena at school. She silently takes slow and shallow breaths to steady her nerves as Fitz approaches thetraffic light. He pushes down on the clutch pedal in with his left foot and shifts down to second gear while pressing the brake pedal with his right foot. As the car slows down, he pushes the clutch pedal in again and shifts down to first gear, pressing the brake pedal to stop the car at the red light.

"I'm scared Fitz", she says softly, almost imperceptibly, as she continues to stare straight ahead.

"I know", bringing her hand to his lips. "We're going to get through this - together. I promise. Okay?"

Continuing to look out of the window, she nods as the light turns green. He rests her hand on his lap, releases the clutch pedal and presses the gas pedal, while shifting into first gear. Twenty minutes later he pulls the car into the driveway, next to John's huge SUV. Fitz still wonders why his brother needs that monster truck. It is not like he hauls equipment or supplies from The Home Depot every day or even every week. He looks over at his frightened wife, brings her hand to his lips again and gives her an encouraging smile before sliding from the driver's seat.

"You go inside. I'll get Jo."

Olivia nods, opens the car door, and slides from her seat.

 **XXX**

"Olivia", Abby says with open arms when she sees her obviously distraught friend standing on the step.

"Abby …" Olivia cries out, stepping into Abby's open arms.

"This is all so horrible, Olivia."

"I don't understand any of it, Abby."

"I know. I know. Come on in and have a seat."

Abby glances at Fitz as he struggles to unbuckle the car seat, shaking her head when she sees the worried look on his face. She leaves the door slightly ajar so Fitz can come in with Jolie, then walks back to the family room to join Olivia and her husband.

"Liv", John says, walking across the large family room to hug his agitated sister-in-law. "How are you doing?" He asks with concern.

"I don't understand why any of this is happening, John. It's all so surreal."

"We're going to get to the bottom of this. Sit down. Sit down."

Fitz enters the room carrying Jolie and Abby quickly takes the baby carrier from his hand.

"Fitzgerald, I see you brought me a little gift", Abby says, trying to make light of a dire situation.

"Good morning Abigail", giving his sister-in-law a peck on the cheek. "John, thank you for seeing us on such short notice", hugging his brother before sitting on the sofa next to Olivia, who looks like she is going to unravel in any minute.

"So tell me everything you know", John says, looking at his brother who is obviously upset.

Fitz spends the next 15 minutes telling John everything he knows about the developing scandal.

"Why do you think this is coming out now? Marla Briggs has obviously been stealing money for years. Why now?" Abby asks, sliding off Jolie's knit hat.

"Good question, Abigail. You might've missed your calling", John says with a smirk.

"One mouthpiece in this house is enough", Abby says, rolling her eyes.

"Fitz, do you think this is political - has something to do with the election?" John asks.

"I don't know. At this point anything is possible."

"Well, sometimes you walk into a cafeteria and there's a food-fight already going on."

Abby and Olivia look at John who has an annoying habit of using odd expressions.

"According to early news reports, the FBI and State Attorney General have started a criminal investigation into the actions of Miss Briggs. The Attorney General is using words like fraud and racketeering. Kotch is thorough, he doesn't use those kind of words lightly. He has evidence."

Tears roll down Olivia's cheeks and Fitz gently squeezes her hand.

"When the FBI comes in and seizes your records – well, let's just say that's never a good thing. So tell me everything _you_ know, Olivia."

"I only know what Fitz told me – what he heard from Darius", looking at her husband.

"And who is this Darius person?" John asks.

"He's a Councilman – Chairman of the Finance Committee. He and Marla are friends", Olivia says.

"He's also working to get me elected."

"I see", John says. "So why did Darius come to you with this information, Fitz?"

"Well, he didn't - exactly", shifting in his seat uncomfortably. And Olivia looks at him because she now realizes he never told her who called him last night.

"So who gave you this information?" John asks, now in full attorney mode, and Fitz knows it.

"I can't reveal their name", he says curtly.

John knows what that means so he moves on, but Olivia and Abby look at Fitz suspiciously.

"So did you meet with Darius?"

"Yes. At the diner this morning."

"And what did he tell you?" John asks as Olivia and Abby look at Fitz.

"Well, after I told him what I found out, he admitted to having suspicions about Marla's – about Marla's activities. He said after Marla was hospitalized, he came across documents showing she had been funneling government funds into three different bank accounts. He said on the last day of each month, when the city pays it vendors, $10,000.00 was deposited into each of those accounts."

" _Thirty thousand dollars?"_ Olivia exclaims. _"Every month?"_

Fitz nods.

" _For how long?"_

"Years, Liv. Six years to be precise.

"Oh my god. I don't believe this."

"And on the first day of the month, the funds are withdrawn electronically."

"Did Darius say where the money is going?" John asks, leaning forward in his chair and looking closely at his brother.

"He doesn't have a clue. He stopped looking after Marla had a stroke", giving Olivia's hand a gentle squeeze. He understands, regardless of what his wife has learned about Marla's activities, she is still fond of the woman.

"Well it shouldn't be too difficult to find out where the money has been going for all of these years", Abby says, removing Jolie's sweater.

"Are you sure you're not an attorney?" John asks in jest and she rolls her eyes again. "But Abigail is right, the Feds won't have any difficulty tracking down who is on the receiving end of those funds."

Olivia shakes her head in disbelief.

"Olivia", John begins again. "I need to prepare you for what could potentially come your way."

She nods slowly, not quite sure what could be coming her way.

"It's protocol for the Attorney General to interview everyone with whom Miss Briggs has had a relationship – political or otherwise."

She continues to nod slowly, finding it difficult to process what her brother-in-law is saying. She cannot seem to focus.

"You might have to give a deposition, Liv."

" _What?"_ Giving Fitz a frightened look. "John, I don't know anything about any of this."

"Sweetheart, it's just a way to get witnesses to cooperate, lifting her hand to his lips and giving her a reassuring smile.

" _Witness. I didn't witness anything."_

"Liv, the AG – Attorney General - can also examine the foundation's tax returns. Do you have copies of your tax returns?"

"Of course I do. Foundations are required to always keep three years of tax returns on file. They're at the office."

"Good, you need to get copies of everything over to me. Tax returns, proposals to the city for funding, especially the one's Marla touched, receipts showing how the funds were distributed. Every damn thing."

She nods again, thinking things are moving so fast.

"Tell me about your foundation, Liv. How much of your funding comes from the city?" John asks as he jots notes on the yellow legal pad.

"Well, not a lot actually. The city is in financial difficulty."

 _Great_ , Fitz thinks to himself.

"My foundation gets less than 20% of its funding from city government. Marla taught me to always have multiple streams of funding."

"It seems like she took her own advice", Abby says, and everyone looks at Abigail for the true but insensitive comment.

"I'm just saying", ignoring the stares.

"The majority of our funding comes from philanthropic donations by larger foundations, corporations, and some individuals."

"Liv, is your foundation registered? Do you have a license in our state to solicit donations?"

" _What? Of course I do. Why would you ask such a question?"_ She responds, somewhat offended.

"Because if you don't—if you didn't remember to file the correct papers with the state – then that could be a problem."

"She said she's registered, so stop badgering her", Abby snaps at her husband. However, the attorney in him ignores his wife and proceeds with his questions.

"Liv", you can't accept money from donors and distribute it if the foundation isn't registered. The law can require you to cease-and-desist fundraising."

" _What?_ That can't happen, John", Olivia exclaims with tears rolling down her cheeks. "Too many people count on us."

"Come on Olivia, let's go make coffee", Abby says, shooting daggers at her husband. "Would you like some breakfast, Fitzgerald?"

"No thanks, Abigail. Coffee is fine."

Once Abby and Olivia have left the room and are out of earshot, Fitz walks over and speaks to his brother in a hushed tone.

"So what do you think, John? Does Liv – do we - have anything to worry about?"

"I honestly don't know, Fitz. Kotch takes these matters seriously, especially these days - in this political climate."

Fitz begins pacing around the room.

"We don't know what else the Feds have on Miss Briggs - how many more people this thing touches. Sometimes these things are isolated to just the accused, and other times it can take off like wildfire, burning down everything in its path."

"I won't let Liv take the hit for whatever Marla Briggs was up to", he says adamantly.

"Don't get over your skis, brother. I'll make some calls when I get into the office to see what else I can find out."

Fitz nods.

"In the meantime, we'll wait to see if Liv gets subpoenaed - if she gets a cease-and-desist letter."

"How the hell did this happen?" Fitz asks to no one in particular.

"What do you know about this Marla Briggs anyway?" John asks.

"I've met her a few times, but she's Olivia's friend. She's been a mentor and mother figure to her for years."

"Don't get upset brother, but I have to ask you a sensitive question. I didn't want to ask Liv, but I have to ask you, Fitz."

Fitz looks at his brother curiously.

"Is there _any_ chance that Liv could be involved in this – had any knowledge of what Miss Briggs was up to? Could she have been using her foundation to launder money for Marla? Could the funds be going to her foundation's account?"

" _Hell no. Olivia would never do anything like that."_

"Calm down. Kotch is going to ask. Hell, the media is going to want to know as well."

" _The media?"_

"Fitz, you're in the middle of an election to replace the woman who has been using city funds as her personal bank account. The same woman, as you say, who has been a mentor and mother figure to your wife. So yes, the media vultures are going to have a field day with this."

 **XXX**

It is only 8:45 in the morning and Mayor Wilson and Charlie are already drinking hard liquor, but each for a different reason. Charlie is celebrating and Wilson is on edge. The power brokers are nervous because it seems like Charlie is on track to lose the election, and if they are nervous, then so is he.

"You need to campaign more, Charlie. If you lose this thing, the money will dry up and you'll be back in Tilghman."

"I'll die before going back to that hell hole."

" _What the hell?"_

Wilson puffs on his cigar and reaches for the remote when he catches a glimpse of the scene unfolding on the TV screen. State Attorney General Stephen Kotch is flanked by a cadre of FBI agents carrying boxes of files from Marla Briggs' City Hall office. Reading the text scrolling across the bottom of the screen, he unmutes the speakers and wonders how the hell he does not know what happening three floors below in his own house is. From across the room, Charlie is grinning from ear to ear as he watches the news reporters clamoring to get a statement from the State Attorney General.

"Seems like our October surprise might've gotten out sooner than we planned", Charlie says, walking over to the bar and pouring himself another drink. "This ought to show the people what that bitch Olivia and her husband are all about. Nobody will vote for him now."

Mayor Wilson looks at Charlie in disbelief, wondering if the lunatic had something to do with leaking the confidential information to the Feds.

" _What. Did. You. Do?"_ Wilson demands, standing nose to nose with Charlie. "Did you release that information I gave you?"

"Why wait until October when we can get rid of Grant now?" Charlie shrugs, laughing maniacally as he raises the glass to his lips.

" _You damn fool. You imbecile. I told you we would only play that card only if we had to."_

"Well I don't like to gamble, Teddy. I like having the deck stacked in my favor."

" _Do you know what you've done? You've upset the balance of power. You've opened Pandora's Box – let the genie out of the bottle",_ the Mayor yells angrily. _"Get out! Get out of my office you damn idiot."_

"You better be nice to me Teddy", Charlie says, strutting around the office like a proud peacock. "After all, I'm going to be the next President of the City Council and you're going to need me."

Charlie downs the remainder of his scotch in one gulp, slams the glass onto the Mayor's ornately hand-carved desk, and walks from the office laughing like a madman.

Mayor Wilson never had any intention of ever releasing the information about Marla's embezzlement activities. He only showed Charlie the folder to convince the man he had a real shot at winning the election because there was a back-up plan in place to take down Grant. Wilson looks out the window and shakes his head as he thinks about his idiot candidate. Charlie has no idea what this election is really all about. He does not realize he is just a pawn being moved around the chess board by the kings of the city. Charlie thinks he will have real power if he is elected President of the City Council. The poor fool does not know the power he thinks he will have will be nothing more than an illusion, and Wilson can testify to that. But he knowingly made a deal with the devil; Charlie, on the other hand, is clueless. And that is why he was selected to be their guy. The powers knew Charlie was desperate for money. With two failed businesses on his resume, and on the verge of being evicted from the luxury condominium he cherishes, it did not take much to convince the man to run. They also knew Charlie could be manipulated because he does not have the intellectual capacity to see the unseen. But there is just so much control anyone can have over an idiot, and the power brokers are beginning to realize this fact. A stupid person can also be a dangerous person, and Charlie Barber is extremely dangerous.

Wilson looks over at the desk when he hears the unmistakable sound of the infrequently used phone ringing inside the drawer. He takes a sip of the expensive alcohol, savoring the smooth liquid as it lands on his palette and tongue. This is not an illusion he thinks, as he walks over to the desk and snatches open the drawer to answer the burner phone.

" _What the hell is going on over there, Wilson?"_

 **XXX**

Sandra escorts Congressman Guildford and Councilmen Moton and Johnson down the hall to Fitz' private office at Grant Enterprises. Fitz asked the men to meet him at his office this afternoon because they needed more privacy than a restaurant could provide. He cannot risk having their conversation overheard by a patron or nosey waiter.

As the trio pass the large conference room, Johnson grimaces when he sees Fitz' other advisers sitting around the conference table looking at their laptop screens.

"In here gentlemen", Sandra says, waving the men into Fitz' office.

"Gentlemen", Fitz says, standing from the chair behind his desk and sliding on his suit jacket.

"These are really nice digs you have here Fitz", the Congressman says, looking around the spacious office.

"It's good to see you, Phil. Let's have a seat, pointing to conference table across room.

"Coffee?" Walking toward the table where Sandra has set up refreshments for their meeting.

"I'm going to need something stronger than coffee", Phil says.

"Of course."

Fitz walks over to the built-in refrigerator and pulls a bottle of vodka from the freezer.

"On the rocks?" Looking at the Congressman.

"Yes, that'll be fine."

"Darius - Johnson?" Holding the bottle of vodka midair.

"Nothing for me, Darius says. 'It's too early", glancing over at the Congressman.

"I'll just take a cup of that coffee", says Johnson.

With everyone situated around the table with their preferred beverage, the Congressman takes a sip of the vodka and smiles.

"This is the good stuff, Fitz. Really good."

Fitz nods, giving the man a slight smile.

"You know why we're here Fitz", Johnson says. The FBI raiding Marla's office and residence is not just surprising, it's also a problem."

"A big problem", the Congressman says. "How the hell didn't you know what Marla was up to, Darius? You're the Chairman of the Finance Committee, for god's sake. People are going to wonder."

" _People are going to wonder what, Phil? I didn't have a damn thing to do with this."_

"Maybe not, but when you had suspicions you said nothing."

" _The woman had just had a damn stroke, Phil. What the hell was I supposed to do?"_

"I guess we'll find out in time", the Congressman says, dabbing his forehead with the handkerchief.

"We don't have time for this", Johnson says, looking back and forth at the two men. "This Marla thing is going to put our campaign at risk. What the hell was she thinking?"

"I'm not worried about the campaign", Fitz interjects. "I'm worried about my wife. I don't want her implicated in any of this just because she had a relationship with Marla Briggs."

The men look at him closely.

"I was thinking, perhaps I should just drop out of the race – step down.", now standing and pacing around the room."

" _No!"_ The three men shout nervously.

"This whole Marla business changes everything. Do you actually think anyone will vote for me now? There's a possibility my wife will be investigated – even prosecuted – god forbid. We had to get an attorney. Who the hell knows where this thing will go."

"You can't give up now, Fitz. The election is in a little over two months. You just gotta hang on – let this thing pass."

"This thing isn't going to pass, Phil. It's not just going away. Heads are going to roll and I need to make sure one of them isn't my wife's."

"We can't throw this all away now, Fitz. We've come too far", Darius says.

"I need to be home more for Olivia and my children."

"Listen, I can adjust your schedule -cancel any upcoming appearances -but you have to do the debate and that interview with Shelby Sanger. Just hang in there."

Fitz looks at Darius for a long while and sighs.

"I don't know, Darius. This thing is going to get nasty and Charlie won't hesitate to use it against me during the debate."

"People know you're not involved in any of this Fitz, but Olivia …" Johnson shakes his head.

"Olivia has nothing to do with this, Johnson", he says defensively.

"How is Olivia doing? It must be difficult for her to find out these things about Marla, considering how close they are."

"Honestly Phil, she's taking it pretty hard."

"Well these kinds of investigations can go on for months", Johnson says.

"If not years - hopefully well passed the election", says Darius.

"Kotch isn't going to let up. He's like a dog with a bone", the Congressman says, setting the sweating glass onto the coaster.

 **XXX**

Two hours after his meeting with the Old G advisers has ended, Fitz is still sitting in his office with his long legs stretched across the desk, squeezing the orange stress ball as he thinks about everything that has happened over the past 24 hours. To say he is stressed would be an understatement. The campaign has been grueling enough, now this scandal threatens to send him over the edge. He gives the ball one last squeeze before throwing it across the room in frustration. He looks at his watch and decides it is time to go home. Grabbing his suit jacket from the chair, he walks from the office unrolling his sleeves. As he walks down the hall, sliding on his jacket, he frowns when he hears voices coming from the main conference room.

"I didn't realize you guys were still here", looking around and seeing his other team of advisers are still hard at work.

"Jason has a few final touches to make to your website Mr. Grant", Marcella says. "Add the links to all of your social media accounts: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram …" Marcella rattles off.

"I didn't realize you knew how to do that Jason", walking into the room and looking over the young man's shoulder."

"Jason might be a greedy Cookie Monster Mr. Grant, but he is also a computer genius", Marcella says.

" _Really?_ "

"He has designed the websites for all of our organizations, enabling us to use technology to reach more people and to mobilize our communities", says Marcus, not bothering to look up as he types on his laptop.

"I bet those Old Gs don't do that for you", Jason says, smiling proudly.

"Mr. Grant, we're going to use a digital strategy to help get your message out and turn out the vote in your favor", Marcus says.

Fitz nods, as he looks at Jason's computer screen.

"The Old Gs – I mean my advisers – have a well-oiled, on-the-ground political machine in place. They know how to turn out the vote."

"Yeah, but that door-to-door thing alone won't work anymore. You gotta combine it with technology if you want to connect with a broader electorate", Rashid says.

Fitz nods, realizing they all have a point.

"Okay. Let's do it. Let's establish my online presence. But I must tell you, I'm not very computer savvy."

 **XXX**

For the past three nights this has become their routine. He wakes from a deep sleep when he no longer feels the warmth of her body snuggled next to his. He then looks at the blue numbers displayed on the clock and waits. And when he is sure she is not in the bathroom, he rolls out of bed and walks down the hall to the nursery.

"Liv, come back to bed. It's three in the morning", he says, standing in the doorway of the nursery rubbing his eyes.

"I'm feeding Jo", she says, rocking the sleeping baby.

"JoJo isn't even awake, Liv. Come –"

" _I don't want to come back to bed"_ , she snaps, and Jolie begins to stir in her sleep. "You go back to bed."

He takes a few steps into the nursery.

"You can't do this every night. You're going to make yourself sick."

"I can't sleep, Fitz", she says weepily. "I can't shut off my brain. Whenever I close my eyes I think about Marla. I think about losing the foundation, Fitz."

"I know."

He takes Jolie from her arms and places the sleeping baby back into the crib and pulls the blanket over her chest.

"Let's go back to bed", extending his hand to her.

She looks up at him, wipes the tears from her face, and takes his hand. Tomorrow is another day.

 **XXX**

As Fitz sits on the sofa in the family room holding Jolie against his chest and Cena on his lap, he sees the headlights from Olivia's SUV flash across the windows as she pulls into the driveway. She has been gone for hours, doing what he does not know. The news about Marla has shaken her to her core and she is still trying to make sense of it all. After 10 minutes have passed and Olivia still has not come into the house, Fitz sets Jolie in the carrier and goes outside to see what she is doing.

"What the hell are you doing?" Watching his wife climb onto the three-step ladder.

"What does it look like?"

She does not bother to turn around to look at him as she stretches her arm up to the black, wrought iron lantern fixture to remove the burnt-out bulb. She is annoyed, not with him of course, but with everything that is happening.

"I'm changing lightbulbs. I saw that one was out when we got home last night and another one is out tonight. So I'm replacing lightbulbs."

"Why are you doing it tonight? Can't it wait until tomorrow?" Looking at her as if she has lost her mind.

" _No, it can't wait until tomorrow. It has to be done now"_ , she replies sharply.

"Then I'll do it. Get down before you fall."

 _"I said I'll do it. You can't fix everything for me, Fitz. I have to do it. I have to fix it."_

And the tears begin to fall as she sits down onto the ladder's top step.

"Livvie", he says softly, walking over to the ladder and taking the lightbulb from her hand.

"Everything is falling apart, Fitz", tears rolling down her face.

"Come into the house and we can talk about it."

" _I'm going to lose everything I've worked for my entire life. Why did she do this, Fitz? Why would Marla do something like this?"_

"I don't know", shaking his head from side to side. "But I promise we're going to find out. We'll get to the bottom of this."

Her heart rate begins to speed up and she shakes, trembling uncontrollably. She cannot breathe, cannot catch her breath, and he sees the panic flash in her eyes before she slides onto the damp, well-manicured lawn.

"Liv", dropping onto the ground and pulling her into his arms. "Breathe baby, breathe", rubbing her back in an attempt to calm her.

"I don't know how much more I can take, Fitz. It's all too much."

"Shhh. Shhh", hugging her close. "Baby, you've got to stay calm so we can fight this thing together. Everything is going to be all right."

"You keep saying that but you don't know if it's true. I could lose everything, Fitz. I could go to jail."

"You're not going to jail. We'll get through this - I promise. You have to believe it Liv", looking into her frightened eyes and brushing the tears away from her cheeks.

"OK", she says softly.

"Now let's go inside and put our girls to bed."

 **XXX**

While Olivia was going through the motions of reading _Goodnight Moon_ again to Cena, Fitz filled the bathtub with warm water and her favorite lavender bath crystals. She is having a tough time understanding this Marla situation, and an even harder time living under the constant threat of possibly being investigated because of her relationship with Marla. While the authorities have not contacted her yet, she is on edge every day, and so is he.

After Cena falls asleep, she checks on Jolie, smiling as she pulls the blanket over the baby's chest. Although her family is what helps her to get through each day, as she walks to their bedroom she thinks all she wants to do right now is crawl into bed, pull the covers over her head, and wait for the nightmare to be over.

"Come relax with me", giving her a slight smile as he extends his hand to her.

"I don't feel –"

"I won't take no for an answer", walking over and unbuttoning her blouse.

"Fitz …"

"Just a relaxing bath."

He unzips her pants and lets them fall to the floor. She steps out of them and unhooks her bra and removes her panties. He helps her into the deep spa tub then climbs in behind her, and she leans back against his chest and smiles. He has thought of everything: dim lights, soft music, and lighted candles. And the water feels wonderful bubbling around her tired muscles. She has always loved their bathroom. Of course she thought it was too big when they bought the house years ago, but it quickly became her favorite room in the entire house. It is truly like one of those day spas she and Abby go to periodically, maybe better.

"This is nice. Thank you", closing her eyes and inhaling the wonderful scent of lavender.

"Talk to me, Olivia."

Trying to collect her thoughts, she lets out a heavy sigh.

"Why would she do this, Fitz? The person I know would never steal from anyone, especially from the city and people she loves so much."

"I don't know Liv", massaging her shoulders trying to reduce the tension trapped in her body.

"This so disappointing", she says through the tears.

"Hey, hey. Turn around."

She turns, sloshing water everywhere, and looks at him with sad, water-filled eyes. He kisses the tip of her nose, then her lips.

"We're going to get through this. Trust me." He caresses her face and gives her an encouraging smile, and she gives him a weak nod, not really convinced by his words of encouragement.

"I'm feeling scared Fitz - anxious all of the time."

He nods because he knows what that means.

"Do you want to talk to Dr. Brennan?"

With trembling lips, she nods as the tears stream down her face.

 **XXX**

Whenever Olivia enters Dr. Brennan's office she always feels like she is stepping back into a time when life was simple and uncomplicated, an easy and carefree time. In fact, the space reminds her of one of those Norman Rockwell illustrations on the cover of the _Saturday Evening Post_ magazine that depicted an idealistic and simplistic view of American life. The office is warm and cozy, filled with bookshelves straining under the weight of innumerable periodicals, books, and old newspapers. The well-worn brown leather sofa with two plaid wool throws placed across the back cushions invite clients to settle in and share their innermost secrets. And Dr. Brennan, with his green cable knit vest worn over an orange and green plaid shirt and brown corduroy pants seems to have leaped from the cover of a 1930s issue of the _Post_. He even has a smoking pipe hanging from his mouth, unlit of course, out of respect for his clients.

"Good afternoon, Olivia. How have you and Fitz been doing? You've cancelled your last two appointments."

"I know, and I'm sorry – we're sorry. With a new baby and Fitz campaigning …"

"I understand", Dr. Brennan says. "I wasn't judging, Olivia. I just want to make sure you and Fitz have the support you need."

Olivia smiles weakly.

"And how is everyone adjusting to the newest member of your family?"

"Just fine", Olivia smiles because her children always make her smile. "Although Jolie – that's the name of our baby daughter – had been colicky for the past few weeks - but thankfully she seems to have gotten over it."

"I see. I'm sure that must have been a stressful period for everyone."

"It was, but we survived. We're trying to get back to normal", she says somewhat sadly.

"And how is your oldest daughter - Cena right?"

Olivia nods with a smile.

"How is Cena adjusting to sharing her parents with a new sibling?"

"It's interesting you should ask, Dr. Brennan. I think Cena is having a little difficulty sharing her father with Jolie. She and Fitz became so close when I was away – I just think it's been a little hard for her."

"I see."

"She competes with the baby for her father's attention. I think in some ways she might be regressing."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, she has begun to suck her thumb again. She hasn't done that in a few years."

"I see. While I am not a child psychologist, I can tell you what Cena is experiencing is normal. It's called firstborn syndrome. Since she now has to share you and Fitz with her sister, she might be feeling somewhat insecure."

"Fitz and I were prepared for Cena to feel a little left out, that's why we talked to her about what it means to have a sibling before Jolie was born. We planned to include her in helping with the baby as much as she wanted. And we committed to each of us spending time alone with Cena."

Dr. Brennan nods approvingly.

"But honestly Dr. Brennan, you know what they say about best laid plans. So much has been going on in our lives lately. Fitz is campaigning a lot. Then Jolie was colicky for weeks. And now … Well, we could be doing a better job helping Cena to adjust."

Feeling guilty, Olivia rubs her temple in despair. There is just so much going on, so much competing for their attention.

"Dr. Brennan, please don't think I'm not sensitive to my daughter's needs. I do arrange for Fitz to pick her up from dance class when his schedule permits, so they can spend time alone together. Cena really enjoys that she gets to hang out with her daddy."

"Olivia, as I said earlier, there is no judgment here. I am sure you and Fitz are committed to both of your children. Life has a way of throwing our plans out of the window. Now back to Cena's thumb-sucking. When you breastfeed Jolie or when Fitz bottle feeds her, Cena, perhaps, feels insecure when she sees her baby sister enjoying the closeness of her parents, in particular, her hero-father. So, to allay her fears, she sucks her thumb, a common way for children her age to self-soothe. The thumb-sucking and competing for attention will pass in time Olivia, especially when Cena replaces her hero with something or someone else. When that happens, we'll then have to worry about Fitz sucking his thumb."

The image of her husband sucking his thumb makes Olivia laugh out loud, and she feels good because she has not had an honest and hearty laugh in days.

"Thank you Dr. Brennan. While I didn't come here today for that advice, I am grateful for the information."

"So what's going on? Why are you here today, Olivia?" And without hesitation, Olivia blurts out the reason for her visit.

"It seems like the people I care about have been disappointing me, in different ways", she says solemnly.

"Has someone disappointed you recently, Olivia?"

She sucks in a lung full of air then exhales slowly before telling him about Nora and Maura.

"I see", setting his pen onto of the yellow legal pad that is resting precariously on his crossed legs.

"Olivia, when someone disappoints us, as you said your sister- and mother-in-law have, it can lead to distrust."

She nods. Although she understands Nora has serious emotional problems and Maura was only trying to protect her, it doesn't make the situation any less heartbreaking or them any more trustworthy, even though she accepted Maura's apology.

"Intellectually I understand that, but it does not lessen the hurt. And I don't want to become one of those people who doesn't trust anyone. I don't want to live like that."

"Olivia, the extent to which you are willing trust is the extent to which you are willing to be hurt."

She nods because she has never thought about trust in this way.

"Dr. Brennan", she begins slowly. "Have you heard the news reports recently about the local public official who is being investigated for embezzling government funds?" She asks timidly.

"Yes, I believe I've seen some of the reports over the last few days."

"Well, Miss Briggs is my friend – well she's more than a friend actually."

"I see", waiting for her to continue.

"It has been quite disturbing for me to hear these things about Miss Briggs - Marla."

He waits patiently for her to continue.

"Dr. Brennan, I've known Marla Briggs ever since my family relocated here 20 years ago. She has been friends with my parents for most of those 20 years. Ever since I was a teenager Marla has taken an interest in me. My mother sometimes joked that at times she wondered if she or Marla was my mother, that's how much attention she gave me. But she never overstepped. Marla never tried to be my mother or replace mom. She knows how much I love my mother – how close we are."

"But, after my parents moved to Africa to do missionary work, and when I moved back here after college and started my foundation, Marla and I became close, quite close actually. Sensing I was missing my parents – my mother -I guess she filled in to some degree. And I guess in some way, I filled the role of the daughter she never had."

He nods.

"Since we also share similar passions and ideologies, Marla offered to be my mentor, and I eagerly accepted, of course. She gave me terrific advice on how to manage a non-profit and introduced me to all of the right people in the city. She opened a lot of doors for me, actually."

Dr. Brennan pushes the sliding eyeglasses on his face and scribbles something on the yellow legal pad.

"As I said, Marla never overstepped. She respected certain boundaries. She never interfered in my marriage, even when she suspected Fitz and I were having difficulties."

Dr. Brennan nods slowly.

"I admired – admire …"

Olivia does not know what tense to use. Does she still admire Marla or does that feeling belong somewhere in the past?

"I respected many of her qualities and, if I am to be honest, aspired to be like her in some ways."

"How so?"

"Well, Marla is smart, articulate, and has a commanding presence. When she speaks, let's just say people listen. She always seemed to know the right thing to say and at the right time. And, she could look at a situation from everyone's point of view and come up with a solution that everyone could support. That's a real talent."

Dr. Brennan looks up from his pad and smiles, encouraging Olivia to continue to speak.

"But this scandal – Marla being accused of embezzlement –I just don't know what to believe any more, Dr. Brennan. The woman I know – or thought I knew - would never do something like that."

She shakes her head as if doing so will dislodge the horrible thoughts, and Dr. Brennan hands her the box of tissues.

"So once again, I feel like someone I love has disappointed me - let me down."

"Olivia, when our heroes disappoint us – fall from grace – it can be devastating."

" _Hero?"_ She knows she looks up to Marla, but didn't realize she had put her in the hero category.

"Olivia, I think that we can all relate to having heroes in our lives. Often they are our parents or one of our parents."

She immediately thinks about Cena and Fitz again.

"A hero can be a coach, a mentor, or some sports star, or even a pop star. Whoever they are, at some point in time the person you look up to is going to let you down. And, when they let you down or do something that you did not think was possible, it can lead to questions and doubt."

She nods, thinking about Nora and Maura, and now Marla, she wonders if she is really a good judge of character.

"We sometimes connect our heroes with some of our greatest and most intimate aspirations, and we take it personally when they do or act in a way we consider outside of their character."

"I would never have imagined that Marla could do something like this."

"Olivia, you must remember that our heroes are also human beings, with flaws like us. And, the reason we may not be privy to their shortcomings is because we really do not know them well enough."

"But I've known Marla for years."

"Olivia, knowing a person for a long time doesn't mean you know them the best. The extent of the depth of our relationships with people is the extent to which we know or do not know their shortcomings. You must make peace with the fact that perhaps you did not know Miss Briggs that well after all. After all, you said you established boundaries for the relationship, you must consider she did as well."

Olivia leans forward, resting her elbows on her knees, and wonders what else she does not know about Marla.

"You need to intentionally mourn this disappointment Olivia, and the other disappointments as well."

" _Mourn?"_

"Yes, mourn the death of who you thought Miss Briggs to be. And don't try to rush through the mourning process. Some things can be overcome in a minute and some things take longer. And Olivia, when you are done with the mourning, do not write her off, she might very well have a few more lessons to teach you", he says with a smile. "The last thing Miss Briggs needs right now is to be abandoned. Show her some grace. This might be your opportunity to give back to her what she has been giving to you."

"Also, appreciate what you have, even during this difficult time. Be grateful for all of the positive things you have in your life – your husband, your children, your family and friends. And lastly, prepare for what's ahead. You are in a place where you never thought you'd ever be – or ever wanted to be. While this situation is not your choosing, this is where you are and you must be ready to fight this thing, if necessary."

For some reason, she only seems capable of nodding her head as she processes Dr. Brennan's sage advice.

"And remember Olivia, everyone experiences disappointments in life, especially from those closest to us -our spouse, a family member, a friend. The key is learning how to navigate the disappointments and not let them ruin your life."

"I'm so afraid, Dr. Brennan. I fear that I'm going to lose everything that I worked for", dabbing the tissue under her bottom eyelid. "I'm afraid that my relationship with Marla will jeopardize Fitz' campaign."

"Olivia, you nor Fitz has done anything wrong."

"But that doesn't lessen the fear."

"There is nothing rational about fear, Olivia. You must let the authorities conduct its investigation before jumping to conclusions."


	26. Chapter 26 Secret Life of Marla Briggs

**A/N:** **Noro** , I appreciate your consistent support . **Bujuman** , if nothing else, Abby is truthful. **Monica (Guest),** so many interesting observations. You'll learn more about Marla in this chapter. The Old and New Gs certainly operate differently. They might have to form a coalition if their candidate is to win. **Kkimberly49** , in this chapter you'll find out if Marla is crooked or if she is being set up. **Guest1** , Each state has an attorney general. In this FF Christopher Kotch is their state's AG. David Rosen is the US Attorney General (Eric Holder, Loretta Lynch in RL). BTW, this story takes place in Washington State, not DC. Remember, Maura said they were taking Nora back east for therapy? You're right, fear can be irrational and rational. Dr. Brennan should have been more precise. Thanks for reviewing. Hope everyone has a wonderful New Year. Here we go!

 **Chapter 26. The Secret Life of Marla Briggs**

Almost two months have passed since the office was flooded and today the Olivia Pope Foundation is finally reopening for business. Colin and his crew have completed all of the renovations on schedule. All new drywall has been hung and painted. The water-damaged, plywood sub-floors have been ripped out and replaced. And wide plank, espresso-colored hardwood floors have been installed throughout. Although the small restroom experienced little water damage, Colin renovated the space to coordinate with the rest of the office, as recommended by the interior designer.

Last night Mona was like an excited child who is unable to sleep on Christmas Eve night. She tried all kinds of tactics to fall asleep. She took a long warm bath, which did not help. She drank a cup of chamomile tea, which she hates, and did not help. She even counted sheep. But none of the old tricks worked, so she finally got out of bed at the crack of dawn and hustled over to the foundation. Sliding her key from the lock, Mona pushes open the door and smiles when she hears the new alarm system chime. No more surprise visitors she thinks as she punches in the security code to disarm the system. Looking around the waiting room, she inhales deeply, filling her nostrils with the scents of fresh paint and lumber.

She can just scream with excitement as she stands in the middle of the waiting room admiring the contemporary furniture with clean lines and neutral colors. The taupe-colored sofa, flanked by a matching accent chairs, provide more seating than they had before the flood. Tall, wooden espresso-colored bookcases line the wall adjacent to the front door, displaying pamphlets about the foundation and related services, books, and magazines. A water cooler and small beverage bar containing an assortment of coffees and teas is set up between the bookcases. The accessories the interior designer added, including abstract paintings and metal wall art, really create an inviting space. Visitors are certainly going to feel comfortable and welcomed while they wait to meet with her or Olivia. Grinning from ear to ear, Mona thinks that broken sprinkler head might have been a blessing in disguise because the space now reflects what the foundation represents.

 **XXX**

Although Olivia's session with Dr. Brennan helped to allay some of the anger and fears that have surfaced because of Marla's alleged criminal activities, she still is not in the mood to celebrate the reopening of the foundation. While this should be a joy-filled day, all Olivia feels is gloom and doom as she pushes open the front door with one hand and holds Jolie's carrier in the other hand. When the door swings open she is immediately impressed by the design of new waiting area.

"Olivia, it's so good to see you, and you brought Jolie with you", Mona says breezing into the waiting room with her a huge smile and her arms open wide for a hug. Olivia responds with a weak smile and hug, which do not go unnoticed by Mona.

"Our new security system alerted me that you had arrived", waving her cell phone in the air. "Can you can believe it, I can see everything from my phone? We can see who comes and who goes. We can see the time they come and go. We can even arm and disarm the system – all from our phones. I tell you, they have an app for everything. We have to download it to your phone too."

Olivia smiles at Mona's enthusiasm.

"Give me that baby", taking the carrier from Olivia's hand. "Come on back and let me give you the grand tour. Everything is absolutely beautiful, Olivia. Colin and the designer did a terrific job. You won't believe how they transformed this place."

As Olivia follows Mona down the hall, which seems much longer and wider than she remembered, she notices the espresso-colored hardwood floors.

"These floors look really good, Mona."

"No more carpet stains", Mona says cheerily as she approaches Olivia's office. "Look at your office, Olivia. You have so much more room – much better working space", stepping aside to let Olivia enter her new office.

Olivia smiles when she sees a large bouquet of tulips on her desk.

"Fitz", she says, lifting the card from the flowers and smiling as she reads his note.

"This is really terrific, Mona. They really did a good job. And you're right, it looks much more spacious."

Mona sets the baby carrier onto Olivia's new desk, unbuckles the straps, and lifts Jolie from the seat.

"Everything is ergonomically designed, too. That's fancy talk meaning all of the furniture is arranged so you can easily reach whatever you need."

Olivia nods as she scans the office, thinking she will be working from home most of the time.

"Come on, let me show you _my_ new office and the conference room, which is huge."

Carrying Jolie, who is still sleeping, Mona leads the way down the hall to her office.

"Fitz?" Olivia smiles when she sees the bouquet of flowers on Mona's desk.

"Fitz", Mona repeats with a smile. "I wonder how he knew hydrangeas are my favorite flower. He's a good man, Olivia."

"This is really nice, Mona - ergonomically designed", she says solemnly.

"Ergonomically designed", Mona repeats.

"We did a good job picking out the furniture and colors", says Olivia.

"We did. Although the designer had to make a few last-minute adjustments, everything turned out really well. Now let's go see the conference room."

As they walk down the hall toward the conference room, Mona points to the door at the end of the hall.

"Behind door number three is an office for Maura, if she decides to come back here to work. Colin was able to carve out a small space for another office. He even added a window in there.

Olivia smiles weakly, thinking the problems she had with Nora pale in comparison to what she is dealing with now.

"Check out our new conference room", pushing open the heavy glass door. "Ta-dah. Isn't it something?" Mona is about to burst at the seams.

"Wow", walking in and glancing around the brightly lit room.

Olivia is genuinely impressed with the large, airy space. It really looks like the kind of conference room where they should meet with clients and donors, not like their old small, dark room.

"This is really nice, Mona. I see they were able to install the windows we wanted. They make the room so much brighter."

"And those solar shades are on all of the windows. They allow us to see what's going on outside while reducing glare and heat."

"Mona, you sound like a spokesperson for that company", chuckling slightly.

"Well, I've learned a lot about interior design while going through this renovation process", sliding off Jolie's yellow and pink knit hat. "It seems like somebody has gotten over her colic", Mona says, unbuttoning and removing Jolie's sweater.

"If it's not one thing then it's another", Olivia says sadly as she sits onto one of the chairs situated at the wooden, oblong-shaped table. "Rev. Walker always says we're either going through something, coming out of something, or getting ready to go into something. He says it's called life", shaking her head and looking across the room at nothing in particular.

"What's the matter, Olivia? You don't seem excited about the renovations. Are they not what you expected?" Looking at her friend with concern.

"It's not that, Mona. Everything here is perfect, really. It's just that so much is going on."

"Is it Fitz' campaign? I thought you were enjoying campaigning with him?"

"It's not the campaign, Mona", inhaling deeply and letting the tears roll down her face.

"Olivia, what is it? What's wrong?"

"Mona, we might lose everything. The foundation might be shut down."

" _Shut down? What are you talking about?"_

"It's been all over the news about Marla being investigated."

"I can't believe it, Olivia. I would never have thought the Marla Briggs I knew would ever do anything like that", shaking her head in disbelief. "But what does the investigation into Marla have to do with the foundation?"

"Marla got us a few grants from the city and now the state attorney general will probably investigate anyone and everyone Marla ever did business with. I could lose my license, Mona."

"Aww baby, don't get yourself all worked up about this. You've done nothing wrong."

"I know, but a lot of innocent people are sitting in jails all across this country who haven't committed a crime. Besides, I don't know what else Marla has been up to. I don't know if she has records that could implicate me in some way", standing and nervously pacing around the room.

"So what is Fitz saying about all of this?"

"He got me an attorney, his brother John. I can't believe I actually have a criminal defense attorney, Mona."

"That man loves you too much, Olivia. He'll never let anything happen to you."

"John wants all of our records. He wants copies of every proposal I ever submitted to Marla, every check I received from the city, and an accounting of how those funds were dispersed. I just can't believe any of this is happening" wringing her hands in distress.

"Well getting your brother-in-law those records won't be a problem. Although some of our files were damaged in the flood, I managed to save most of them."

"Oh my god, I forgot about our files being damaged in the flood", she stops pacing and looks at Mona in surprise.

"It's a good thing we kept most of them in those old metal file cabinets, Olivia. Not a lot of water was able to get into those relics."

"Mona, you are gold. I don't know what I would ever do without you" she says with a degree of relief she has not felt in days.

"Did you hear that, Jolie? Your mommy doesn't know what she would do without me."

"Mona, I'm afraid this scandal might affect Fitz' bid for City Council president. He's been working so hard learning about the issues and meeting with members of the community. I would be crushed if he lost the election because of me."

"You mean because of Marla. Olivia, the people of this city like Fitz, they know he's one of the honest ones."

"They'll like him until they no longer like him, Mona. The people are tired of corrupt politicians. They already know the system is rigged against them."

"Everything's going to be all right, Olivia. Right, Jolie?"

"I just don't know what Marla was thinking - none of it makes sense. It's all just so heartbreaking", wiping the tears from her face.

"Olivia, you put Marla high on a pedestal. You should never put human beings on a pedestal."

"There just has to be more to it. I won't believe Marla did this simply out of greed", shaking her head hoping the gesture will bring her some clarity.

"I guess we never really know anyone, Olivia. Isn't that right, Jolie? I think I want to take Jolie home with me, Olivia."

"I think Fitz might have something to say about that Mona", looking at her baby girl who is smiling in her sleep again.

"I always wanted a little girl I could dress in pretty pink dresses and put big bows in her hair."

As Olivia stands across the room watching Mona coo at Jolie, who has yet to open her eyes, she thinks about the many conversations they have had about Marla over the years.

"Mona, you told me a while back that you and Marla went to high school together."

"That was a long time ago Olivia", still cooing at Jolie.

"But you were friends back then. And you two were still friendly whenever she came here to visit."

"Marla and I didn't exactly run in the same circles, Olivia."

"I understand, but would you have any idea why she would do something like this – embezzle money from the city?"

"Olivia, people have all kinds of reasons for doing the things they do", looking down at Jolie who has finally opened her eyes. "She has your eyes, Olivia."

"Jolie might have my eyes Mona, but the rest of her is all Fitz", smiling at her sleepy-head daughter.

"We'll see how that works out over time. You know babies change - watch her ears."

"Mona, you didn't answer my question. Do you know why Marla would embezzle money from the city? What she would do with it?"

Mona continues cooing at Jolie before turning and looking across the room at Olivia.

"You do know something", realizing Mona knows more about Marla than she has shared. Mona looks out of the window behind Olivia for a few moments then lets out a heavy sigh.

"Olivia, what I'm about to tell you I have never spoken to another soul. Tom doesn't even know this."

With a quizzical look on her face, Olivia nods slowly and waits for Mona to continue.

"One summer when Marla came home from school - for summer break - I think she went to college down south somewhere – maybe Atlanta."

Olivia nods because she knows Marla attended Spelman College.

"She had a summer internship at City Hall - working for one of those councilmen. And at the end of the summer when she went back to school – well let's just say she didn't go back alone."

"What do you mean?" Olivia asks, taking a seat at the table next to Mona.

"The school contacted Marla's parents a couple of months after Marla returned to Spelman – yes – that's where she went to school – Spelman. Well, they told them Marla was pregnant and they needed to remove her from school - immediately."

" _What?"_ Olivia exclaims in disbelief.

"Of course her parents were beside themselves when they found out their precious Marla had gotten herself in trouble. Everybody in the neighborhood knew the Briggs had pinned all of their hopes and dreams on Marla graduating from college. And they weren't going to let some faceless boy ruin their daughter's life just because of some indiscretion."

Olivia shakes her head, thinking she really did not know Marla after all.

"So Marla's parents picked her up from school and shipped her off somewhere to have the baby. That's what they did to girls back then. There were limited options so they were shipped off somewhere until the baby was born."

Olivia nods in understanding, then looks at her daughter's face and once again is thankful for being blessed with two beautiful children.

"I heard Marla had a baby girl who was born with brain damage - something apparently went wrong during the delivery. Her parents put the baby in a facility somewhere up state and forced Marla to return to school and graduate."

Stunned and saddened by what she has just learned about her dear friend, Olivia wipes the tears from her eyes and shakes her head in despair.

"And, as they say, the rest is history. Marla never married and never had any more children."

"This is such a tragic story, Mona. I feel so badly for Marla, but what does any of this have to do with embezzlement?"

"I was told Marla went looking for her daughter a few years after she graduated, and when she found her – well the girl was apparently living in such horrible conditions she yanked her out of wherever she was and enrolled her into some private facility where the girl could get the best treatment possible."

"Oh my god Mona, her daughter has to be a grown woman by now – close to my age."

"I always thought that's why she liked you so much, Olivia. I believe she saw you as the daughter she never got the chance to raise."

"This is just incredible", Olivia says.

Mona nods repeatedly as she looks at Jolie's eyes.

"So Mona, are you saying that Marla has been taking money for all of these years to pay for her daughter's care?"

"I have no proof Olivia, but those places are pretty expensive."

"Does anyone know who the girl's father is?"

"I can't say, Olivia."

Olivia looks at Mona and wonders if the woman does not know or will not say who the girl's father is.

"Does anyone know where her daughter is now?"

"I have no idea. But if my suspicions are correct, it won't take long for the authorities to find out where she is. I believe if you find out where the money has been going then you'll find Marla's daughter."

Olivia leans forward with elbow on her knees and thinks about the secret life of Marla Briggs.

"Mona, now that Marla has had a stroke and the embezzling has been exposed, what is going to happen to her daughter? Who will pay for her care?"

 **XXX**

Fitz slides on his suit jacket and walks from his private office at Grant Enterprises and down the long hall to greet Darius. He shakes his head thinking about the amount of time he has been spending at his business office lately. To some extent, Grant Enterprises has become his campaign headquarters and the place where he can meet privately with his advisers to discuss the Marla Briggs matter. As he approaches the reception area, he wonders if Darius has any new information about Marla.

Sitting at the conference table in Fitz' office, Darius opens his brief case as Fitz walks over to the mini refrigerator and grabs two bottles of water.

"I figured out how Marla has been getting away with stealing the city's money for all of these years", Darius says, rifling through his brief case.

"Unless you want something stronger", Fitz says, setting a bottle on the coaster in front of Darius.

"Water is fine, thanks."

Fitz sits across from Darius, unscrews the top on the bottle, and takes a swig. He looks at the man who has been working tirelessly to help get him elected, and a feeling of guilt washes over him.

"Darius", watching the man anxiously flip through the sheets of paper in the folder he pulled from the brief case. "I owe you an apology."

"An apology? For what?" Still flipping through the sheets of paper.

"I was rude to you at the diner last week. My tone was uncalled for and I'm truly sorry."

Darius looks up from the folder and immediately thinks about his father. He thinks how much his father would have appreciated hearing those words of apology from the men with whom he worked. Darius nods and smiles at Fitz. While he has always known Fitzgerald Grant was a man of integrity, that is why he was selected as their candidate. But in this moment, when he sees the sincerity in Fitz' deep blue eyes, he realizes Fitzgerald is also an honorable man.

"I appreciate that Fitz - more than you'll ever know."

Fitz gives Darius a slight smile, then points to the folder.

"Right", Darius says, picking up a sheet of paper and handing it to Fitz. "The sewer treatment plant has been under expansion for the last four years."

Fitz shrugs his shoulders because he does not have a clue about the expansion of the city's sewer treatment plant.

"Four years ago the City Council voted to expand the sewer treatment plant – it was long overdue really. A special fund was set up to pay for all of the expenses associated with expanding the plant. That fund is scrutinized very closely by my committee to make sure the funds are being spent properly."

Fitz nods, urging Darius to continue.

"The expenses for the plant are not accounted for in the general fund, which is the city's annual operating budget. The budget is pretty standard from year to year. It basically shows how the mayor plans to pay for the traditional expenses to operate the city – streets, police, fire departments, etc."

Fitz nods in understanding.

"But when I looked at the budget more closely, after all of this Marla business started, I found a line item I didn't recognize."

Fitz frowns, waiting for Darius to continue, so Darius holds up both hands to illustrate his point.

"Fitz, on the one hand we have the special fund for the sewer plant. On the other hand we have the city's operating budget, and never the two shall meet. The Council had already set up a special fund to pay for the sewer plant, so there should not be any expenses in the budget allocated to pay to expand the plant."

"But there are", the lightbulb finally going off in Fitz' head. "Because no one would bother to question a basic line item in the budget – a general operating expense."

"Now you got it", Darius says excitedly. "Wilson has been double charging the city for that project and Marla has been approving the budgets he submits to the Council. No one who isn't an accountant ever reads every damn line of the annual budget."

"Wait, so are you saying Marla and Wilson were in on this together? I thought they hated each other."

"Politics make strange bedfellows, Fitz. Apparently, when Wilson became mayor two years ago he found out what Marla was up to."

"So this is how Marla has been paying those fictitious vendors – embezzling city funds", Fitz says, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Wilson submits the budget to Marla that includes dollars earmarked to pay for phony vendors to work on the sewer plant, which is already being paid for through the special fund – and Marla approves the budget. Well the Council actually "approves" the budget, but Marla has always had enough council members on her side to push through any budget or piece of legislation she wanted. I told you, Fitz, the Council president is a very powerful position."

"So what does Wilson get out of this?"

"He gets to hold the Council president in his back pocket – hold on to Marla's dirty little secret. He gets Marla to submit legislation that favors his _constituents_ and award lucrative city contracts to them. And, of course, he gets a substantial kickback on every deal that's made. It's a win-win for everybody except the taxpayer's. I knew Marla was paying phony vendors, I just didn't know how she was doing it."

Fitz shakes his head again. He heard politics was a dirty business, but this is just disgusting.

"You remember Johnson and I told you that Wilson wanted to privatize our police department? Well one of Wilson's _constituents_ is all lined up to get that contract once the legislation is passed. Do you know how much money they'll make if control of the city's police force is transferred to one of Wilson's friends?"

"But Wilson has only been in office for two years. You say Marla's embezzling goes back six years, since she became Council president."

Darius looks at Fitz and nods.

"Oh my god, so this means former Mayor Kirkpatrick was involved in this as well?"

"If I've been able to put the pieces together then I'm sure the state attorney general has already figured it out. Our city's top executives and legislator and prominent business people have all been caught with their hands in the proverbial cookie jar. This is really big, man. Every contract Marla and Wilson awarded is going to be scrutinized."

Fitz nods, thinking about Olivia and wondering if he wants to get involved in the dirty business of politics.

"Fitz, they call Kotch the sheriff. During his first weeks in office he launched a plan to root out fraud and return money illegally stolen from taxpayers at no additional cost to the state. He created a special unit specifically designed to go after corruption in state and local contracts, pension fund rip-offs, and large-scale tax cheats. He has many tools at his disposal to find out who all is involved and where that money has been going. Hell, he probably already knows."

"Well, I'm glad someone is looking out for us taxpayers", Fitz says. "Hopefully, some of that stolen money can be recouped."

 **XXX**

It has been a little over a week since the FBI carted boxes of files from Marla Briggs' City Hall office and her home, and Olivia still has not been contacted by the authorities. However, she is on edge and her anxiety is only heightened when she watches news reports on TV about the corruption at City Hall. And, to make matters worse, things are tense around the house. The stress from the scandal is causing her and Fitz to snipe at each other; well, maybe she is the one who is doing the sniping. She needed a break from thinking about the political scandal that has befallen their city and her household, so when Marion called and suggested they get together for lunch to further discuss the Wraparound Program, she eagerly accepted.

Dr. Marion Harris is a board-certified physician who lives a lifestyle that matches her six-figure salary. She bought the right condo in the right neighborhood. She wears designer clothes and sports around town in her recently purchased little red Corvette. Over the years, she has crafted a public persona of a confident, self-assured, and always in control woman who is admired by many.

"Olivia, how are you doing dear?" Marion asks cheerfully after Olivia settles in the booth across from her lunch date. "Would you like a drink or are you _still_ breastfeeding?" Marion asks, looking around the restaurant trying to capture the attention of one of the young male waiters.

"I am", Olivia responds, smiling happily as the waiter approaches their table.

"Let the lady have an unsweetened iced-tea and I'll have a glass of your house Chardonnay – and make that a seven ounce pour please", she says to the young waiter before turning her attention back to Olivia.

"So, how are you doing, Olivia? This news about Marla – well –well it's just unbelievable. I'm sure you had no idea."

"No, I didn't", Olivia says sadly.

"What could Marla have been thinking? I guess it goes to show, you never really know a person."

Olivia thinks to herself that Marion could not have made a more accurate statement.

"And, I guess we can never really believe what we see", she says with a tinge of sarcasm in her voice.

"I guess", Olivia says solemnly, using the straw to twirl the ice in the glass.

"For instance", Marion continues. "From the outside looking in, you just seem to have it all together", giving Olivia a hard look.

Shrugging off the woman's odd remark, Olivia looks at Marion as she immediately picks up the glass the waiter set it in front of her. Olivia sips her iced-tea as well, wondering how many glasses of wine Marion has had before she arrived.

"Olivia, I must admit, the last time we met I was the _tiniest_ bit envious of you", bringing her well-manicured index finger and thumb together, without touching, to demonstrate the degree of envy she had for Olivia. "You have the handsome and successful husband, the beautiful children, and a business you care about so deeply."

Olivia furrows her brow because she has no idea why Marion is taking inventory of her life.

"But this thing with Marla – well right now you're really going through it", smirking slightly.

"Marion, I must admit, the revelations about Marla's activities are disturbing to say the least —shocking actually. I would never have thought …. And honestly, I am still trying to come to terms with the woman I thought I knew and the woman who is being accused of doing these awful things."

"So, your life isn't so _charmed_ after all", Marion says with a slight chuckle while raising the glass to her lips again.

"What do you mean, Marion?" Now on high alert because of the woman's second strange comment about her life.

"It's just good to see the oh-so generous and kind-hearted Olivia Grant is just as vulnerable as the rest of us poor schmucks."

" _Excuse me?"_

"Come on, Olivia. You know –"

"Marion", cutting the woman off before she can continue the rant against her. "I thought you invited me here to discuss the Wraparound Program", trying to steer the conversation back to a less personal topic. "Last year, 97 children in our city had problematic levels of lead in their blood. I don't want the next generation of our children to face these same dangers."

"We'll get to that in a minute", waving her hand in the air dismissively as she stares at Olivia with a devious glint in her eyes.

Tired of whatever game Marion is playing, Olivia stares at Marion directly and, without batting an eye, responds to the woman tersely.

"If you invited me here to guess about my life - about who I am – let me tell you so you won't have to guess any longer. Yes, I am married to a man whom I love very much. Yes, I have two beautiful children who I love more than anything. And yes, I am very passionate about my work. So if you call that having a _charmed_ life, then yes, I guess I have a charmed life. And yes, this thing with Marla is disappointing —heartbreaking actually. And if it will make you happy, I will also tell you it has shaken me to my core", she says angrily, standing and grabbing her purse off the seat.

"Olivia –"

"But Marion, you should know what Marla did doesn't change my life one bit. It doesn't change the love I have for my family or the passion I have for helping others. Whatever Marla was involved has nothing to do with me. So if you invited me here to gloat …. Good-bye, Marion."

"Olivia, please. I didn't mean –"

"Then what exactly did you mean, Marion? Because it sounded like you were enjoying the pain I am suffering now", glaring down at the woman.

"I am sorry, Olivia. Sit back down, please."

Olivia looks at Marion with concern when she sees the woman retrieve a lace-trimmed handkerchief from her Prada handbag and dab at the tears rolling down her face.

"Marion, are you all right? What's wrong? What is this all about?"

"Honestly – no - I'm not all right. I haven't been _all right_ for quite some time, Olivia."

Olivia furrows her brow as she slowly sits back down and looks at the distraught woman.

"Olivia, I can be cruel – go for the jugular really - when I'm feeling insecure or envious. I suppose that is why I don't have many friends. You didn't deserve that – and I am truly sorry. I know how close you and Marla are and I'm sure this business has to be quite upsetting for you."

"What's the matter, Marion? What's going on?"

Marion blows her nose with the handkerchief and takes another sip of wine.

"Olivia, I got so depressed after our last meeting."

" _Depressed? Why?"_

"Yes, depressed. Well maybe not clinically depressed – a deep sadness—the blues perhaps."

Olivia looks at the woman curiously and waits for her to continue.

"Whether you know it or not you do have a charmed life, Olivia. Even with all of this Marla mess - you are a lucky woman."

"Marion, I have challenges just like everyone else."

"But you have someone with whom you can face those challenges. Olivia, when people look at me they think I have it all together. My internal persona is so different than my public persona", flagging the waiter over to order another drink.

"I have a wonderful job, a beautiful home, and beautiful clothes. I even drive a red convertible for god's sake. You know, after I bought the damn thing off the showroom floor I felt like a sad, middle-aged man who is having a midlife crisis", shaking her head at the ridiculousness of her life.

"But I have no one to share it all with, Olivia. I would love to have a family – a husband and children. I would love to have someone I can come home to at the end of a hectic work day and complain about my co-workers. At least someone other than my damn cat."

"Marion –"

"Don't get me wrong, I love my cat", she chuckles mirthlessly. "But I would love to have a husband to nag about putting out the trash, picking up his clothes off the floor, or walking the damn dog."

"Marion, I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

"I haven't had a serious relationship in – well in forever. So when you asked me to help with your program, I didn't hesitate. I figured it would be a good way to burn some of the free time I have", raising the wine glass to her lips.

"Marion, I am so sorry."

"I'm fine now Olivia. I just wanted to apologize.

Feeling exposed, Marion quickly slides her public mask back on, because the one thing Dr. Marion Harris hates more than being lonely is being pitied.

 **XXX**

Sitting in bed with her back against the headboard, Olivia hears the water from the shower stop running and thinks about what Mona told her about Marla having a daughter, and quite frankly she does not know what to do with the information. She is also trying to process the strange encounter she had with Marion earlier and wonders if she should distance herself from the woman and find another expert to help with the Wraparound Program. She also thinks about what Marion said about her having a charmed life and feels guilty because she has not been showing up for her family since the scandal became public. While she has been physically present in their home, she has not been mentally and emotionally available for her family. She has not been interacting with her daughters as much as she normally does, leaving most of the parenting and nurturing tasks to her husband. She has been argumentative with Fitz, when all he has been is supportive and loving. She shakes her head, thinking this Marla thing has done exactly what she did not want it to do. It has changed her and she needs to put an end to it - tonight. She has to stop mourning for what never was and be thankful for everything that is. Thankful for the husband who holds her in his arms all night and whispering in her ear that everything is going to be all right. Thankful for her daughter Cena who makes her smile when she practices her dance routines in the middle of the family room. And thankful for her baby girl Jolie who makes her laugh whenever she watches her baby smile and laugh in her sleep. Marion is right, she does have a charmed life and she will embrace it and not let anyone destroy it. So she smiles when he walks in the bedroom with a towel wrapped around his waist and drying his hair with a smaller version of the one hanging from his waist.

"What?" Looking at his wife smile, something he has not seen her do in days.

" _What?"_ She giggles.

"Are you teasing me?"

"Are _you_ teasing _me_?"

She cannot stop herself from acting silly. It feels so good to laugh again.

"You're going to pay", flopping onto the bed and covering her body with his.

"You're still wet, Fitz", pretending to push him away.

"I said you were going to pay."

" _I said you were going to pay"_ , mimicking his voice before he captures her mouth with his.

And she moans from the closeness and tenderness as she rakes her fingers through his damp hair.

"Are you feeling better?" Looking into her sparkling eyes.

"I am. And thank you for putting up with me this past week. I know I've been difficult."

"You were hurt, shocked - disappointed."

"Yes, but I shouldn't let that come between us – our family."

"You're only human, Liv."

"I love you", kissing him again.

"And I love you more – always will", pecking her on the lips. "Now let's get some sleep, we have a long day tomorrow", getting under the covers and turning off his lamp.

"Aren't you going to put on your pajamas tonight?" Watching his nude body slide under the covers.

"Nope. Au naturale tonight, Livvie."

She looks at him for a moment, then giggles as she pulls the pink nightgown over her head and tosses it onto the floor.

"Me too", snuggling close to him and inhaling the scent she'll never tire of smelling.

"I like the way you smell."

"You should, you changed my soap", closing his eyes.

 **XXX**

Since Darius has canceled all of his campaign engagements, except the upcoming debate and interview, Fitz now has more time to spend at home with his family. As they sit on the sofa, each reading work-related documents, he thinks how much he has missed working from home, in their study, while Olivia worked in the family room. He smiles when he sees Jolie laying on the floor mat kicking her legs wildly and making gurgling sounds. Olivia smiles when she looks over at her husband and sees he is wearing the reading glasses she bought because she got tired of reading the fine print on his contracts for him. He, however, does not think he should have to wear reading glasses because he is only 41 years old. He thinks the glasses make him look like an Old G, but she thinks they make him look mature and sexy.

"Babe, I think I know what Marla has been doing with the money."

" _What?"_ Removing the reading glasses and setting them onto his lap.

"I'm not sure, but …"

" _But what?"_

"Marla has a daughter", she says quickly.

" _A daughter?"_ He shrieks, causing Jolie to look over at him.

"Apparently she got pregnant while in college and the baby – a girl – experienced brain damage at birth. The child had permanent neurological problems and several physical problems. Her parents made her put the baby in an institution so Marla could continue her education."

"This is incredible, Liv. How long have you known this?"

"I just found out from Mona - when I went over for the reopening of the foundation. Thank you for the flowers by the way."

He kisses her on the cheek.

"Mona loves her flowers as well."

He smiles.

"Babe, I think Marla has been using that money to pay for her daughter's care."

"Why do you think that?"

"Those places are expensive, Fitz. Marla didn't make the kind of money as Council president to keep her daughter in a private facility for all of these years."

He nods, thinking there seems to be no end to this mess.

"What do I do with this information? Do I tell John?"

"Yes. We tell him everything. By the way, Darius found out how Marla has been getting away with stealing – embezzling - for all these years. He thinks Wilson is involved in some way."

" _What?"_ Turning and looking at her husband bug-eyed.

"It's a long story, Liv. This thing just keeps getting more and more bizarre."

"I know", she says solemnly, and they sit in silence for a few minutes, each in their own thoughts.

"Fitz, what do you think is going to happen to Marla?"

"I don't know."

"Can she go to jail?"

"There's a process, Liv. First she has to be indicted, formal charges have to be brought against her. Then there's a trial. And, if she's convicted, then she'll be sentenced."

"She had a stroke, Fitz. She's in a rehabilitation facility."

"She committed a crime, Liv. The AG will have to decide if he wants to move forward with charges, considering her circumstances."

"And her daughter, what's going to happen to her now that the money has stopped?"

"I don't know, but the money has stopped. At least it hadn't stopped the last time Darius checked. We'll have to see what happens at the end of the month."

"It's all so sad", kissing him on the cheek.

"What was that for?"

"I'm just so thankful for you –for our family."

"Me too", wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"Babe?"

"Hmm?" Rubbing his hand up and down her arm.

"Let's tell Joan to put in an offer for the house in the mountains. I don't want us to put our lives on hold until this business is resolved."

"Are you sure?"

"I am. The election will be over soon and we're going to need a break from everything that's been happening. Maybe Joan can close on the house by November so we can celebrate Cee's birthday up. I think she'll like that."

"I'll call Joan tomorrow and have her put an offer in for the mid-century. Do you still like that one?"

"I do. I like the open floor plan and those huge windows. We can see the mountains from every room."

"It has a private lake. Cena will love that."

"She will. She loves to swim like her mommy."

"And let's do something fun this weekend – do something to help put some of this craziness behind us – at least for a while."

"What did you have in mind?" Kissing her temple.

"Let's take the girls to the carnival", looking over at Jolie who is entertaining herself with babbles and squeals. "Although JoJo can't really get on any of the rides, we can take turns pushing her around so you and I can get on the rides with Cee."

"Okay. The carnival it is", pecking her on the cheek again before standing. "I'm going in the study to prepare for the debate next week. That ought to be fun", he says with a frown.

"You'll be fine, babe. I'll be leaving soon to pick up Cee from school", she yells after him.

 **XXX**

Christopher Kotch walks from behind the desk in his spacious office in the state capital wearing a huge smile that equals that of his old friend from law school. The two men bear hug, each happy to see the other after so many years.

"How the hell have you been, John? It's been years."

"Fine – just fine. It has been years. I can't believe how quickly the time have passed."

"Have a seat", motioning for John to sit in one of the plush chairs in front of the desk. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"Coffee – please", thinking he could use a jolt of caffeine after making the two-hour drive to the state capital early this morning.

"You've made quite a name for yourself, Mr. Attorney General", looking around the office and admiring all of the awards hanging on the walls.

"Cream and sugar?"

"Just cream. The wife has me cutting back on the sugar."

Chris nods as he splashes the cream into the black coffee.

"You haven't done too badly either", handing John the mug of hot coffee. "I've tracked your career. You're one of the best damn criminal defense attorneys in the state."

"I don't have any complaints Chris", sipping the steaming black liquid.

"So you finally stopped chasing every skirt in sight and allowed some poor woman to make an honest man of you."

"If you knew my wife Abigail you would have pity on me."

"Ah, sounds like you found your match", Chris says, sitting back in the leather chair.

"And how about you Chris – married – any kids?"

"Married for 10 years. Sounds like my Emmylou and your Abigail are a lot a like – cut from the same cloth."

"Seems like that's what we both needed. We were hell in law school. We had a lot of good times back then, John", who smiles reminiscently.

"We certainly did, but there comes a time when you have stop banging anything with a pulse and find someone who is going to be in your corner – always be there for you –no matter what."

"I agree. I have a wonderful wife and two beautiful children", turning around the framed family photograph on the desk so John can see his family.

"That's a good looking family", John says admiringly. "I guess I better catch up. I just have the one boy right now."

"You know, John, you would think we lived in two different states since we haven't seen each other in ages", returning the photograph to its proper place on the desk.

"Well as the state attorney general you live up here in the capital. Us run-of-the-mill attorneys all live down state."

"That's a bunch of BS. I've heard about the work you've doing. Jonathan Grant is one of the best damn criminal defense attorneys in the state. I hope I'll never need your services."

"You're too honest Chris" taking another sip of coffee. "This coffee is really good."

"It's my special blend. I've been creating my own blends for years now. Could never find anything in the stores that suited my tastes so I started blending my own. I have coffee beans from all around the world. Emmylou thinks I'm a nut - going through so much trouble for a cup of coffee."

"Well it's certainly well worth it. You make a damn good cup of coffee."

"I'll give you a little sample to take back home. Maybe you can share it with Abigail."

"I'd appreciate that."

"Well, I guess I don't have to ask what brings you all the way up to our capital today."

"It's about the Briggs case."

"I figured as much."

"What can you tell me, Chris? What the hell is going on in my city?"

"You know I can't tell you too much, but what I can tell you will be a matter of public record in the next few days anyway."

John nods.

"Two years ago, the FBI opened an investigation into Marla Briggs after receiving information she had been bilking the city out of millions for the past six years.

"A whistleblower?"

"I can't say, but Briggs had concocted a scheme of paying fictitious vendors for providing services to the city", he grimaces. "John, the public expects its officials to act with honesty and integrity - not to get ripped off so those crooks can live a lavish lifestyle. You know I hate shit like this – corrupt politicians."

"I know. I figured that's why you showed up at City Hall surrounded by FBI agents carrying out boxes. You wanted to make a statement."

"Damn right. I wanted to put all of those crooked politicians down there on notice that I'm coming after them."

John nods, wondering who the informant could be.

"This thing is bigger than your City Council president. Marla Briggs is a thief and has stolen a hefty sum from the taxpayers over the years, but she's small potatoes."

Astonished by this new bit of information, John's eyes widen in disbelief. He had no idea this thing went beyond Ms. Briggs.

"I can't say anymore, if I do then I'll have to kill you", Chris says, doubling over in laughter before the words can finish falling from his lips.

"Well, I wouldn't want that", John says, playing along with the joke.

"Can you tell me what Briggs was doing with the money? I understand she didn't live an extravagant lifestyle."

"We know exactly where the money has been going for all of these years - but I can't tell you that either. I'm not going to say or do anything that will taint this case, John."

"I understand."

"But I can tell you her fingers got sticky as soon as she became the President of City Council. And she wasn't hiding her theft, not in an elaborate way. Sure, she funneled money through phony vendor accounts, but you don't have to be a rocket scientist to do that."

"But how was she able to get away with it – and for so long?"

"Let's just say over the past six years many people have turned their backs while Marla Briggs defrauded the city of millions of dollars."

"My god."

"My god is right. These so-called public servants find all kinds of underhanded ways to enrich themselves at the public's expense. And I like bringing those bastards to their knees as much as they like to steal. You should see those once powerful sons of bitches cry like a baby who's been denied their momma's tit when they find out they are facing decades in prison. They'll sell out their own momma to make a deal."

John shakes his head in disgust.

"You remember my brother, Fitz?"

"Of course. He's done very well for himself with that consulting firm of his."

"He has", John says proudly. "His wife, Olivia, is good friends with Marla Briggs. The woman has been a mentor to her for years. Olivia runs a small foundation that helps people with all sorts of water-related issues. I don't understand all of the details, but Olivia's foundation has received a few small city grants because of Miss Briggs - all for worthy causes – of course", John adds quickly.

"I know everything about the Olivia Pope Foundation and Olivia Grant's association with Miss Briggs. Your brother is going to be walking into a load of shit if he wins that election."

"Quite naturally Fitz is concerned about his wife. He – we all know - Olivia had nothing to do with Miss Briggs' corruption activities."

"And you know that how?" Leaning forward and resting his elbows on the desk as he looks at John with steely eyes.

John's stomach drops and his eyes widen. He cannot believe Olivia is somehow mixed up in this mess. He wonders how he is going to break the news to his brother until Chris begins to laugh out loud, and John realizes once again he has been punked by his old friend.

" _Dammit, Chris_. You really had me going there for a while. I forgot how much of a jokester you can be."

"The look on your face is priceless, John - just priceless. I should've taken a picture and posted it online", laughing heartily as he pulls the handkerchief from his suit jacket pocket.

"I think I peed my pants", John says in humor and Chris starts to laugh again.

"Now that's a picture I would definitely post online", taking a sip of water to quell his choking from the laughter.

"All jokes aside, we found no evidence your sister-in-law is involved in the Briggs scheme – and we checked her out thoroughly."

John slowly exhales the breath he has been holding and reaches for his coffee mug."

"This is really good news."

"John, you know if your sister-in-law was dirty, then she would go down with the rest of those crooks. She's clean."

"Well thanks for the information, Chris. The next time you're in town we'll have dinner and drinks."

"Maybe after this mess is over down there, which is going to be a while. You know how these investigations go."

John nods in understanding.

"By the way, tell Fitz good luck with the election. You're going to need some good politicians down there after we clean house."

"They don't call you the sheriff for nothing Chris", shaking his old friend's hand before walking to the door.

"Hey, don't forget your coffee", holding up a bag of his special blend.

 **XXX**

John is much more at ease on the two-hour drive down from the state capital than he was on the drive up earlier this morning. While he is relieved for his brother's sake that Olivia is not involved in Miss Briggs' corruption scheme, he is disgusted by all of the corruption at City Hall. He hopes his younger brother can help clean up the mess made by the crooked politicians. Fitz is one of the good guys and John is confident his brother can make a difference as the City Council president. However, John, has not always felt this way about his brother getting involved in politics. In fact, he was not onboard at all when Fitz announced to the family he was going to run for political office. John did not think his brother should walk away from the successful business he worked hard to build over the years just to become a local politician. He always thought Olivia was behind his brother's newfound interest in politics. Everyone knows Olivia is socially conscious, some would say to a fault, and has great influence over her husband. But John kept these thoughts to himself, not even sharing them with his own wife. He knew Abigail would run and blab everything to Olivia and he did not want to be the cause of more dissension in the family.

John pulls his huge truck into his brother's driveway, dwarfing Fitz' BMW sedan, and slowly slides from the truck. It has been a long day and he is tired, and all he really wants to do is go home and get a hot shower and have a good meal with his family. But he knows how stressed Fitz and Olivia have been about the Marla Briggs case so he wants to give them some good news for a change. Pressing the doorbell two times, he looks up at the sky and thinks the sun will be setting soon.

" _Uncle John",_ Cena yells when her father opens the door.

"Cee-Cee", he says with a big smile. John will love all of his brother's children, but Cena will always hold a special place in his heart.

Fitz' heart rate quickens when he sees his brother standing on his front step. And John thinks his brother looks like hell, as if he has not been getting enough sleep lately. The bags under his eyes are the telltale sign.

"Can we go for a ride in your truck, Uncle John?" Cena asks excitedly as she looks over his shoulder at the big blue monster next to her father's car. "Daddy, Uncle John's truck is cool."

"I know, Princess. You told me."

"Don't be jealous, brother. I can't help it if I have good tastes in vehicles. Right Cee-Cee?"

"Right Uncle John", nodding her head up and down as she slides a thumb in her mouth. John gives his brother a smirk of victory.

"Cee- Cee, we'll have to go for a ride another time, I need to speak with your daddy and mommy. Okay?" Pulling the thumb from Cena's mouth.

"OK, but JoJo can't come because she's a baby."

"And how is JoJo doing these days?" Smiling at his irritable niece who is squirming in her father's arms.

"Is everything all right?" Fitz asks nervously.

"Can I come in, brother? Cee-Cee has gotten heavier."

"Sure –sure. Come in. Liv is in the kitchen."

As John walks into the family room carrying Cena, Olivia is walking into the room from the kitchen. She stops in her tracks and her breathing becomes shallow when she sees John.

"John", she says nervously, unable to move.

John walks over and pecks Olivia on the cheek, giving her an encouraging smile that she is too anxious to recognize.

"Uncle John is going to take me for a ride, mommy."

"Come sit down Liv", Fitz says from across the room, as he tries to console Jolie.

In somewhat of a daze, Olivia walks across the room and hands her husband Jolie's bottle.

"Sit down, Liv."

She nods absently then sits on the sofa next to her husband. Still holding Cena, John sits on one of the beautifully upholstered accent chairs.

"What's the matter, John? Do you have news? Olivia asks anxiously and Fitz takes her hand in his.

"I went to see Kotch today."

"Did he call you? Is he going to subpoena me? Did he find something?"

"Calm down Liv", Fitz says, but frankly he is just as nervous as she.

"No, he didn't call me – I called him. Chris and I went to law school together."

"I forgot about that", Fitz says half to himself.

"I drove up to the capital today and met with him in his office."

Olivia brings her hand to her lips.

"I can't tell you everything he told me, but I can say that you're in the clear, Olivia."

"Oh my god", she says with tears rolling down her cheeks, and Fitz gives her hand a gentle squeeze.

"When he realized you were married to Fitz, he personally looked into your relationship with Ms. Briggs and found every contract you got from the city was legal - all of the paperwork was in order. There is no evidence you had any awareness of Ms. Briggs' corruption scheme and you did not benefit in any way from the money she embezzled."

"I can't thank you enough, John. Although I knew I didn't do anything wrong, I've been a nervous wreck since this thing came out."

"Thanks brother", Fitz says, now looking 10 years younger. "I owe you."

"We owe you", Olivia chimes in.

"We're family", standing from the chair and holding Cena who is playing with his watch. "Well, I better get going before Abigail has my head on a platter. She hates when I'm late for dinner. The next time I come over we'll go for a ride, okay Cee-Cee", pecking his niece on the forehead.

"OK, Uncle John."

As John sets Cena onto the floor, Olivia walks over with a big smile plastered across her face and gives her brother-in-law a hug.

"Thanks again, John. You don't know how much this means to me.

John smiles kindly.

"And don't forget, I'll see you, Abby, and Ethan over her next week to watch the debate."

"Now I wouldn't miss _that_ for anything", smirking at his brother.

"Come on John, I'll walk you out to your truck", Fitz says, handing Jolie to Olivia.

 **XXX**

John climbs into the truck and tosses his suit jacket onto the passenger's seat, which lands on top of the bag of coffee. Fitz slams the door rests his hand on the roof of the truck as he looks at his brother.

"Is it over, John? Is there anything else I should know?"

"Well, it's over for Olivia", looking up at his brother's anxious face. "And that's all I can say", sliding the key into the ignition.

"Good –good. We think we know where Marla's embezzled funds have been going."

John looks at his brother in surprise, thinking the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to come together.


	27. Chapter 27 The Debate

**A/N: Dafney64** , Hold tight, all of your questions will be answered in the fullness of time. The Marla question has been answered. **Monica,** I like Mona because she knows a lot and can keep a secret. **Guest,** No rhyme or reason for the names except I am absolutely horrible when it comes to naming characters. I didn't realize I had four characters whose names all began with _M_ until they were all in one chapter, by then it was too late to change. I can understand if the names caused confusion because I was confused too, for a while. Can you believe I almost named Jolie something like Mia? Sheesh. **Kelleekellkell/Michelle,** Keep your eyes on Marion over the next few chapters. **Bujuman,** Charlie leaked the information about Marla to the press in an attempt to undermine Fitz, but Kotch was already hot on her trail. We may never find out who the whistleblower is.

Thanks everyone for reading and let me know what you think. Here we go!

 **Chapter 27. The Debate**

 _ **Breaking News**_

" _Council President Marla Briggs has been indicted today on racketeering charges tied to a host of public corruption schemes",_ the blonde news anchor, who is showing way too much cleavage, reads from the teleprompter.

" _Now let's go to the capital where State Attorney General Christopher Kotch is holding a press conference about this breaking story."_

Standing behind the lectern that has been erected in front of the administration building, Kotch adjusts the microphone and clears his throat before beginning to speak.

"This office is satisfied with the Grand Jury's decision to return an indictment in the charges against Marla Briggs, president of a local City Council down state. For over 20 years, Miss Briggs has held herself out as a champion of the underprivileged and underserved. But during that time she sought to strengthen herself politically and enrich herself at the expense of the people she swore to serve. By misusing and misappropriating government funds and committing bank fraud, Miss Briggs has betrayed the public trust and undermined faith in government. Thank you", signaling the end of the press conference.

"Are there any co-conspirators?" A reporter calls out the question.

"Can we expect to see more indictments?" Another reporter yells.

"I have no further comments at this time", Kotch says, turning and walking into the administration building.

" _Let's now go downtown to where Mayor Wilson is just arriving at City Hall", the news anchor reads._

The reporters have been camped outside the rear entrance of City Hall since the announcement of Marla Briggs' indictment. The crowd of reporters clamor to get a statement from the mayor as he exits the black, chauffeur-driven SUV.

"Mayor Wilson, what say you about Council President Marla Briggs' indictment?" The reporter from a local news station yells.

Mayor Wilson stops and scans the throng of reporters then looks directly in the camera.

"Under the circumstances, the charges in the indictment against Council President Briggs are deeply saddening. Council President Briggs has been a tireless and effective advocate for our city's hardworking families during her more than 20 years of distinguished service in the Council. If these allegations are true – and I mean _if_ –then it is a sad day in politics."

"Mayor Wilson – Mayor Wilson. Did you have any knowledge of Miss Briggs' activities?" Another reporter yells.

"I knew nothing", turning quickly and walking into the building to take the elevator to the seventh floor. On the ride up to his office, Wilson wonders how many more times he will have the pleasure of taking this elevator ride.

"Turn it off Fitz, I can't stand watching it any longer."

Fitz presses the power button on the remote control and sits on the sofa next to his wife.

"I know this is hard, but –"

"Please, Fitz. I don't want to talk about it tonight", she says with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"We have to talk about it. I'm running for the office of the woman who was just indicted on racketeering charges - your friend for god's sake. The reporters are going to want a statement from me."

"What are you going to say?" Anxiously searching his face with her eyes.

"I don't know", raking fingers through his hair, now pacing around the family room. "This a goddamn disgrace. Stuff like this just proves the system is not designed for the people and by the people. It's all a goddamn illusion. And you have Marcella, Rashid, Marcus, and Jason all working their asses off trying to make a difference in their communities - at times it seems like a losing battle", shaking his head in disgust. "Public policy isn't based on the needs of the people, but the desires of special interest groups", he says in frustration.

"Fitz, more people like Marcella, Rashid, Marcus, and Jason just need to come together to organize and fight for their rights - just like what has been done in the past."

" _What?"_

"Fitz, the countless small deeds of unknown people laid the basis for the significant events in our history. People like Marcella, Rashid, Marcus, and Jason are the ones who've caused the change in the past and they're the ones who have to do it in now."

"Sometimes it just seems so pointless, Liv. Sometimes I wonder why I am getting involved in this mess."

"I won't give up Fitz, and I won't let you give up either. Those young activists are standing up for what they believe in -having a say in the world. That's the only way things will change."

 **XXX**

"We told you Mr. Grant, those career politicians have been ripping off our communities for years – decades really", Rashid says angrily, pacing around the conference room at Grant Enterprises.

"Getting rich at the expense of the people they're supposed to help. I hope they all go to jail. That prosecutor should lock 'em all up – put 'em all under the jail", Jason chimes in.

"Word on the street is Wilson's going to be indicted too. He and Marla Briggs are the worst kind. They used to fight for the people who helped put them into office. Now you understand why it's hard to get people to engage in the process. They see it doesn't matter who's in office - their circumstances never change", Marcella exclaims.

"We can't let a few bad apples –"

"It's more than a few bad apples, as you say Mr. Grant", Rashid interjects. "Most of the politicians are corrupt."

"Be skeptical Rashid – not cynical. We always have to look for the truth and move on."

"Mr. Grant, a dose of cynicism is healthy because a dose of corruption exists in our society. You need the cynicism to recognize the corruption", Marcus says, finally adding his perspective.

"That's true Marcus, but you must be able to hold two ideas in your mind at the same time. Yes, we need to recognize corruption and injustice and be cynical and enraged about it, and periodically give into despair - it's only human", thinking about his conversation with Olivia last night. "But, you also need to have a sense of justice and hope and a sense of the long view - and not tilt too far to either side."

With eyes gleaming and lips curled into a slight smile, Marcus looks at Fitz, nodding his head slowly, impressed by the man's passion and oratory skills.

"Teach, Mr. Grant", Marcella shouts. "We can't give up. We have to persuade more people to get involved."

"This election is not a persuasion exercise", Jason jumps in, brushing crumbs from the corner of his mouth. "This is a mobilization exercise. It's about getting people out to vote and we do it with digital technology", turning and looking at Fitz. "Your social media accounts – Facebook and Twitter - are generating a lot of traffic, Mr. G."

"I hate texting", Fitz says and the group glance at each other.

"It's amazing the number of new followers you've gotten since the news broke about the scandal. They've all been chatting about the indictment."

"Let me see", Fitz says excitedly, looking over Jason's shoulder at the computer screen.

"People are looking for someone new, Mr. G. They also like that you've been coming to their communities and listening to them –trying to understand their issues – all the stuff that's important to them."

"Plus, the ladies think you're _real easy_ on the eyes", Marcella says with a chuckle.

"We've been posting comments on your behalf for the past month, Mr. G. But between now and the debate we want you to personally reply to some of your followers - on both platforms."

"Wow. That sounds intriguing. So you mean I'll be able to talk with people in real time?"

"Yup", says Jason.

"OK, but you have to show me how to do it. I'm not familiar with social media."

They all turn and look at him in disbelief.

"Just show me once - I'm a fast learner", he adds quickly, realizing he said something uncool.

"Dang Mr. G, you're not that old. You should already know how to use this stuff. Give me your phone."

Fitz pulls the phone from his pocket and hands it to Jason, who immediately starts to download the necessary apps.

"But after I learn how to use it, what do I say?"

"You just share whatever is on your mind about the campaign, politics, the weather – that sort of thing. And you reply to whatever your followers are saying."

"I see."

After Jason gives him a quick tutorial on how to use Twitter, he hands the phone back to Fitz.

"Now you try it, Mr. G."

The team watch closely as Fitz methodically presses each key on the phone's keyboard, attempting to reply to a post. They look at each other and shake their heads, thinking they are going to be here all night.

"Mr. G, what are you doing?" Jason asks in exasperation.

"I'm answering a question", gingerly pressing each letter.

"Well it looks like you're writing a book. You only get 140 characters – short messages and short replies."

"One hundred and forty? Well that's not enough."

"Mr. G, you gotta learn how to use the abbreviations – talk in shorthand. I'll send a list to you."

Rashid glances over at Marcella and shakes his head, doubtful that Mr. Grant will learn how to use social media before the election is over.

"Practice posting to Twitter today and I'll show you how to use Facebook tomorrow", not wanting to overwhelm the man. "And by the way, I set you up on Instagram as well", Jason says, closing his laptop."

"What's Instagram?"

Marcus closes his eyes and shakes his head.

 **XXX**

Engrossed in learning how to use the new apps to chat with people Fitz has lost track of time. He did not realize he has been online for almost three hours until he looks up and sees dusk is beginning to settle over the city. As a novice to social networking, Fitz does not realize he is not supposed to reply to every comment his followers make, but that is what he has been doing since he returned to his office. Shaking his head, he puts the phone into his pocket and grabs his jacket from the suit valet situated near the door. He needs to get home before the girls go to bed.

Pulling on his jacket as he walks quickly down the hall and sees light streaming from the main conference room. He crinkles his brow, wondering who is still in the conference room at this time of night. When he peeks into the room, he is surprised to see Marcus sitting at the mahogany conference table in the dimly lit room reading a book.

"Marcus, I didn't realize you were still here. I thought everyone left hours ago."

"The others left a while ago, Mr. Grant. I just stayed behind to finish up a few things. How's the tweeting going?" Slowly closing the thick book on the table in front of him, which does not go unnoticed by Fitz.

"It's amazing. My followers have so much to say. I'm still learning how to use the vernacular, including hashtags", shaking his head as he walks over to Marcus.

"You'll get the hang of it - it's not difficult at all. The more you do it, the better you'll get."

"I guess", picking up the heavy book Marcus subtly closed. "I didn't know you were in law school", looking at Marcus in surprise.

"You never asked", and Fitz nods.

"Law school is a significant commitment. How do you find the time to go to school full time, serve the community, and work on my campaign?"

"I'm committed to doing all three, Mr. Grant."

"So what year are you?"

"I have one year left, Mr. Grant."

"Pretty grueling. I remember the long nights of studying. So what are your plans after you graduate?"

"Get a job", and they both laugh.

"I hope you don't mind me studying in here, Mr. Grant. It's nice and quiet here at night ", glancing around the space with a slight smile. "I can get a lot done after everyone has left."

"Not at all. Stay as long as you like and use whatever you need."

"Thank you, Mr. Grant."

"And Marcus, let me know if you need anything."

"Thank you, Mr. Grant."

"Good night, Marcus."

As Fitz walks to his car he wonders what else he does not know about his young advisers. Only recently he learned Jason is a computer whiz and tonight he learned Marcus is in law school. He makes a mental note to learn more about the people who are working tirelessly to get him elected.

 **XXX**

When Marcus Davidson first met Fitzgerald Grant at the Springfield Heights community center he was not impressed. The man dressed casually, usually wearing a sports jacket, a pair jeans, and a white shirt. Half way through the lecture the jacket was discarded and his shirt sleeves were rolled up to his forearms. He looked more like a college professor than the famous negotiator Marcus learned who he was after Googling him. And months later when Marcus and his friends stepped off the elevator in the glassed encased building where Grant Enterprises is located, his impression of Fitzgerald Grant changed quickly. The offices of Grant Enterprises looked like something from the pages of _Architectural Digest_ magazine. It looked like the kind of place he always dreamed of working.

 **XXX**

When Fitz finally arrives home all of the lights on the first floor are off except the under-counter lights in the kitchen. He goes into the kitchen, turns off the lights, and then climbs the stairs to check on his girls. Slowly pushing open the slightly ajar door to Cena's bedroom, he smiles when he sees she is curled into a ball and Biker Princess is dangling from her hand. He sets the toy onto the nightstand, kisses the sleeping girl's forehead, and quietly creeps from the room to check on Jolie. He shakes his head when he sees Jolie has once again kicked off her covers. He wonders if she gets too hot as he pulls the pink and white blanket with the fringed edges over her chest. He kisses her forehead and quietly walks from the room and down the hall to their bedroom.

"Where have you been? You said you would be gone for about an hour", Olivia says as she finishes her nightly routine of slathering on her favorite body butter.

"At the office", crawling across the bed and pecking her on the cheek. "Look at this Liv", pushing the phone in her face.

"Fitz please", turning her head and pushing the phone away from her face. "Too close."

"You gotta see this, Liv. I'm on Twitter. Do you know what that is?" He asks, looking down at the screen as he slowly types another reply.

"Of course I know what Twitter is Fitz", she says with indignation.

When his phone pings, Fitz gets really excited.

"That's someone replying to what I just wrote. The immediacy is amazing, Liv."

"Well, I'm going to bed now. You better be careful what you post. Don't put any personal stuff out there", she says tiredly. "And don't get addicted."

 **XXX**

Before crawling out of bed to get Cena and Jolie ready for the day, Olivia looks over at her sleeping husband, whose phone is pinging on top of his chest. Picking up the phone to read some of his tweets, she wonders how long he was online last night. After reading a few of his posts, she sets the phone back onto his chest and gets up to prepare breakfast for the girls.

"How about a special breakfast of pancakes this morning, Cee?"

"Yay", clapping her hands. "May I make a happy face, mommy?"

"Yes you may", opening the refrigerator to retrieve the container of sliced and diced fruit.

"JoJo can't eat panny cakes mommy", pushing Biker Princess across the island top and around Jolie's carrier.

"Not yet", Olivia says, setting the container of fruit on the island next to Cena.

"JoJo can't do anything mommy."

"Not yet. She's only four months old so it's going to be a while before she starts to talk or walk."

As Cena designs the fruit face on the top pancake, her tired and disheveled father drags into the kitchen.

"Daddy look, I'm making your happy face."

"That's nice Princess", he says tiredly, walking over to the coffee maker to get his first of many cups of black coffee of the day.

"How long were you up last night?" Watching her husband move in slow motion around the kitchen.

"A long time. My followers never stop talking Liv", pecking her on the cheek before taking a seat next to Cena.

"I told you not to get addicted, babe."

"I don't know how people ever get anything done if they're posting or replying or tweeting all day and night", looking at Jolie as she entertains herself by blowing spit bubbles.

"You have to manage it babe", setting his breakfast in front of him.

"You don't understand Liv, my followers have a lot to say and they want to talk to me. They even send pictures - some are a bit questionable, though", sipping the hot coffee.

"You better be careful Fitz, and I mean it."

"I wonder why Darius and Johnson didn't suggest I use social media."

"Babe, those Old Gs probably don't know how to use any of those apps." She brings a hand to her mouth, not believing what she just said. "You're now reaching a whole new segment of the electorate."

Halfway through his second cup of coffee and breakfast, Fitz is beginning to feel more awake, so he turns the carrier around and makes funny faces at Jolie.

"Smile like this JoJo", he says with a big smile, sliding his phone from the granite top to capture the moment.

"Smile, Princess."

Cena poses for her father with a big smile as he takes a selfie of them grinning broadly.

"Take another picture, daddy."

"Fitz, I hope you're not posting those pictures online."

"Already posted them on Instagram."

"Let me see daddy", Cena says, pulling his arm so she can look at the phone screen.

" _Instagram? How do you even know how to do that?"_

"It's not hard, Liv I'll teach you later."

"I already told you I know how to use all of those apps", getting more annoyed by his newfound knowledge of social media.

"Smile again, Cee."

"Fitz, people can be cruel. They can say nasty things about our children."

"Liv, they're going to be on TV next week anyway when we do that stupid interview with Shelby Sage. By the way, I really don't understand why they need to be there", snapping another picture of his daughters.

Olivia is prepared to protest until she realizes he is right. She cannot keep the girls out of the spotlight forever, especially if he wins the election.

"Did you read Joan's email? The owners didn't accept our offer."

"I knew they wouldn't", swiping his index finger down the phone screen."

"You knew they wouldn't?" Turning and looking at him with surprise over her face. "Then why would you have Joan go in with that number?"

"It's called negotiating Liv", reading the latest tweets. "Did you know you can only use 140 characters on Twitter?"

"I don't want you to play games and lose this house, Fitz. I really like it."

"I gave Joan another –"

"What are you smiling about?" Watching him grin as he looks at the phone screen.

"One of my followers just posted a gif of Charlie. It's too funny."

"Fitz, what about the house?" She asks in frustration.

"Let me see daddy", Cena says, not knowing what a gif is or who Charlie is.

"No, that's not for nice little girls to see", Olivia interjects.

"You should see the number of Likes it has already."

"Fitz - the house."

"Joan is submitting our second offer today. Don't worry, we'll get the house. It's been on the market for six months. The owners are highly motivated to sell."

"I just don't want you to insult them by lowballing."

"It's not lowballing, Liv. It's about market value", typing slowly to reply to a tweet.

She rolls her eyes, growing more annoyed trying to talk to him while he is tweeting.

"You know, if you're going to be a social media junkie then you should at least learn how to type faster", throwing the dish towel on the counter and stomping from the kitchen in frustration.

 **XXX**

Wilson has been growing increasingly frustrated with his candidate because the man has not been taking the election seriously. Wilson knows if Charlie is going to have any chance at winning the election he needs to have a stellar performance at the debate. Charlie needs to come across to the audience as knowledgeable and caring about the issues.

"I hope you've been doing your homework to prepare for the debate next week, Charlie. Grant is smart – he's been learning about the issues -taking his message directly to the people."

"I know everything I need to know about those people", interrupting Wilson's remarks.

"You should at least pretend to care, Charlie. And don't take anything for granted."

"The people don't want to hear a damn thing Grant has to say now that wife of his has been linked to the Marla Briggs scandal."

"Grant's wife hasn't been accused of anything, Charlie. Kotch has his people talking to everybody", growing more annoyed with the pompous man. "Have you been meeting with the debate coach?"

"I don't need a coach", proudly strutting around the office. "You know Teddy, you've been acting awfully strange lately", smirking at the mayor. "You wouldn't have anything to do with that Briggs scandal –now would you? Have you been pilfering from the city's coffers, too?" He asks with a chuckle.

Unable to tolerate any more of man's idiocy and veiled innuendo, Mayor Wilson grabs Charlie in the collar and throws him against the wall, causing some of the plaques and framed awards to tumble to the floor.

"Listen you damn fool. I have had enough of you not taking this thing seriously. You think you're just going to waltz into that auditorium and improvise – wing it? Grant is prepared I tell you - he's ready. He'll chew you up and spit you out on that stage. And he'll do worse than that if he ever found out what you did to his wife's foundation."

Charlie's eyes bulge wide and sweat beads form on his forehead, wondering how Teddy found out that he caused the flood at Olivia's foundation.

"Don't look surprised, Charlie. I know every damn thing your dumb ass does. So you'd better leave that Grant lady alone and focus on winning this election. Do. You. Understand. Me?" Pressing his forearm against Charlie's throat.

With fear in his eyes and unable to speak, Charlie's nods his head rapidly. He had no idea Teddy was such a badass.

"And Charlie, don't let this $2000 suit fool you - I'm come from the streets too."

Wilson releases Charlie, walks over to the full-length floor mirror, and glares at the trembling man's reflection.

"And don't ever call me Teddy again", straightening his silk tie. "It's Mr. Mayor to you. Now get the hell out of my office."

Wilson sits in the leather chair and grimaces as Charlie scampers from the room. Charlie unknowingly hit a sensitive nerve. Mayor Wilson has been nervous, on edge really, ever since the Grand Jury indicted Marla. He wonders how close Kotch is to learning about his special relationship with the woman.

 **XXX**

Dressed in a pair of black, wide leg Palazzo pants and a white, boat neck tee shirt, Olivia breezes into the study with her curly hair falling just above her shoulders. Her face, breasts, and hips are still full thanks to Jolie, and she looks amazing.

"Are you almost ready?" She asks cheerily, standing in front of the desk.

"A few more minutes", his chin resting in his palm and not bothering to look up from the computer screen. "I need a couple of more minutes to finish reviewing my notes for the debate."

"Okay, but Cena is waiting for you by the front door. She's ready to go to the carnival – ready to get onto the rides and eat cotton candy."

"Give me five", he says. "I'll -"

His breath is taken away when he looks up and sees his wife standing in front of the desk looking absolutely beautiful. He smiles and licks his lips when he sees she is wearing her hair natural, which she has been doing a lot since Jolie was born. She looks fresh, natural, and beautiful to him. She also looks younger.

" _What?"_ Her reaction to him gawking at her.

"You look beautiful", walking around the desk and wrapping her in his arms. "Pucker."

"Don't you have work to do, mister?" Smiling broadly and wrapping her arms around his waist.

He captures her lips with his and her hand flies to the nape of his neck, grazing the fine hairs with her finger nails. He slides his hands down, cups her round bottom, and pulls her close. Kissing and sucking each other's mouth with ferocity, they are getting lost in the moment. She backs him against the desk and steps between his legs, exploring his familiar mouth with her tongue. Ears ablaze, he runs his hand up her neck and into her hair, holding her close. They are oblivious to everything around them, forgetting Cena and Jolie are waiting in the foyer. They are reaching the point of no return when Jolie's screams interrupt their impromptu make-out session, and they pull apart, bursting into laughter. Olivia swipes her thumb across his smiling lips, wiping away the evidence of their moment of passion.

"You should finish your work so we can get going", trying to peel his hands from her waist. She knows when he gets like this there is no stopping him from wanting to finish the act.

"This is my work", holding onto her waist and trailing kisses down her neck.

She escapes his grasp and back peddles toward the door.

"Five minutes, mister. And bring your sweater - it's going to get chilly later."

Fitz looks at her retreating from the study and runs a hand down the side of his face in frustration.

 **XXX**

They have had a long day of rides, games, and way too much sugar in the form of funnel cake and cotton candy, and now the girls are fast asleep in the back seat as Fitz navigates the car home. Face set hard, he grips the steering wheel tightly with his left hand and pushes the gear shift with his right hand. Oblivious to her husband's quiet demeanor, Oliva looks in the back and shakes her head when she sees her girls are sleeping with their heads hanging to the side like two drunken sailors.

"They've had a long day, babe. We're going to have a fight on our hands trying to bathe them. Who do you want tonight?" Looking at her phone and swiping through the photos she took of them at the carnival.

 _Silence._

"You should've seen the look on Cee's face when the rollercoaster took that big dip. I thought she was going to scream her lungs out", chuckling as she swipes to the next photo until she sees the scowl on his face from the corner of her eye. And for first time since leaving the carnival she realizes he has not responded to anything she has said since they left the carnival.

"Babe, is something wrong?" Looking at him curiously as he forcefully pushes the gear shift to accelerate the car.

 _Silence._

"Are you upset about something?" She asks, clueless about what has her husband in such a foul mood.

He pulls the car into the driveway and slams on the brakes, causing her to lurch forward and the phone to fly from her hand and land onto the floor.

" _What the heck is the matter with you?"_ Getting upset because now he is acting like an asshole.

"Get Jolie and I'll get Cena", he says brusquely, sliding from behind the steering wheel and opening the back door.

 **XXX**

With the girls bathed and tucked into their beds, Olivia sits on their bed fuming, waiting for her rude husband to get out of the shower. She had plans for them to shower together tonight, after the kids were in bed, but she would not dare give him any loving of any kind tonight. When the bathroom door finally opens, she looks up and sees steam wafting into the bedroom as he walks into the room drying his hair.

"Why didn't you turn on the fan? You know that's how moisture builds –"

"I don't give a damn about any moisture", snatching open the dresser drawer and pulling out a pair of pajama pants.

Shocked by his outbursts, she gasps and watches as he pulls on his pajama pants and tee shirt. He tosses the damp towels across the room and they fall short of the hamper, landing onto the floor. He knows that shit bothers her, that she hates having clothes thrown around their bedroom.

"If you're upset with me then say so. Don't give me the silent treatment."

"I'm going to bed", walking over to his side of the bed.

"No - you're not. We're going to talk about this. We don't go to bed angry anymore – remember?"

"Let it go, Olivia", glaring at her with dark eyes.

"I will not let it go. You're upset with me and for what I don't know", flailing her arms.

"Just go to bed, Olivia", trying to pull back Hildie's tightly tucked bed linens.

"I will not go to bed. I'm not Cena, you don't treat me like a child", jumping on his side and preventing him from getting into bed.

" _No, I'm treating you like my sister, the whore"_ , he says with venom dripping from his voice.

She brings her hand down hard across his face and he stumbles backward on his heels. Eyes wide, they look at each other stunned, and Olivia quickly brings her hand to her mouth when she sees her fingerprints on the side of his face.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean –"

"I'm sleeping –"

" _What's wrong with you?_ _Why are you acting like this?"_ She yells with tears streaming down her face.

He snatches the pillows off the bed and stomps toward the door.

" _Where are you going?"_

Enraged, he turns and looks at her with anger in his eyes.

"Don't you ever disrespect me like that again."

" _Disrespect you? What are you talking about? How did I disrespect you?"_ She says weepily."

"You were flirting with that guy who looked like he was young enough to be in goddamn high school."

" _Flirting?"_ Brushing the tears from her cheek with the back of her hand.

"You heard me", taking a few steps toward the bed. "I saw how you were giggling with that guy like you were some damn schoolgirl."

"I don't know what you're talking about – who you're talking about", wiping the tears from the other cheek.

"That guy who was standing in front of JoJo's stroller. The guy who you thought everything that came out of his mouth was so damn funny", he says angrily.

Her eyes roll up skyward, as she searches the recesses and corners of her mind trying to remember who he could possibly be referring to, and then she remembers.

"You're kidding me, right? Please tell me this is all a joke."

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

"Babe", she says softly, crawling from the bed and standing in front of him. "While I'm flattered that you still get jealous, but you are so off base."

He does not relent, continuing to grimace and clutch his pillows.

"That young man, and you're right, he is a young man, was asking me about JoJo. He wanted to know if he could expect to ever get any sleep again once his _wife_ delivers their _baby_ in six weeks."

Fitz crinkles his brow, processing what she said, when he realizes he has made a huge mistake.

"We were laughing because I said he and his wife probably won't get another good night's sleep for the next 18 years. In fact, I told him how we didn't get any sleep for a few weeks because JoJo was colicky. That's what you saw - there was no flirting."

"Liv, I'm sorry", holding the pillows with one hand and raking fingers through his hair with the other hand. "I thought –"

"No - that's just it Fitz - you didn't think", now she is angry. "You can't jump to conclusions and accuse me of something just because you're feeling insecure. You have to talk to me about these things", walking to her side of the bed and pulling back the covers.

"I'm sorry. This investigation – the campaign – the debate – and this interview tomorrow -it all has me so damned stressed. I can hardly think straight these days."

Olivia climbs into bed and turns her back to him.

"Can we talk about this?" Still standing by the door and holding his pillows.

"Talking is over."

"Liv –"

"I was going to help you with your little stress problem tonight but you blew it. Good night Mr. Grant", she says, reaching up and turning off her lamp.

 **XXX**

They look in the mirror preparing for the interview at the TV station with Shelby Sage. He has been in a bad mood all morning and she knows why. But it is his fault, smiling internally as she watches him try to knot his tie.

"You would think I was running for President of the United States and not for our small City Council", growing frustrated because he cannot seem to knot the tie properly today.

"Are you a grumpy pants today babe?" Swatting his hand from his neck so she can knot the tie.

"I'm just saying, Liv."

"You're just saying what?" Running her tongue across his lips to give him a little relief.

"This campaign just seems like it's been going on forever."

"It's only been five months. Are you having regrets?"

"I just want it to be over. It's taking away too much of our family time. And, I don't like dragging you and the kids to interviews like it's some dog and pony show. It's just overkill."

"Shelby is very popular babe - everybody watches her. Look at it as another way to get your message out."

"I'm on Twitter and Facebook", he says stubbornly and she rolls her eyes. "Why do the girls need to be there anyway? Is _Shelby_ going to ask Cena and JoJo questions too? It's all so ridiculous."

"The people like to know about the candidates they're voting for babe, including their families. Besides, it's only an hour", and he looks at her with incredulity.

"You mean you like people asking questions about us – about our personal lives? We've had enough of that lately."

"Well apparently I don't dislike it as much as you."

He huffs and walks over to the nightstand, picks up his watch, and fastens it onto his wrist.

 _Somebody's got up on the wrong side of the bed,_ she thinks to herself as she applies her lipstick.

"I'm going down to put the girls into the car. We have to be at the station early - so don't be all day."

When he turns to leave the bedroom, she sticks out her tongue at him.

"Don't think I don't know every time you do that Liv", he says, walking from the room as her mouth falls open in surprise.

 **XXX**

The Grants arrive at the television station two hours before the interview is scheduled to start and someone immediately hustles Olivia in the back to the makeup department. Fitz waits in the hall holding Jolie and talking with Darius as Cena plays a few feet down the hall with Biker Princess. When Olivia returns from getting camera ready, Fitz is hustled to the back to remove the shine on his face caused by him perspiring.

"He's nervous Darius", Olivia says, rocking Jolie who is beginning to squirm.

"He'll be fine."

"He's ready for the election to be over."

"Election Day is in six weeks. He'll relax then", Darius says.

As Olivia and Darius chat, Cena runs toward the man standing at the end of the hall looking at his phone.

"Mister, mister", Cena yells, pulling at the hem of the man's jacket to get his attention.

The man looks down at the pretty, caramel-skinned girl with blue eyes and a head full curly brown hair.

"Well aren't you just the prettiest thing", smiling kindly at the little girl.

"I dropped Biker Princess."

"And who is Biker Princess?"

"My daddy bought her and I dropped her over there", pointing toward the radiator. "Can you get her, please?"

"Sure, I think I can get her for you."

Cena grabs the stranger's hand and guides him over to where she dropped the toy.

"Right there", pointing to Biker Princess, who is lodged in the space between the radiator and the wall.

The man gets down onto his hands and knees, stretches his long arm into the space between the radiator and the wall and retrieves the toy.

"Here you go, pretty girl", swiping the dust from his pants as he stands and gives Cena her toy.

" _Cena"_ , Olivia screams, panicking when she sees her daughter standing with the man.

"Mommy, the nice man got Biker Princess for me", holding up the toy for her mother to see.

With chest heaving, Olivia pulls Cena behind her and holds Jolie close to her chest.

" _Olivia, this is your daughter?"_ Looking back and forth between Olivia and the smiling little girl in surprise.

"Thank you, Charlie", giving him a long look. "Now let's go find daddy, Cena."

"Thank you, mister", looking over her shoulder at the seething man as her mother pulls her down the hall.

"Half-breeds", Charlie says under his breath, but loud enough for Olivia to hear him.

Olivia's body stiffens when she hears the despicable words, but she keeps walking. She will not give Charlie the pleasure of knowing his words hurt her.

 **XXX**

"The interview wasn't too bad, babe. Shelby only tried to engage Cena once", Olivia says as she sits on the bed performing her nightly routine.

"I'm just glad it's over", reading the reactions to the interview on Facebook.

"Let's move, Fitz. Let's buy a house in the city. Maybe one of those new townhouses down by the river."

" _Move? Why?"_ Setting the tablet on his lap and looking over at his wife with raised eyebrows when he hears the out-of-the-blue request.

"My business is in the city. Your business is in the city. You're going to be President of City Council – it just makes sense. Besides, it will send a positive message to the citizens that you're truly invested in the city - that you won't be just popping in and popping out."

"One, I haven't won the election yet, Liv. And two, I hardly call having to work 12-hour days popping in and popping out."

"That's another reason we should move. I hate that you have to drive all the way out here so late at night. That can be dangerous when you're tired."

With lips pursed, he listens intently, thinking a long time before responding. Then he pulls her close and kisses the top of her head.

"Now, are you going to tell me why you _really_ want to move?"

"I told you –"

"Olivia ..." He says in a warning tone.

"The kids are getting older, Fitz."

"What's going on, Liv?"

"I've been thinking about it for a while."

"You have?" Looking at her in surprise.

"They need more diversity, Fitz. Church Falls is hardly a bastion of diversity you know."

"Is this about what Deon said?"

"Yes – no – not really."

"I love this house, Liv. We've become a family here. I always thought we would raise the girls here - grow old together here. I thought when the girls went away to college we would be empty-nesters for a few years and after college they would move back home."

" _Move back home?"_

"Yes, because they will have earned useless degrees."

"That we happily paid for - of course."

"Of course. So they won't be able to find jobs to support themselves."

"Except at the local coffee house and pizza joint."

"Exactly. So that's why we can't move."

"Seriously, babe –"

"Can we discuss this after the election? I can't think about moving right now when I have to get through the debate next week."

"OK, we'll discuss it after the election."

"And Liv, I'm sorry about last night - about what I said. It was mean and nasty. There was no call for what I said."

"Apology accepted, but don't accuse me of something when I have given you no reason. And, while I wasn't flirting with that guy, there really isn't anything wrong with a little harmless flirting every now and then", smiling at the look of shock on his face.

 **XXX**

Fitz is wound as tight as a drum as he walks back and forth from the bedroom and the walk-in closet. The debate is in a few hours and he cannot seem to calm down, his nerves are all over the place. Although he is comfortable with the issues and can speak intelligently about the problems facing the city, including citing the appropriate statistics when necessary, he does not know what to expect from Charlie. The man is too unpredictable.

" _Liv"_ , he calls out from the closet, frantically opening and closing his valet drawers.

" _Olivia"_ , he yells, his voice rising with the increasing anxiety.

" _Ssh"_ , she says, running into the closet with an index finger pressed to her lips. "I just got JoJo to go to sleep. She's been cranky all day."

"Is she all right?" looking at her with concern. "Do I need to stay home?"

"She's fine", continuing in a hushed voice. "She just needs to get some sleep. And no, you don't need to stay home. What do you want?"

"Where are my lucky cufflinks?" He asks in an equally hushed voiced. "I'm going to need them tonight - Charlie likes to go for the jugular. You know the Investigation is going to come up."

"Charlie is a mean-spirited jerk who says things to divide people, babe. The dynamic has to be between you and the audience. Don't get down in the mud with him."

He nods.

"Use your law degree to out debate him - rebuke what he says."

"This scandal changes everything, Liv. Besides, Charlie knows how to get the crowd on his side."

"Everyone will love you, babe. You just have to stay above the fray. Nobody wants to hear all of that back and forth bickering."

"Why am I doing this again?" Looking at her wild-eyed.

"Because you want to make a difference in our great city. Remember, man of the people."

A look of befuddlement spread across his face because he is not quite sure what she means.

"Here are your cufflinks", closing the top drawer of the valet where he always stores them.

 **XXX**

The debate between the candidates for President of the City Council is being aired live tonight from the Springfield Heights High School, and when Fitz arrives at the high school he is still on edge, Olivia's pep talk did little to calm his nerves. So he searches for Darius and Johnson to discuss some last-minute ideas he has about the debate. As Fitz looks for his advisers, he wishes Olivia was going to be sitting in the audience because seeing her face would help to calm his nerves. But Olivia had already made plans to watch the debate at home with John and Abby.

Olivia walks into the family room from the kitchen and sets the tray of snacks onto the coffee table. Then she lifts Ethan from Abby's arms and settles onto the sofa next to John, who is holding Cena on his lap. As Abby lifts Jolie from the carrier, the debate moderator appears on the television screen.

 _"We are broadcasting live from the Springfield Heights High School auditorium for the one and only debate between businessmen Fitzgerald Thomas Grant the Third and his opponent Charles Barber. This debate is scheduled for one hour and the rules for the debate are as follows: each candidate will get two minutes to make an opening statement. Afterward, I will ask the candidates questions, to which they will each respond and rebut. And finally, at the end of the debate, we will take questions from members of the audience. Before we get started, everyone please silence your cell phones. Now, let's get started. Are you ready, gentlemen?"_

As Olivia looks at the television screen, she can see that her husband is nervous.

"My brother looks like he has to go to the bathroom", John says with a chuckle.

" _Shush",_ Abby says, elbowing her husband in the ribs.

"Why is daddy on TV?" Cena asks, pointing at the screen.

"Because he's going to help make things better for our city", Olivia says as Charlie begins to speak.

"It's not a coincidence that my opponent's wife, Olivia Pope, is making money off the backs of the poor in this city. She takes taxpayers dollars and uses it to hire his family members. She has hired his mother to work at her foundation. The woman has never had a job in her life but she gets a nice, cushy job that is paid for by you – the taxpayers of this city. I'm quite sure one of you could have benefitted from that job."

The crowd begins to grumble.

"And, Olivia Pope has also been paying my opponent's sister a very hefty salary to work at the local community center. Again, I'm sure one of you could have used that job – someone who actually lives in the community."

Some of the audience nod their heads up and down.

"Nepotism is alive and well, people. And my opponent and his wife will continue it if he is elected. Olivia Pope is corrupt, just like her friend and mentor Marla Briggs – who you know is being investigated for corruption – for stealing your tax dollars."

The crowd's rumblings get louder and the bell rings, signaling Charlie's two minutes are up.

"You have two minutes, Mr. Grant."

"Stay above the fray baby", Olivia says when she sees the look on her husband's face.

"Although this election is not a referendum on my wife or her foundation, I will take a moment to opponent's erroneous and false statements", turning to look at Charlie. "First, my wife's name is Olivia Grant."

Charlie grimaces as he looks out onto the audience, refusing to acknowledge Fitz.

"Second, the funds raised by the Olivia Pope Foundation are spent directly on programs to help the people of this city to realize their potential - to live better lives. All expenditures are properly accounted for, as required by the law."

"And", looking at the audience. "It is apparent my opponent doesn't want to talk about the issues or his policies for making life better for everyone in this city. He would rather use this important time - this platform - to launch personal attacks against my family – against my wife – against my mother - and against my sister. Neither of whom is running for Council president."

"Attack me all you want Mr. Barber, but back off my family. Now, if you want to talk about the issues – if you want to talk about how we each will go about the business of helping this city – then let's do it. But we won't talk about my family and I won't get down in the mud with you."

Fitz turns and gives Charlie a hard look and the audience goes wild and starts to chant _family first, family first_.

"What we need in this city is not division. What we need in this city is not hatred. What we need in this city is not violence and lawlessness. What we need is love, and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our city, whether they be white or whether they be black."

Undeterred by Fitz' goody-two-shoes remarks, Charlie continues the personal attacks when it is his turn to respond.

"Like I said, the Olivia Pope Foundation is a fraud. Some say she has received some of that money Marla Briggs, her mentor, has been stealing from you – the good people of this city. She might be going to jail."

The crowd begins to groan again, not liking what they are hearing.

"Money donated to her foundation to help you realize your potential, as my opponent says, has been used for everything but that. The sleaze factor is enormous."

Olivia is fuming as she watches Charlie try twist everything her foundation represents.

"They drive over here from their big suburban home - in their big, fancy cars. I'm sure some of you would love to drive a big BMW or an Audi."

The crowd rumbles again.

"Hell, they don't even decency to drive American cars."

Charlie is energized. He is on a roll and he knows it, until Marcella stands and interrupts his rant against the Grants.

"Who are you?"

"Excuse me?" Charlie says, looking at the women with indignation.

"You heard me. I want to know who you are because before you started running for office I have never seen you. You surely have never come down here to Springfield Heights. So again, who are you?" Placing both hands on her broad hips.

"Ma'am, do you have a _real_ question?" Charlie asks smugly, getting a few chuckles from the audience.

"I have seen the Grants over here for months. Mrs. Grant has been here helping the community long before her husband began his bid for Council president. And your opponent, Mr. Grant, has been here as well. He has taught several courses at the Springfield Heights community center to help the organizers, helping us to develop some very important skills. He and his wife have also arranged for some of their friends and colleagues to teach courses as well. These people have experience and expertise we could never afford to pay for."

Charlie looks to the moderator for help.

"Miss, you'll get a chance to ask questions during the Q and A portion of the debate", the moderator says, trying to regain control of the process.

" _Let her speak. Let her speak"_ , members of the audience begin to chant.

The moderator throws her pencil onto the table in frustration because the audience is beginning to get rowdy and she does not want a riot to start. She knows a riot is the language of the unheard, so she looks at Marcella and nods for her to continue.

"And his sister, Nora, who you say is on the dole, well you should come over to our center sometime and see all of the wonderful work she has done. If you ever bothered to come to the center you would see how Mr. Grant's sister helped to transform the interior walls from a drab, uninviting environment to a bright, energetic retreat for our children. If you ever bothered to come there you would also see the beautiful mural and other artwork she has helped to create."

"Mr. Grant's sister has worked with our children, helping to bring out their natural talent as artist, even inspiring some of them to want to go to art school. So whatever money you think she has gotten, it damn sure wasn't enough because she used her own money to buy paint and other supplies - supplies the city no longer provides us. The Grants have only helped our communities."

"So that's Marcella", John says.

"I like her. She's my kind of woman", Abby says with a smirk and a nod.

Charlie looks at the moderator again, silently asking her to intercede, but she ignores him and nods for the Marcella to continue. And the crowd goes wild.

"Preach, Marcella.

"So again, who are you and what have _you_ done for the people of this city?"

"He's nobody, that's who he is. He won't even set foot into Tilghman anymore."

"And that's where he was born. I knew his momma", someone in the back yells and Charlie blanches at the reference to his mother.

"Hell, he hasn't come anywhere near Roosevelt. Grant has been everywhere – all over this city."

"That's right. I even follow him on the Book and Twitter. And he always replies to my posts", a young woman says.

" _Oh lord",_ Olivia says softly, shaking her head thinking her husband does not need any more encouragement to use social media.

The crowd begins to boo Charlie and he glares across the stage at Fitz with virulent hate.

"Would you like to respond to your potential constituents, Mr. Barber?" The moderator asks.

The audience begins to chant _Grant. Grant. Grant_ , drowning out Charlie's attempts to speak. Charlie looks around the packed auditorium, scowling at the people chanting Grant's name, before running off the stage mumbling something that sounded vaguely like _go to hell_. Olivia shouts and fist pumps in triumph, and Cena looks at her mother and wonders why she is so happy.

"I think my brother just became the new President of City Council", John says in amazement.

 **XXX**

Across town on the seventh floor of City Hall, Mayor Wilson throws his glass across the room and watches as the expensive bourbon trickles down the wall and onto the floor. He knows they just lost the election. Wilson grabs his coat and walks from the office as the burner phone in his desk drawer begins to ring. He does not want to talk to a damn soul right now.


	28. Chapter 28 Blame Game

**A/N:** I guess it's time to say I don't own anything Scandal related. **Reader575** , let's see what happens to Charlie in a few chapters. **LaJoyMechell,** Nora is in a facility somewhere on the east coast getting the help she needs. **Lyn92** , Cena's name is pronounced _See – Nah_. **Monica** , you're right, Fitz' tongue rivals his daddy's at times. **Clanay** , I LOL when I read your comment. The mayor is **not** the father. **Cleo** , yup, yup, yup to everything you said. Thanks all for continuing to follow and review. BTW, there will be an epilogue to _Home for the Holidays_. I started writing it last January (can you believe that?) but this story got in the way. Thanks for asking. Here we go!

 **Chapter 28. The Blame Game**

 _ **Breaking News**_

 _City Council President Marla Briggs, indicted for fraud and racketeering, has been deemed not competent to stand trial and, therefore, all charges have been dropped._

 **Tuesday - Election Night**

The small ballroom Olivia reserved in the popular downtown hotel to host Fitz' Election Night event is teeming with all of the people who supported his political journey. She and Hildie worked feverishly for the past six weeks planning the event to thank everyone who volunteered their time and donated money to help her husband reach this point. Win or lose, they are going to have a party tonight.

Stevie Wonder's _We Can Work It Out_ blasts through the speakers as Olivia stands near the entrance to the ballroom surveying the tightly packed space. She shakes her head and chuckles silently because the place looks like the Fourth of July and New Year's Eve all rolled into one. Everyone is decked out in red, white, and blue tee shirts, hats, and buttons displaying the Grant name. Campaign posters with her husband's smiling face line the walls, and stretched high above the stage is a banner that reads _Grant for the People_. Noisemakers of all sorts are spread on the tables and a bunch of balloons and confetti await overhead to be released. The caterer is on standby waiting for Mrs. Grant to give the signal. Everything is ready and all that is needed are the election results.

The polls have been closed for an hour and a nervous and anticipatory energy fills the air. Everyone is ready to find out if their strategy and hard work over the past eight months have paid off. Some people are looking up at the television monitors, which have been placed strategically around the room, waiting for the news anchor to announce the early voting results. Others are looking down at their cell phones and tablets, proactively trying to find out how the people have voted. The tension-filled air is broken intermittently by the sound of an occasional horn blowing or a clapper clapping.

With sleeves rolled up to his forearms, Fitz stands next to Johnson, who is holding a bottle of beer and staring up at one of the television monitors.

"It looks like there was a higher than usual turnout, Fitz."

"Is that good for us?" Fitz asks, draping an arm around the man's shoulders.

"Hard to tell. People aren't just voting for a new Council president. There are several other important issues on the ballot that will impact their lives. It's going to be a long night", Johnson says wearily.

Fitz nods, pats the man on the back, and walks over to his team of young advisers.

"How's it looking, Jason?" Standing over the young man who is frantically banging on the keyboard.

"Based on what people are live streaming, it seems like you're getting a lot of votes, Mr. G."

"We can't count on what people _say_ Mr. Grant", Marcus interjects, looking up from his phone. "We have to wait to see how they _actually_ cast their ballot."

Fitz nods in understanding then turns his attention back to Jason's screen where he sees people outside of their polling places chanting _Grant for the people_.

 **XXX**

The polls have been closed for over an hour and only five percent of the vote has been counted, and Charlie is in the lead. He is confident that he has a real chance of winning the election because his supporters will deliver for him the three important districts where the median income is well over $175,000.00 a year. He expects the Springfield Heights, Tilghman, and Roosevelt districts will go to Grant. And he hopes his supporters have done whatever is necessary to ensure the five remaining districts will swing in his favor. Feeling good about how the night is unfolding, Charlie sits back on the plush sofa, sips scotch, and smiles as he thinks about all the ways Wilson is going to apologize for attacking him a few weeks ago.

 **XXX**

The electoral process has ended and the citizens have spoken, and the people in the small ballroom erupt into a cacophony of cheers and chants as the new faces of local politics walk onto the small stage. Fitz smiles broadly as he holds Olivia's hand and carries Cena. And Olivia smiles just as wide as she carries a sleeping Jolie. Fitz is donning a navy blue suit, white shirt, red tie, and his lucky cufflinks. Olivia is wearing a white two-piece skirt suit and the diamond earrings and tennis bracelet Fitz gave her for pushing out Cena. Jolie is dressed in a navy blue dress, white and red ruffle anklet socks, and white patent leather shoes. Cena is wearing a bright red velvet dress with a large _Grant for the People_ campaign button Gerry pinned onto the dress before the family walked onto the stage. She whined to her father while still at home that the white lace tights were itching her legs and did not want to wear them. Knowing the pains Olivia went to selecting everyone's outfits for the night, and needing to leave the house immediately, the famous negotiator made a deal with his four-year-old daughter. She could wear her favorite pair of white Keds sneakers instead of the black patent leather Mary Jane shoes Olivia planned for her to wear if she kept on the lace tights.

Fitz stands Cena onto the stage next to her mother, kisses his smiling wife on the lips, and walks toward the podium. The crowd goes wild, blowing horns and shaking noisemakers as he slides his speech from the inside jacket pocket. He smiles brightly, taking a moment to bask in the adulation before starting his speech. He holds up his hands to silence the crowd but they begin to chant _Grant, Grant, Grant_.

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much."

"Eight months ago when Councilmen Darius Moton and Wallace Johnson and Congressman Phillip Guildford asked me to run for President of the City Council, I thought they were out of their minds."

The crowd laughs as he looks over and smiles at three of his advisers who are beaming as well.

"As you all know, I do not have a background in politics, so I didn't think I could possibly be their guy. But after several hours of talking and drinking - I might add - they were able to get me to consider stepping into the political arena."

The crowd cheers again.

"They helped me to understand how being a novice to politics - coupled with my business background - would be an asset to this great city."

More cheers from the crowd.

"They helped me to understand how I could contribute to turning this city around and address the issues you all have told me are important to you."

 _Grant for the people. Grant for the people. Grant for the people._

"And after discussing it with my beautiful wife Olivia - who was onboard immediately - we all decided to go on this journey together."

He smiles and looks over at Olivia who is standing off to the right of the stage holding Jolie. The crowd begins chanting _Olivia. Olivia. Olivia_ , and she smiles at her husband and waves to the crowd.

"And when I began to visit the various communities around this city — talking to you – getting to know you - I knew I had made the right decision. You all helped me to really understand why I need to run for political office. You helped me to understand the work that needs to be done to get our families and city back on track. You helped me to understand that being a political servant is a privilege - and not a right.

The crowd cheers, stomps on the floor, and blows the horns.

"And over the next four years, I will work tirelessly to live up to my campaign promises and to earn your continued support. Thank you for going on this journey with me - and I ask that you continue to walk with me over the next four years."

 _The journey continues. The journey continues. The journey continues._

 _Grant for the people. Grant for the people. Grant for the people._

Again, he holds up his hand to silence the crowd.

"And now I would like to introduce some of the people who have helped to make this night possible: Marcella Andersen, Councilman Darius Moton, Marcus Davidson, Councilman Wallace Johnson, Rashid Wilkins, Congressman Phillip Guildford, and Jason Meekins."

"Let's give them all a round of applause."

The advisers grin from ear to ear as the crowd applauds.

"Next, I would like to thank you - all of you who donated your hard-earned money and your time to support my campaign. You took precious time away from your families and your busy schedules to canvass for me – making those annoying calls and knocking on doors. I truly thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Give yourselves a round of applause."

The crowd chants louder and blows the horns and clap the clappers.

"And to my social media family, who challenged me every day with questions and differing points of view, I thank you as well. You turned out for me."

"I also want to thank my family. My parents, Gerry and Maura Grant. My brothers, John and Benjamin, my sister-in-law Abigail, and my sister Nora, who is unable to be with us tonight."

They all wave as the crowd applauds.

"Last, but certainly by no means least, I want to thank the love of my life, my wife, Olivia Grant. Throughout this process she has kept me honest and centered and has encouraged me through the tough times."

He extends his hand for Olivia to come join him at the podium, but Cena pushes pass her mother and runs over to her father.

" _Daddy"_ , stretching her arms for him to pick her up. Fitz picks up his precocious daughter and pecks her on the cheek.

"Ladies and gentle, meet our oldest daughter, Cena. I think one day she might have a career in politics."

The crowd bursts into laughter and Fitz kisses Cena on the cheek again.

"Wave to the people, Princess."

"My daddy comb my hair", she says innocently and the crowds laughs and _awws_.

Cena wraps an arm around her father's neck and looks out onto the crowd of cheering people, wondering why everyone is clapping. Olivia joins him at the podium and he pecks Jolie on the cheek and gives his wife a devious smile. From the glint in his eyes, she knows he is up to some sort of mischief.

"Our baby girl, Jolie", he introduces, and the crowd applauds the sleeping infant.

He wraps a hand around Olivia's waist, pulls her close, and gives her a kiss that rivals the one Al Gore gave his wife Tipper at the 2000 Democratic National Convention. The crowd cheers as Olivia pulls away and swipes her thumb across his lips. He smiles and waves to the crowd again.

"Okay, now it's time to get this party started."

The music begins blast and balloons and confetti fall from high above, showering Fitz and his family as he guides them off the stage.

 **XXX**

On the other side of town the scene inside Charlie Barber's apartment is in stark contrast to the unbridled exuberance in full force at the Grant event. There are no cheering supporters; no red, white, and blue balloons or streamers raining down from the sky; and no family, no wife and children standing by his side and lovingly grinning with pride. He is on his own, standing in the middle of the living room of his luxurious condominium glaring at the scene on television unfolding at the Grant victory party.

Charlie was sure the people would reject Grant once they learned about Olivia's close relationship with Marla Briggs. He thought releasing the information about Marla's embezzlement scheme would be the nail in the political coffin of his long-time nemesis. But as usual, he miscalculated, so now he watches the man he loathes more than anyone or anything on this earth deliver his victory speech to a crowd of adoring supporters.

The corners of Charlie's mouth curl down when he sees the little girl from the television studio run over to her father. He scowls and takes another gulp of scotch when Olivia walks across the stage and allows that man to tongue her in front of everyone. He sends the glass of scotch hurling across the room, crashing it against the large, round mirror.

All of his life Charlie has played the blame game, never taking responsibility for his failures and lack of achievement. In middle school he blamed the teacher who failed him, causing him to repeat the grade. In high school he blamed the football coach for not putting him on the starting team. As a businessman, he blamed the city and his customers when his once lucrative business went into bankruptcy. And with each subsequent failure, Charlie became more bitter and hostile.

Charlie could not or would not see his role in failing to achieve his dreams. Since he was a child, he has always wanted the rewards and the honors, but never wanted to do what it takes to earn them. He never wanted to do the hard work, always taking the short-cut or trying to circumvent the process. In middle school, he did not want to study, so he had to repeat the grade. In high school, he did not want to attend the three-a-day practices in August, the only way to be selected for the starting team. And as a business man, he rather spend his time buying expensive clothes, profiling in upscale nightclubs, and cruising around town in his oversized SUV. He thought the business would take care of itself, and it did for a while. But after constantly ignoring the needs of his customers, they turned elsewhere. So when he lost the lucrative city contracts, his base of customers were nowhere to be found when he needed them.

Growing angrier as thinks about how the universe has always conspired against him, and how the Grants are just the latest in a long line of people who have done him wrong, he paces around the living room like a wild animal. That privileged, self-centered bitch Olivia spurned him for that man. She acted like she was too good for him, like he was not good enough to wipe her feet on. Then she rubbed her rejection in his face by marrying that man because he is successful. Of course he is successful, Grant had advantages that were not afforded him; society did not impose restraints on him.

His breathing becomes shallow and his chest rises and falls as he thinks about that debate moderator. He figured out early on in the debate that she was a Grant ally, allowing the audience to attack him and doing nothing to rein them in. She and Grant conspired to ensure he lost the election. Enraged and filled with virulent hate, everything turns red and he begins to hurl his prized possessions around the room, toppling over the sofa, lamps, and tables. He kicks the bar and sends the expensive liquors crashing to the floor. Swiping the custom glass bowls from the credenza, they smash to the floor, at his feet, and he kicks the shards of glass across the room. Drenched with sweat and chest rising and falling, he catches a glimpse of himself in the cracked mirror, snarling like a rabid animal. No longer recognizing himself, he snatches the mirror from the wall and hurls it across the room, watching it shatter onto the floor. His luck cannot get any worse he thinks. His life is ruined and they are going to pay.

 **XXX**

A few blocks from Fitz' victory celebration, Mayor Wilson sits with his attorney on the seventh floor of City Hall watching the election returns. He has long grown tired of Charlie and his antics and has refused to be in the same room with the man tonight. Besides, what is the point? After Charlie's abysmal performance at the debate last month, and the memes on social media of him running off stage, it was a forgone conclusion that Grant was going to be the next President of City Council.

The tip of his cigar glows bright red as Wilson watches Grant deliver his victory speech. He has to meet with the man tomorrow because it is tradition for the sitting mayor to welcome the new Council president the day after the election. The meeting is typically nothing more than an opportunity for the media to photograph the two men. It is a way to give the citizens the sense they will be working together to improve the city.

Wilson shakes his head thinking he has to figure out how he is going to work with the well-known dealmaker. He doubts if Grant is going to be eager to make the kinds of deals Marla made with him, but he has to try. Just because their guy has lost the election does not mean the special interest groups have gone away. Privatizing the city's police department is still at the top of their list.

 **XXX**

As Fitz steps off the stage holding Olivia's hand, Shelby Sage corners him to score the exclusive interview with the newly elected president of the City Council.

"Mr. President", Shelby calls out, shoving the microphone close to his face. "Congratulations on your victory, sir."

"Thank you, Shelby", flashing his politician's smile at the assertive reporter.

"Can you tell your constituents what your plans are now that the election is over?"

"Shelby, I'll be leaving on Friday with my family for our home in the mountains for a well-deserved vacation and to celebrate our daughter's birthday."

"That sounds terrific, Mr. President. Thank you for taking time to talk with us." Fitz smiles politely and walks toward the crowd.

"You just heard it from the man himself, the newly elected Council president and his family will be going to the mountains for some R&R. Back to you at the studio, Ted."

The music is blaring as Fitz and Olivia make their way around the ballroom greeting and thanking his guests. He waves at Marcella and Johnson who are showing off their dances moves along with dozens of others. When the music slows down, Jason takes Cena and Jolie from the couple so they can have the victory dance. Olivia looks at Fitz, not sure if Jason can handle both of their girls. With raised eyebrows, Fitz gives Jason a questioning look.

"Don't worry Mr. G., I can handle them. I have four little brothers and sisters at home. I watch them all the time."

Fitz nods at Jason then steers Olivia onto the dance floor. They smile at each other and embrace as they spin around the room. Once the dance is over, the Old Gs pull him and Olivia to the side to deliver their congratulations gift.

"You earned this, Fitz", Congressman Guildford says, grinning widely as he hands Fitz a 35-year-old bottle of Balvinie scotch.

"Wow, you really got the good stuff Phil", Fitz smiles, examining the bottle closely.

"Is it that good?" Olivia asks, and the men look at her with raised eyebrows.

"I'll let you taste it when we get to the mountains", kissing her cheek.

"So you guys are headed up to the mountains for a few weeks?" Johnson asks.

"We are", snaking his arm around Olivia's waist and pulling her close. "We need a break before the new Council session begins in January."

"We're celebrating Cena's birthday with family for the first week. Then week two is all about our little family relaxing", looking up at her husband and smiling brightly.

"Well, we're going to get going now", Fitz says. "Thanks again guys, I couldn't have done this without you."

"Aren't you staying? The party is just getting started."

"The party has been started for over three hours now, Darius."

"Well, Yvonne and I are staying a little longer. We booked a room upstairs for the night. Wouldn't want to get pulled over for a DUI."

"Be safe, Darius", Fitz says, extending a handshake. "Johnson – Phil – thank you for everything. We couldn't have done this without you."

"Those young people were very influential, Fitz. That social media really helped to turn out the vote."

Fitz nods in agreement and grabs Olivia's hand.

"We're going to find our daughters and go home."

"Don't forget you have that meeting with Wilson tomorrow afternoon", Darius says, before steering his wife back onto the dance floor.

"Don't remind me", pulling Olivia through the crowd in search of their children.

"I booked a suite upstairs for us if you don't feel like driving home", Olivia says as they pass tables littered with food, empty beer bottles, and half-empty glasses of liquor.

"I want to get away from this crowd - get the girls home." He smiles when he sees Jason holding Cena and waving his hand.

"Daddy, Jason let me tweet and po -"

"Post", Jason says.

"Post on the Book, too."

"Cena's going to be a social media maven. Right Cena?" Handing his new protégé to her father.

Cena nods her head up and down as she yawns. Olivia groans internally, thinking she now has two social media junkies on her hands.

"This little one here is knocked out Mrs. Grant", Marcella says, holding Jolie close to her large breasts."

"That's JoJo's favorite pastime. Thank you Marcella", taking Jolie from the young woman's arms.

"We're going to head out now, but before we left, I wanted to thank you all again for making tonight possible."

"It was mutually beneficial alliance Mr. Grant", Rashid says.

"Our pleasure Mr. Grant", Marcus says.

"Olivia and I have a few things we need to wrap up over the next few days, but after that we'll be heading up to our home in the mountains for a few weeks. I'll set up a time for us to meet when we return."

"That sounds good Mr. Grant", Marcus says with a smile.

"And Marcus, you should expect a call from Geoffrey – my business partner – while we're away."

Marcus looks at the man curiously, wondering why Geoffrey would be calling him.

"We're going to say good night to our family now, then head out."

"Congratulations again, Mr. Grant."

 **XXX**

"Fitzgerald", his father says in a booming voice as he stands from his seat.

"Dad", holding Cena in one arm and shaking his father's hand with the other hand.

"Congratulations son, you actually did it."

"Thanks, dad."

"Fitzgerald, I'm so proud of you", his mother says weepily. "And it was kind of you to include Nora."

"Thanks mom", pecking her on the cheek.

"Congratulations Fitzgerald", Abby says. "I have a few parking tickets I need you to take care of. Oh, I might also have one or two speeding tickets too", she chuckles.

"You're going to get my brother thrown out of office before he can get started Abigail", John says to his wife. "Congratulations, brother."

"Thanks, John."

"Congratulations Fitz", Bennie says, giving his older brother a hug.

"Thanks, Bennie. We're going to head out now."

"We'll see you all up at the house on Saturday", Olivia says.

"I wouldn't miss my granddaughter's birthday for anything", Maura says. "And Olivia, let me know if you need help with anything."

"Thank you Maura - Hildie has already gone up to get everything ready."

 _ **Wednesday**_ _ **Morning**_

" _Daddy, daddy. Wake up daddy",_ Cena yells as she runs into her parents' bedroom carrying a Thermos filled with coffee. She sets the Thermos onto the floor, next to the bed, and climbs onto her father's stomach and proceeds to bounce up and down, her attempt to wake him.

" _Daddy"_ , reaching for his eyelids.

"Cena, you're going to poke daddy in the eyes", Olivia says, walking into the bedroom carrying a tray of breakfast foods.

"He won't wake up, mommy."

"I'm awake, Princess", slowly opening his eyes and trying to recover from Cena pouncing on his stomach.

" _Mommy says you're pres"_ , looking over to her mother for assistance.

"President, baby. Now get down off of daddy so he can eat his breakfast."

Cena slides off her father's stomach and over to her mother's side of the bed.

"Look at my pajamas, daddy."

Fitz smiles when he sees his daughter's pajamas covered with his campaign picture and slogan.

"Good morning, Mr. President", Olivia says with a big smile as she sets the breakfast tray onto the nightstand."

"It's only City Council Liv, sliding up in bed and resting against the upholstered headboard.

"Well a lot of people voted for you and they're expecting big things from you. And so am I." Leaning in to peck him on the lips, which he quickly turns into a deep kiss.

"Your breakfast is getting cold mister", trying to pull away.

"But you're so hot", kissing her again.

"And you're so corny", standing from the bed and picking up the Thermos from the floor.

"What a night", reaching for his phone as she pours the hot coffee into the mug.

"This should help", handing him the coffee. "It's hot babe - be careful", setting the Thermos onto the nightstand. "Hildie helped me to plan the whole thing. I wanted everyone who supported you to have a good time."

"Supposed I'd lost?"

"Then we just would've had one big ole party."

He nods as he stares at the phone screen.

"Fitz, please put down the phone and eat your breakfast" setting the tray on his lap.

"I just want to see what's been happening since last night."

Reading the latest on his Facebook feed, Fitz sips the coffee and closes his eyes, savoring the heavy-bodied and bold flavor. He inhales deeply, thinking there is something familiar about the aroma.

"This coffee is really good, Liv. Is it a new blend?"

"It's the coffee from that diner you've been raving about for months. You have no idea what I had to go through to get the manager to sell it to me."

"You should've told him the president wanted a few bags", he say with smirk.

"It's _just_ City Council babe", winking at him.

"President Daddy", Cena chimes in while pushing Biker Princess back and forth across her mother's pillow.

"Where's JoJo?" Taking another sip of the flavorful coffee.

"She's sleeping, daddy. JoJo's always sleeping", Cena answers for her mother.

"You don't seem too excited about winning", sitting on the bed next to him.

"All of my favorites", looking down at the tray of food and smiling. "I'm excited, but l'm also tired. This was a long and grueling campaign, Liv. I can't wait until we get up to the house on Friday."

"Bacon, daddy", pointing to the strips of meat on her father's plate.

"Open, Princess", sticking the bacon into her mouth.

"Don't feed her like a dog, Fitz."

"I want a dog, daddy."

"I don't know, Princess. A dog is a lot of responsibility."

"But I want one", she whines.

"No dog Cena", Olivia says firmly and Cena folds her arms across her chest and pokes out her bottom lip.

"You have that meeting with Mayor Wilson this afternoon", smiling as she massages his thigh.

"That's one tradition I wish would be done away with."

"You're going to have to work with him, babe."

"I'm sure he's none too thrilled about that", sticking more bacon into Cena's open mouth. "He was quite vocal about who he was supporting during the campaign."

"It's also tradition for the loser to call the winner to concede."

"Well, you know there's nothing traditional about my former opponent. I didn't want to talk to him anyway, so it's best he didn't call", stuffing eggs and home-fried potatoes into his mouth.

"Your parents are so proud of you. Bennie and John are proud of you, too. They told me so."

"Uncle John is going to ride me in his truck, daddy."

"Your campaign advisers were so thrilled you won. I can't believe how well the Old and New Gs were getting along. I even saw Congressman Guildford dancing with Marcella."

"It was a party, Liv. Everyone is always on their best behavior at a party."

"Hildie was a godsend."

"You're a pretty good party planner, baby. Pucker." And she pecks him on the lips.

"Don't you think the music got pretty loud after a while?"

"I suppose, but everyone seemed to be having a good time."

"Did you eat anything last night?" Arching a brow as she watches him wolf down the food.

"Honestly, I don't remember", bringing the glass of orange juice to his lips.

"Cena has her dance lesson tomorrow. Can you believe they've already begun to practice for the Christmas show?"

" _I'm a tree daddy"_ , Cena yells and Fitz closes his eyes tight as her voice echoes in his ear.

"I know, sweetheart."

"Can you still take her or will the president be too busy?" She asks playfully.

"Never too busy for my Princess. Right Princess?"

"Right, daddy."

"Then we can leave Friday morning for the mountains. I hope Hildie isn't having too much trouble getting the house ready for our stay and Cena's birthday party."

"She hasn't called – has she?" Handing Olivia the mug to refill it with the flavorful coffee.

"No."

"Then everything is okay. Two whole weeks of relaxation and -"

"And swimming", Olivia says, stopping him from saying something inappropriate in front of their daughter.

" _I'm going to be five mommy"_ , holding up five fingers, and Fitz closes his eyes again.

"I know, and we're going to have a big party on Saturday just for you", squeezing her daughter's cheek.

"With horses and jumping balls?" She asks excitedly, bouncing on the bed.

"If I tell you then it won't be a surprise?" Looking at her giggling daughter. "No bouncing Cee, you're going to make daddy spill his breakfast", pouring her husband more coffee.

"Babe, I hope you don't mind, but I invited Marion to join us for the weekend.

"I don't really know her Liv", biting into the toast. "Bite Cee", placing the toast into his daughter's open mouth.

"You two are getting crumbs all over the bed", picking up crumbs from the sheet draped over his waist.

"I know you don't know her but she's a little down right now, so I thought getting out of the city for a few days might help to lift her spirits."

"Well, there's certainly plenty of room."

"You'll have the opportunity to get to know her. I'm sure you two will work together at some point."

He shrugs his shoulders and continues to devour the special breakfast.

"Cena, go check on your sister. Walk very slowly so you don't wake her. Okay?"

"Ok, mommy", crawling over her father and almost knocking over his plate. Fitz watches as Cena slowly creeps from the room then looks at his wife, wondering why she needed Cena to leave the room.

"Babe ..." she says slowly, topping of his already full mug.

He cocks his head to the side and looks at her with raised eyebrows. Her actions are a dead giveaway that he is not going to like what she is about to say.

"I want to visit Marla before we leave on Friday", rushing the words from her mouth.

"You have got to be kidding me", tossing the fork onto the plate.

"Babe –"

"Olivia, she stole money from the people she swore to help", he says angrily.

"She had a reason, Fitz."

"I don't give a damn about her reason. She's no better than a common thief."

" _Fitz!"_

"Don't Fitz me. Trying to defend her actions is a fool's errand, Olivia."

"I just want to be there for her."

"You almost lost the foundation -and you want to what – be there for her? I don't even know what the hell that means."

"And neither do I, but I won't abandon her", now preparing for a war of words.

"Have you lost your mind? When are you going to get it through your head that she's not the person you thought she was."

"We – I can't just turn my back on her – kick her when she's down. She needs me, Fitz. Besides, she's been exonerated."

"No she hasn't", staring at her in disbelief. "Kotch dropped the charges because he didn't think she was competent to stand trial. She wasn't absolved of any wrongdoings."

Rubbing her forehead, Olivia stands from the bed and starts to pace around the room.

"Do you know how this is going to look? City Council President-elect wife visits crooked former City Council President. The media has already had a field day at our expense."

"I know - but ..."

"There's not but. The people no longer have tolerance for this kind of thing, Olivia. They're tired of politicians lying to them and having their tax dollars stolen to support their lifestyles."

"She's all alone, Fitz."

"I won't be a part of whatever you're planning. I won't."

He has officially lost his appetite and Marla Briggs has once again found a way to ruin what should be a joyful morning in his home. He sets the tray down hard onto the nightstand, crawls out of bed, and storms into the bathroom to take a shower sooner than he planned. Feeling conflicted, Olivia sits on the edge of the bed and lets the tears flow. She does not want the situation with Marla to come between her and Fitz, nor does she want Marla and her daughter to be left alone. Marla would be devastated if she knew her secret had come out and her daughter was on the verge of getting evicted from the facility she risked everything to keep her in.

 **XXX – Wednesday Afternoon**

While it is tradition for the mayor to meet with the newly elected President of City Council the day after the election, Fitz is in no mood to meet with Mayor Wilson after the little tiff he had with his wife a few hours ago. He is still annoyed that Olivia wants to visit the woman who has been the source of so much discord in the city and in their home. But when he steps off the elevator on the seventh floor of City Hall he plasters on his politician's smile as the cameras flash. The mayor's assistant hurries to his office to let him know the new Council president has arrived.

Wilson downs the last of his bourbon and sets the empty glass onto the bar as he walks toward the door to greet Fitzgerald Grant. He also dons a fake smile for the media event.

"President Grant" Wilson smiles as he reaches for the man's hand.

"Mr. Mayor" Fitz says, smiling politely as he shakes the man's surprisingly cold hand.

After about a half-hour of answering questions and being photographed, Wilson dismisses the press from his office. All morning he has been apprehensive about meeting with the man who has the reputation for brokering some of the most difficult corporate mergers and acquisitions in the country. Grant is polished and used to playing on the big stage, and that makes Wilson uneasy. Wilson tried to warn Charlie about Grant, but the fool would not listen. He knew Charlie was no match for Grant, the man was way out of his league. Hell, if truth be told, he is no match for Grant, but he has to feign confidence because some important people are counting on him.

Unlike with Marla, Wilson knows he cannot buy or intimidate the wealthy businessman. Grant has too much confidence and too much money to fall for that tactic. But, Wilson comes from the streets, and he knows everybody has a weakness. And he knows the take-no-prisoners dealmaker's Achilles heel is his family, his wife and children.

"Have a seat Mr. President", Wilson says, walking over to the well-stocked bar. "Drink?" Holding up the decanter of his finest scotch. He also knows the man likes a good single malt.

"No - thank you. It's a bit early for me", glancing around the office as he sits in one of the chairs in front of the desk.

"Fitz - may I call you Fitz?" The mayor asks as he settles into the massive seat behind the desk.

"My family and friends call me Fitz", looking the man directly into the eyes.

As a trained Naval officer and attorney, Fitz is used to observing people's body movements. He is trained to listen carefully to what a person says, what they don't, and more importantly, what their body language says. Many years of sitting across the negotiation table from plaintiffs have taught him to observe a person's physical responses to his questions. Facial expressions, eye contact, posture all indicate what a person is feeling. And right now, Wilson is feeling nervous, as evidenced by him fidgeting with the sharp letter opener on the desk.

"Well, I hope in time you will consider me a friend – just like Marla", he says without an ounce of sincerity, as his eyes dart around the room.

And there it is Fitz thinks. The man is not wasting any time getting down to business.

"Fitz - Marla – the Council -has always deferred to this office on certain matters - matters that are of importance to specific segments of the community", he says hesitantly. "Our relationship was special in that way", sipping from the glass before setting it onto the desk.

Fitz nods his head and waits for the man to continue.

"For instance, take the matter of renovating the water treatment plant. We worked hand in hand to make that project happen. It was long overdue you know - and in the end - it worked out well for all concerned parties."

With pursed lips, Fitz nods his head slowly. He knows the water treatment plant project is how Marla funded those ghost accounts. Mayor Wilson unknowingly has just confirmed his involvement in the scheme.

"I'm sure - like with Marla - we can help each other to make this city a better place for people to live and do business."

"I see", Fitz says, holding the man's gaze.

"And one way we can work together to make this city a better place is to finalize the legislation to privatize our police department. Marla and I had begun discussions on how to make that happen - before she was fallen with her dreadful illness."

Wilson reclines in his chair and waits for Fitz to respond. Stunned by the mayor's blatant willingness to break the law, Fitz stares at the mayor for a long while, shaking his head.

"I'm afraid that won't be possible, Mr. Mayor."

 _"What?"_ Wilson's eyebrows shoot up and his mouth drops.

"The people elected me to help put an end to the kinds of _special_ relationships you and Miss Briggs enjoyed. I won't be part of any of your plans to cheat the people of this city."

Wilson's eyes widen and his breathing becomes shallow.

"Here's the thing Fitz, some important people want to see our police force privatized. And if you would just listen, you will see how this can be a win-win for everyone involved", rubbing the side of his nose with his forefinger.

Fitz shakes his head, wondering if the corruption ever stops.

"Think about it, on the free market, the citizens can choose the level of protection they are willing to pay for."

 _"Have you lost your mind? How the hell are the poor going to hire private police to protect their communities?"_

" _The same way they buy anything else - from whom they choose, and in the quantity and quality they choose. If they can't, then they will be no worse off than they are now. Hell, they can self-police."_

"Are you kidding me? Poor people don't hire other people to do things for them."

"Says the man who comes to the city to play and then hightails it back to the suburbs before it gets too dark", smirking at Fitz in contempt.

"You're not going to make this about me. This is about how the scant protection the weakened Fourth Amendment provides us is further dissipated in the face of privatized police. It's one thing to know and exercise your rights when a police officer pulls you over, but what rights do you have when a private cop—entrusted with all of the powers of a government cop but not held to the same legal standards—pulls you over and subjects you to a stop-and-frisk?"

Wilson snorts and waves his hand in the air dismissively.

"So you don't think stop-and-frisk is a problem in our city?" Growing annoyed by the smug look on the mayor's face. "So you don't think it is a problem that private police agencies across this country criminalize nonviolent activities like loitering and smoking marijuana. If you think police abuses are worrisome now, then you should know the abuses are more common with private security guards than real police. I won't be a part of this."

Weary of listening to the man standing on his high horse and preaching to him, Wilson abruptly stands in a huff, letting the chair slam against the wall.

" _So are you going to be the great white hope for those people in Springfield Heights, Tighlman, and Roosevelt? Is that what you want to be?"_

"I want to do the job the people elected me to do."

 _"You were elected Council president - what - 15 hours ago - and your first order of business is to bend me over my desk - to screw me?"_

"We're not that intimate Mr. Mayor", standing and glaring at the man who looks like he is ready to pounce across the desk.

" _A lot of people are counting on this deal to go through."_

"As long as I am the Council president, we won't be privatizing our police department. I won't pay you and your friends to ruin this city any more than you already have. Consider the legislation dead", turning and walking out of the office

" _You're making a big mistake, Grant. You're going to make enemies on this one",_ Wilson calls out to Fitz, who is already halfway down the hall.


	29. Chapter 29 A Real Princess

**Reader575** , Fitz is definitely walking into the lion's den. **Dakidd** , glad you're enjoying the story. **Tamarral** , you crack me up. What do you mean Charlie acts black? He is, by the way. **Bujuman** , a lot of pomp and circumstance just for a city council race. But goes to show you how cut-throat local politics can be. **Justbecauseican43** , you summed up what I have been attempting to do without losing the magic of these two. **LaJoyMechell** , Charlie, like many, doesn't want to take responsibility for not accomplishing their goals, but chooses to blame others. **Kkimberly49** , they have a lot going on and need a break. Fitz is all about protecting his family from any kind of harm. Over the next few chapters we'll begin to see how that plays out. They both have to see this Marla thing from the other's perspective. Remember what Dr. Brennan told Olivia a few chapters back about not writing off someone who has disappointed her. Thanks all for the reviews and follows. Here we go!

 **Chapter 29. A Real Princess**

 _ **Thursday**_

Shortly after Jolie was born Fitz and Olivia drove into the city to meet with Ebony Cartwright, the director of the New Freedom Modern Dance School, to discuss enrolling Cena into the children's dance program. Olivia thought dance class is exactly what their bouncy four year old needed to channel her seemingly unlimited energy and help her to develop better coordination. Olivia also wanted their older daughter to have something that was all her own – something she did not have to share with her new baby sister.

During the meeting with the anxious parents, Miss Cartwright explained Modern dance is a safe way for Cena to start to learn how to dance and improve her coordination. She explained Modern dance moves are all designed to encourage freedom of movement and personal interpretation. With this understanding of Modern dance, and Miss Cartwright's obvious love for teaching young children how to dance and move their bodies, Olivia and Fitz decided New Freedom was the place for their daughter.

With legs crossed, Fitz sits on the hard, metal folding chair in the corner of the dance studio watching his daughter and the five other little girls emulate the routine Miss Cartwright is choreographing in the middle of the room. He smiles as he reflects on his princess' early days in dance class and thinks how much her coordination and confidence have increased over the past few months. His attention is immediately pulled away from enjoying the sight of his little girl prancing around the room when his phone beeps, notifying him some activity has occurred on his account. Looking at his screen, he realizes he has missed a lot when he sees the red eight on top of the Facebook icon. He taps on the icon and begins to reading the latest posts and news stories. Fifteen minutes later he is jolted from his news feed when he hears Miss Cartwright's staff thumping hard on the tile floor.

"Okay girls, that's it for today. I will see you all back here next week."

The girls giggle as they scatter around the studio.

"And Cena, have a happy birthday."

"Thank you Miss Ebony", Cena calls over her shoulder as she pulls Asha by the hand to where her father is sitting."

"Daddy, daddy. My friend Asha is coming to my birthday party", she says excitedly as he slides the phone into his jacket pocket.

Fitz smiles at the little girl with the cocoa-colored skin, huge eyes, and long eyelashes adult woman pay good money for at the beauty supply store.

"I know, sweetheart. Hello, Asha", Fitz smiles at the little girl.

"Hi", Asha says shyly, holding on tightly to Cena's hand.

"And we're going to have cake. Right, daddy?"

"Right", Fitz nods in agreement.

"And ice cream, too. Right, daddy?" Nodding her head quickly, encouraging her father to confirm her claim.

"Right, sweetheart."

"And we can swim, too. Right, daddy?"

"If it's warm enough."

"We can swim if it's warm enough, Asha", Cena reports to her friend who clearly heard what Mr. Grant said.

"Put on your shoes, Cena, so we can get going. Mommy is waiting for us at home."

Holding hands, Cena and Asha run across the studio to collect their bag and put on their shoes. While the girls are gathering their belongings, Fitz walks over to the dance teacher to remind her that Cena will not be in class for the next two weeks.

"Miss Cartwright", he says with a smile, as dance teacher puts away the mats.

"Oh, hello Mr. Grant", looking up with a smile as she adjusts the strap on her African print crop top. "Cena is coming along nicely. She is more comfortable expressing herself in dance. She's come a long way."

"She has", Fitz says proudly. "All thanks to you."

"Well Cena is motivated. I couldn't give her that."

"That she is. Miss Cartwright, I wanted to remind you Cena will not be in class for the next two Thursdays - we'll be on vacation."

"Yes, I remember, Mr. Grant. And that's fine - Cena knows to practice our routine while she is away. We have our Christmas program in a few weeks."

Fitz smiles and nods, thinking about how his daughter spins around their family room practicing her dance moves.

"Well, good night, Miss Cartwright."

"Good night, Mr. Grant. And Mr. Grant, congratulations on winning the election", she says with a smile.

"Thank you", turning and walking over to where Cena and Asha are sitting on the chairs in front of the large plate glass window.

"Let's go, Princess."

"Bye Cena", the shy little girl says, waiting for her mother to come from work and take her home.

"Bye Asha", Cena says, waving and smiling brightly.

"Bye Asha", Fitz says, waving at the wide-eyed little girl.

Fitz holds Cena's hand as they walk out of the dance school and down the street to the garage where he parked the car. The last time he parked in that garage somebody scraped the paint on the passenger side of his car.

"Look daddy", Cena yells, stopping abruptly and pointing to the little girl mannequin in the store window. "She looks like me, daddy."

Fitz looks at the mannequin who is wearing a red leather jacket, white tee shirt, jeans rolled to her ankles, and a pair of white Keds sneakers.

"She kind of does look like my Biker Princess", he says with a smile.

"She has sunglasses like yours daddy", smiling up at her father. "Can I have them, daddy? Pleeeease?" Yanking her father's hand and trying to pull him toward the store.

Fitz looks at his watch then back at his daughter's pleading face.

"Okay, let's go inside and take a look at them. We can't stay long because mommy is waiting for us."

"Good afternoon, sir. How may I help you?" The young clerk standing behind the counter greets him with a smile.

"May I see a pair of sunglasses like the ones the little girl in the window is wearing?"

"Of course sir, but that's the last pair we have left - they're quite popular", the clerk smiles and walks to the window display to remove the sunglasses from the mannequin. "Here you go sir", handing Fitz the sunglasses.

"Try these on Princess", sliding the sunglasses onto his daughter's smiling face.

"Look in the mirror and see how you look", the clerk says, lifting the large round mirror from the counter and holding it in front of Cena's beaming face.

"They're cool, daddy", Cena say excitedly.

"They are, Princess", sliding them from here face.

"May I have them, daddy? Please, please, please?"

"They're the last pair, sir", the clerk says, helping the little girl to convince her father.

"Okay, we'll take them", handing them back to the young woman.

"Yay", Cena squeals, clamping her hands to the sides of her face before taking off running to the back of the store to play on the giant slide.

"Don't touch anything Cena", he yells to the little girl, who has already made it to the back of the store where the huge slide is on display.

"Your daughter is absolutely beautiful Mr. Grant", the clerk says, watching Cena run to the back of the store. Fitz looks at the young woman inquisitively, wondering how she knows his name.

"I follow you on Facebook and Twitter, sir. I also voted for you."

"Thank you", smiling politely, realizing he has to get used to being recognized in public.

As the young woman rings up the sunglasses, Fitz spots a silver tiara encrusted with rhinestones in the glass case at the check-out counter.

"May I see this tiara?" Looking at the back of the store where Cena is playing on the slide.

"Of course Mr. Grant", the sales clerk says with a smile, sliding the tiara from the display case and handing it to him.

Fitz twists and turns the tiara, examining the crown from all angles.

"It's so adorable", the clerk gushes.

"I'll take it. And may I have it in a separate box?"

"Of course, sir. I'm sure your daughter is going to love it."

The clerk sets the delicate head piece into the box, places the top on the box, then slides it into the small bag filled with red tissue paper.

"Come on Princess", Fitz calls to his daughter, who is still at the back of the store mesmerized by all of the toys. "We have to go."

Cena skips to the front of the store where her father is waiting and holding two bags in his hands.

"My sunglasses, daddy", looking up at her father with a crinkled brow.

"Got 'em right here", holding up one of the bags. "You can wear them tomorrow."

"Yay", Cena says happily.

 **XXX**

Passing each other as they walk back and forth from the closet to the bedroom, they begin to fill their suitcases with the clothes they will need for their two-week vacation at the new house in the mountains. It is November and the weather has been unseasonably mild for Washington, but it will surely be cooler in the mountains, especially at night.

"You better take a few sweatshirts babe", she says, sliding sweaters from the shelf on her side of the closet, and he nods.

"I don't want to have to pack every time we go up there, Liv. We should leave these clothes so we'll have them the next time we go back."

She nods, thinking that makes sense.

"We can just wash everything and pack them away for our next trip."

"We probably won't need these clothes the next time we go back - it'll be spring", he says, sliding sweaters and sweatshirts from the shelves.

"Over time we'll have enough clothes up there for all seasons. It's going to be a lot of work maintaining two houses - having two or more of everything", bending down to slide a few pair of jeans from the shelf. "I went to see Marla today."

"Of course you did", he says in frustration, pushing pass her and walking into the bedroom with an armful of the bulky clothes.

"Don't be like that", following him into the bedroom and placing her clothes onto the bed. She starts rolling her jeans and sweaters tightly and placing them into her suitcase.

"Why not? You do whatever you damn well please", he says, stuffing clothes into his suitcase. Surprised by his response, she stops rolling the clothes and looks over at him.

"That's not true."

"I asked you not to go see her", looking at her with his face set hard.

"No you didn't. You said you didn't want any parts of it", looking up at his tense face.

"What am I - a stranger? You know what I meant."

"I just needed to see her before we leave tomorrow. She's not progressing as well as the doctors would like", she says sadly, walking into the bathroom to retrieve her toiletries.

"So it wouldn't have mattered what I said", shooting her a look of frustration as he walks into the bathroom to get his toiletries too.

"We're going to have to bring these back home - we don't have extras. I'll buy another set of our soaps and shampoos for the next time", walking over to the shower to get her shampoo and conditioner. "Don't you have extras from when you were traveling?"

"I haven't traveled in a long time, Liv", picking up his shaving items from the counter.

I didn't want her to feel alone, Fitz. She would not have done any less for me if the situation were reversed - and you know it", closing the shower door with her foot.

"The situation wouldn't be reversed because you wouldn't steal from the people you swore to help", stomping back into the bedroom and tossing his shaving cream, priming oil, brush, and razors into the leather valet bag.

"You know she had reasons for what she did", glancing at the worn leather bag and thinking he needs a new suitcase.

"You know how I feel about that", walking over to the dresser to get tee shirts and sweat pants from his drawer.

"I do - I just hoped you would be a bit more understanding - more empathetic - to someone who is having a difficult time."

"So now I'm the bad guy?" Struggling to zip the overstuffed suitcase.

"You have too much in there. You should get your other suitcase", looking at the bulging container; but he ignores her suggestion. "She has done a lot of good, too. You shouldn't judge her whole career because of one mistake."

"One six-year-long mistake. There are going to be some changes made", he mumbles.

"What do you mean?" Turning around and looking at him curiously."

"I have to examine all of her policies to make sure they align with the needs of the people - not just her cronies. Some things might have to be undone."

"That's not how government is supposed to work, Fitz. You don't come in and undo what has been done. You look at what else needs to be done - what other issues need to be addressed."

"One - these aren't normal times - are they?"

And she tries not to roll her eyes.

"And two - it happens all the time, Olivia. What's the point in having different political ideologies if you're just going to continue what the person who came before started?"

"Well you don't have to do what has always been done – what everyone who came before you has done. Be bold. Do something different."

"Does that mean doing exactly what you want?"

He is beginning to get upset about her expectations for him as the new president of the City Council. He knows he should have said something about it to her sooner but he could never find the right time; so much has been going on.

"Maybe you should have run for office."

" _What?"_ Looking at him with widened eyes and mouth hanging open.

"You heard me. If there are certain policies you want implemented then maybe you should have run for the damn office yourself."

"Stop being ridiculous. I wanted you to run because I wanted you to safeguard Marla's good works - add to what she has been doing."

"So that's what they call it now?"

"I wanted you to make a difference in the city."

"Well I'm not Marla – thank god", he mutters under his breath, but loud enough for her to hear.

She ignores his off-handed comment and shakes her head as she watches him struggle with the bulging suitcase. She knows that zipper is going to break if he does not remove some of his clothes. He dislikes having to pack for any kind of trip and hates having to carry more than one suitcase whenever he travels, so he always tries to jam everything into one suitcase.

"Do you actually think I walked away from my company and spent the last eight months of my life running for office just to continue Marla Briggs' _good_ works? You are so blinded by that woman, Olivia, you can't see who she really is- and after everything she has done."

Olivia sighs silently because she really does not want to hear him rail against Marla again.

"She's not who you thought she was or who you needed her to be - you need to get that through your head", he says in exasperation as he tugs at the zipper. "I can't believe with everything you know about her you still want to prance around here trying nominate her for sainthood. Well I won't do it and I'm tired of hearing about her."

He stops pulling on the resistant zipper and glares over at his wife who is rolling the last few items of clothing she needs to pack into her suitcase.

"Do you realize how frustrating it was sitting in that meeting with Wilson yesterday and listening to him go on and on about wanting to have the same _special_ relationship with me that he had with Marla Briggs. Does everybody think I'm their damn puppet?"

"Fitz -"

"I could've fucking puked. It's disgusting how these people have been using city government as their personal bargaining chip. They make deals with special interest groups to enrich themselves - not to help the people who voted them into office."

"At least Marla could relate to the people who voted her into office", she says, placing the rolled up tee shirts into her neatly packed suitcase.

"And what the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"You can't change a thing if there is no empathy, Fitz", she says nonchalantly as she assesses the items in her suitcase.

" _Empathy?"_ Looking at her dumbfounded.

"Maybe your background makes you insensitive to those who've had to struggle - who didn't have your status and opportunities", she says with a shrug of her shoulders.

" _What?"_ Looking at her in disbelief.

"I'm just saying, when you have never had to struggle for anything, it can be difficult to understand the things people do who might not have the same options as you", she says casually as she walks back into the closet.

With brows knitted together and hands now resting on his hips, he stands near the bed waiting for her to exit the closet. She has no idea he has gone from being slightly annoyed about her visiting Marla to now being completely pissed off about her characterization of him.

"What are you talking about?" He asks when she finally walks from the closet carrying his favorite sweat jacket she likes to wear.

"I'm just saying, you've been given opportunities others don't necessarily get. You can't deny that", easily zipping her suitcase closed and pulling it from the bed and onto the floor. "Well, that's done", straightening her back and glancing over at his partially closed suitcase. "You should take some of those close out of your suitcase."

"I don't believe you're saying these things to me. I've worked hard for everything we have."

"I didn't say you haven't worked hard - I'm just saying you've had certain advantages", walking over to her vanity table to check if she has left anything.

 _"Advantages - what advantages?"_ His voice now up a full octave.

"Babe - you can't tell me you don't realize how you don't have to struggle like some others in our society", looking down at something on the vanity tray.

"I've had challenges in my life too, Liv. You know that", now way beyond being pissed off.

Hearing the anger in his voice, she turns slowly and is surprised to see how agitated he has become.

"Of course you have. I'm just saying you can't fix a problem if there's no political will, Fitz. And sometimes the will to help others comes from a place of understanding – from having actually walked in another's shoes", shrugging her shoulders and sliding the silver bangle from her wrist and setting it onto the vanity tray. She does not want to risk losing her favorite silver bracelet up in the mountains.

"Just because I don't want to follow in _Marla's_ footsteps doesn't mean I'm not sensitive to the needs of the people who voted for me", finally zippering the suitcase closed and tossing it over by the bedroom door.

"Well, maybe if you stopped spending all of your time bashing Marla and took more time to understand her policies you'd be better able to support those who voted for you", her voicing beginning to rise, too.

"That's why I don't like talking about these things with you."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Folding her arms across her chest and squinting at him from across the room.

"It means whenever we talk about _Marla Briggs_ or politics it ends in an argument – you get too emotional", unfastening the watch from his wrist and tossing it onto the nightstand.

" _Well maybe somebody around here needs to get emotional about the people_ _you_ _were elected to serve because you don't seem to care about them."_

" _Just because I won't gleefully embrace the policies of the inimitable Marla Briggs doesn't mean I'm not sensitive to the people of Springfield Heights, Roosevelt, and Tighlman. You know I care about –"_

" _You don't get brownie points for being sensitive to the people in those communities just because you're married to a black woman."_

He looks at her in disbelief and she looks at him wide-eyed, holding her breath. She knows she has crossed the line, but it is too late. The words are out there and she cannot take them back.

"What. Did. You. Just. Say?" Punctuating each word slowly and deliberately.

"I'm sorry. I didn't -"

"In case you have forgotten", he says through clenched teeth and taking a few steps toward her. "I married a woman who I fell madly in love with. I married Olivia."

"Fitz –"

" _And by the way, I was as white back then as I am right now. Not a damn thing has changed in eight years."_

Silence hangs over the tension-filled room as they stare into each other's eyes for a long while. And she shudders slightly, feeling awful when, for a split second, she sees a flicker of hurt in his eyes. He shakes his head in disbelief and storms from the room, slamming the door behind him. And Jolie begins to cry.

It was a heat of the moment response and, in her anger, she forgot a basic reality - no matter how angry you get, never say things you will later regret. But, she let her passion about the matter get the better of her and did not stop to think about the rules for fighting fairly. She just wants him to feel as passionately about the social issues as she does. After nursing Jolie back to sleep, she lay the baby back into the crib and rests her hands on the top rails and smiles at the baby girl who looks like her upset father. She dims the lights then goes downstairs to find her husband.

 **XXX**

Olivia walks slowly into the study where Fitz is sitting behind the desk typing on his phone. She hopes he is not telling the world about their fight.

"I'm sorry", she says meekly, wringing her hands.

"Don't you ever question my sensitivity again", tossing the phone onto the desk. "I care - in spite of the color of my skin."

"Fitz …" Walking toward him to clarify and apologize again for her thoughtless comment.

"Don't – not now", putting up his hand to stop her movement.

"Yes - now. We will discuss this now."

With face set hard, he folds his arms cross his chest and glares at her.

"I was wrong to say what I said. What I said is not what I meant to say – is not what I wanted to say."

She rubs the back of her neck because she knows she is rambling, not making herself clear, as he continues to glare at her sternly from across the room. He is not going to let her off the hook so easily this time.

"What I wanted to say – what I was trying to say – being sensitive – being caring - is not enough. Of course you care about the less fortunate - I know your heart. But the underprivileged don't need more of yours or anyone else's caring and understanding."

With lips formed into a straight line, he continues to glare at her as she takes a step toward him.

"The people who live in those marginalized communities have had enough of empathetic, caring, and understanding people. What they need are for those empathetic, caring, and understanding people to act on their behalf – to do something that will make a difference in their lives. Those activists got their issues on your radar, but it will take the will of you and the rest of Council to push legislation through - to back it up with policy. They need you to allocate funds for programs that will help them out of their current situation."

"Well Marla damn sure didn't do that. She and Wilson took and took and left crumbs for the people", he says harshly, unwilling to relent on the Marla matter. But she will not let her obstinate husband draw her back into that argument.

"They need quality schools so their children can have the chance to one day compete with our children, Fitz."

"You injected race, Liv. Everything isn't about race."

"Fitz, race plays a big part in every aspect of life. It's in this country's DNA."

"So are you saying I am insensitive to the plight of the people in Springfield Heights, Roosevelt, and Tighlman because of the color of my skin? Well that's rich."

"All I'm saying is your experiences are different from the people who live in those communities. And because of those differences, it can be difficult to be empathetic to their needs when you're so disconnected from them."

"Liv, your background is more similar to mine than it is to the people who live in those communities, but you still manage to help through your foundation. Empathy in action - isn't that what you always say?"

She looks at him stunned.

"So again, are you saying the color of my skin precludes me from caring – from helping the people in those communities?"

"No – I didn't mean …" She stutters defenselessly.

"Just because you're black doesn't automatically mean you're more empathetic to the plight of those living in underprivileged communities."

She turns her head slightly, looking at him in surprise.

"And - if you haven't noticed - there are a lot of good white people in this world, Olivia."

He smiles inwardly because now he is teasing her and she does not realize it because she is still embarrassed by her words and somewhat hurt by his admonishment. She wraps his oversized sweat jacket around her body and her lips tremble, and he continues his private pleasure because she looks like Cena after she has been reprimanded for doing something wrong. Revealing a slight smile, he extends his hand to her and her eyes travel back and forth from his large hand and his eyes. After a moment or so of contemplating whether she should take the olive branch, she walks over and places her hand in his and he pulls her onto his lap. No matter what, he will never stop loving her, even when she is being unreasonable and annoying. Ashamed of her baseless accusation, she stumbles out another apology, which he accepts quickly and unconditionally.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean –"

"I know", nuzzling his face in her neck.

"Remember, you must listen to what I say, not just hear what I am saying, before you bite off my head."

"I was so upset. You just didn't seem to understand the urgency of the situation."

"Two things" pressing his lips on her temple then running the tip of his nose up and down her cheek. He closes his eyes and inhales deeply, knowing he will never tire of smelling the uniqueness that is her.

"One - you're deflecting."

"I'm not", pulling away in protest to look at his face.

"You are - and you know you are. Now lean back."

"This is about us and no one or anything else. Not the people of Springfield Heights or the people of Tilghman or the people of Roosevelt. No one else."

"Two - our different political beliefs and approaches to solving the problems of the city will not cause fissures in our marriage. We've worked too hard to allow that to happen."

She nods.

"And Liv, you can't try to make your political passions mine - we've already been through that. I get that you're passionate about these issues, but it becomes a problem when your passions spill over to my beliefs. You have to respect my perspective."

"That was three things - not two", smiling at him playfully before pecking him on the lips. "I just get so -"

"Emotional", he chuckles, sliding his hand around her waist and pulling her closer.

"I was going to say energized."

"Change is never easy, Liv. Nor is it quick or cheap."

"I understand - but -"

"But the money isn't there. There isn't enough revenue coming in from the property taxes to pay for everything you want –everything that's needed. You said yourself the city didn't have the money to fund all the projects you hoped to initiate through the foundation."

She looks up at him, surprised he remembers what she said when they were at John and Abby's house.

"When you're responsible for people's lives you have to know that you have the finances to pay for the things they need. Do you want Council to raise taxes on the very people who are already struggling to make ends meet? Because that's the only way all the things you want are going to happen."

She smiles and pecks him on the lips again.

"You're becoming such a public policy wonk babe", he sighs and kisses her on the temple again.

"I can't wait for us to get out of here tomorrow. We've been going at warp speed since before the election. First we had JoJo."

She raises her perfectly arched eyebrow, giving him a look that says she does not recall him pushing out Jolie.

"Well, you did all the work but I was there cheering you on", and she rolls her eyes at the man she loves with all of her heart. "I just want us to relax for a few weeks before things start to get hectic at the Council in January."

Come on, let's go to bed. We have a long day tomorrow", standing from his lap and pulling him onto his feet.

 _ **Friday Morning**_

Marion tosses the small suitcase into the trunk of her car and sets the bag containing Cena Grant's birthday gift next to the designer luggage. She sets the bag with the house-warming gift on the other side and slams the trunk lid shut. Once settled behind the steering wheel of the little red sports car, she immediately reaches for her sunglasses and catches the big smile on her face in the rearview mirror. She is so happy to get away from the city for the weekend, thanks to Olivia Grant. Needless to say, Marion was beyond stunned when Olivia called and invited her to spend the weekend with the Grant family. After all, her behavior at their last meeting surely did not warrant an invitation to Olivia's family event. But thank goodness Olivia Grant is a forgiving woman because Marion was not in the mood to spend another weekend alone.

"Come on, Liv", Fitz yells from the bottom of the staircase. "I want to get up there before next week. You know Cena is going to want to swim in the lake as soon as we get there."

"Coming", she yells from the nursery as she finishes changing Jolie for the third time this morning. Her baby girl has had diarrhea since last night and all she wants to do is poop and sleep.

"JoJo, your daddy is such a yeller. Had I known he was a yeller before we were married maybe I wouldn't have –"

"Olivia, there won't be any point in leaving today if we don't get on the road right now", standing at the bottom of the staircase typing his last tweet for the next two weeks.

 _ **Thanx 4 ur support - couldn't have done it w/o you. Taking family 2 mountains 4 2 weeks of fun & relaxation. #NoTwitterNoFB. **_

"Come on baby girl. Let's get moving before your father blows a gasket", picking up Jolie from the changing table.

As Olivia walks down the stairs she remembers she has forgotten a most important item, so she runs back to their bedroom, snatches open her lingerie drawer, and grabs the red, lace bodysuit. This will give him something to yell about later tonight she thinks as she smiles to herself. She stuffs the lingerie into the diaper bag, grabs Jolie's carrier, and hustles down the stairs before her impatient husband starts yelling again.

"Oliv –", sliding the phone into his pocket.

"I'm right here, Fitz. We're right here. You can stop yelling now. Sheesh."

"What's taking you so long? Cena and I have been waiting in the car for …" He looks down at his watch. "For 15 minutes now." She rolls her eyes because Cena has become a mini Fitz, never wanting to be late for anything.

"JoJo is still battling diarrhea. I've already changed her three times this morning."

"Is she going to be okay for the ride?" Fitz asks with concern as he takes the carrier from his wife's hand.

"She'll be fine - right Miss Jo?" Giving the sleeping baby a sympathetic look. "She's drinking the Pedialyte that Dr. Jordan said to give her. It's just taking a little while to start working."

"You're a real trooper aren't you, Angel?" Fitz coos at his six-month-old daughter.

"Buckle Jolie into her car seat while I grab a few more bottles of Pedialyte from the pantry."

"Don't take too long", he yells, walking out of the front door carrying Jolie.

 **XXX**

The car is packed with everything they will need for two weeks of swimming, playing indoor and outdoor games, and roasting marshmallows and hotdogs around a campfire. After they went to settlement on the house, Olivia and Fitz ordered everything online for their vacation home: furniture, dishes, linens, toys for Cena, including a new bicycle that will remain at the new house. And of course, Fitz just had to buy the monstrosity he calls a grill. Hildie has been up at the new house for the past week to greet the delivery men and organize the house for their stay. Week one will be all about spending time with family and friends to celebrate Cena's fifth birthday and Fitz' election win. The second will week will be just their little family, relaxing and enjoying time together before life gets hectic again.

Fitz straps Jolie into the back seat, across from Cena, who is decked out in the outfit her father helped her to pull together earlier in the morning. Her attire makes her look like the little girl on display in the store window. Fitz even pulled her hair up into a messy bun like the little girl mannequin.

"I'm a real Princess, daddy", Cena smiles brightly as she touches the rhinestone-encrusted tiara he placed atop her head.

He winks at his smiling daughter, walks around the car, and climbs behind the steering wheel. After a few minutes of waiting for his wife, he blows the horn, hoping to hurry her along.

 **XXX**

"I just don't understand why it always takes you so long to get ready", merging the car into the interstate traffic.

"Well, I have a lot to do", she says.

"And I don't? I got Cena dressed this morning and we still had plenty of time to spare", and Olivia rolls her eyes.

"And _I_ had to repack _your_ bag this morning because you wouldn't listen when I told you the zipper was going to break.

"I have to make up time if we're going to get there so Cena can go swimming today. It should be warm enough."

"You can't make up time, babe. There's a lot of traffic this morning", sliding on her Clubmaster sunglasses and leaning back against the soft leather seat for the two-hour drive to their new vacation home.

"The traffic should ease up in about an hour - after we get through the last tunnel."

She nods, fumbling inside the purse for her phone.

"Babe, I've been thinking ..."

"About what?" Focusing on the cars darting around the highway.

"I'm not sure how practical your car is any longer - now that there are four of us."

"What are you talking about?" Quickly glancing over at her in disbelief.

"You should think about trading this car in for something more family oriented – something like a minivan", she says seriously while texting her parents that they are on their way to the new house.

" _What?"_ He shrieks, gripping the steering wheel tightly. "A minivan - are you kidding me?"

"I'm serious, Fitz. You'd have so much more room –"

"I wouldn't be caught dead in one of those boxes. Besides, there's plenty of room in the back for the girls."

"I'm just saying -"

"Why don't you trade in your Q5?" He asks just as seriously.

"No way. I love my SUV. Besides, there's enough room for Cee and JoJo in my ride", pressing the icon to send the message to her parents.

"Well, I love my car too and they have enough room back there", glancing in the rearview mirror where he sees Cena playing on her tablet and Jolie is still sleeping.

"I won't be driving a minivan – ever."

"You should think about it", she says, looking at the traffic jam ahead of them.

"Daaaad-dy, she's sleeping again. JoJo is sleeping again", Cena yells.

"Well she won't be sleeping much longer Princess if you keep yelling."

"Don't worry about JoJo babe, you know she can sleep through almost anything."

"Mommy, look at my sunglasses", Cena yells, twisting and turning in her seat. When Olivia turns around she does not know what to look at first; the outfit, the sunglasses, or the tiara.

"Oh my god", she exclaims with eyes the size of meatballs.

"I have sunglasses - just like daddy, and a tee ..." She looks in the rearview mirror at her father so he can help her with the word.

"Tiara, Princess", glancing in the rearview mirror at his daughter's happy face. Cena smiles at her mother, nodding her head up and down.

"Did you lose the heart-shaped glasses I bought you?" Still trying to absorb the sight of her daughter.

"No. I wanted a pair just like daddy's", she says in a sing-song voice.

"You bought her aviators just like yours?" Olivia asks, looking at her husband's profile as he inches the car along in the bumper-to-bumper traffic.

"Yup", looking straight ahead and not bothering to offer more of an explanation.

"And a tiara?"

"Yup."

"Sheesh."

Olivia looks at her smiling daughter one last time, wondering how much all of that stuff cost, before turning on the radio.

 _ **Breaking News**_

 _Mayor Theodore Wilson has been indicted by a grand jury on racketeering charges. The 15-page indictment accuses the mayor and two associates of devising a series of schemes ranging from conspiracy involving bribery and concealment of unlawful campaign contributions to advance their own personal interests._

" _I'll stand by my previous statement, I have never been involved in any wrongdoings, any unlawful activity, or any misappropriation of state or local funds. I am not a crook", Wilson said before climbing into the back of the city-issued Town Car._

He finally got his due", Olivia says while reaching to turn off the radio, and Fitz nods. They ride in silence for a while, each thinking about the continuing fall-out from the scandal.

"I spoke with Hildie before we left. She says all of the furniture has been delivered and is all set up. She sounds excited that we'll be arriving today. She also said to congratulate you on winning the election."

"Hildie and excited, somehow those two words don't seem to go together", Fitz says with a chuckle.

"The house looks wonderful from the online videos. I just can't wait to see what it looks like in person - with all of our stuff in it."

"I'm sure Hildie has done a terrific job. Joan came through again", he says with a nod.

"Do you remember our first sunset together?" Smiling as she slides her hand across the console and caressing his hand resting on the gear shift.

"I do. That was back when I was trying to impress you."

"So you mean you didn't like watching the sunsets?"

"That's not what I said at all. I said I was trying to impress you."

"So you no longer try to impress me?"

"I didn't say that either", focusing on the highway now that they have gotten through the traffic jam.

"Then what are you - Cena look", Olivia yells, pointing to the huge, white mountain goat perched high on one of the rock formations.

"Wow, he's pretty mommy", she says in awe.

"Pull over Fitz so Cena can get a closer look at the goats."

Fitz pulls the car over to the side of the road and they get out so Olivia can take pictures of the stately goat peering down at them.

"There are few baby goats up there behind that big rock", Olivia says, pointing up at the goats feeding on the grass jutting through the cracks in the granite.

"Stand in front of the mountain babe so I can take your picture with the goats."

"Should I get Jo?"

"No, let her sleep. By the time you get her out of the car seat the goats will be gone."

Fitz lifts Cena and sets her onto his shoulders as Olivia prepares to take their picture.

"Smile. No – no. Wait - wait", rushing over and straightening the tiara on Cena's head. "Now say cheeeese."

"Cheeeeese", father and daughter say in unison while making silly faces at the camera.

"We better get going if we want to swim in the lake today", setting Cena onto the ground after Olivia snaps a few more pictures.

Fitz buckles Cena into her car seat and climbs behind the steering wheel as Olivia slides back into the passenger seat.

"That was a nice surprise", smiling as she scrolls through the pictures on her phone.

"I want a goat daddy", Cena yells.

"I thought you wanted a dog", winking at Olivia.

"I want a goat and a dog", kicking the back of her father's seat as she plays on the tablet.

 **XXX**

"Time for road trip songs", Fitz says, enjoying the hum of the Turbocharged engine moving the car up the mountain.

"Yay", Cena squeals.

"Let the top down, Fitz. It's such a nice day."

He presses the button to retract the roof and begins to sing one of his childhood songs as he guides the car around the switchback road, ascending the mountain.

" _We'll be coming around the mountain when she comes",_ Fitz begins.

" _We'll be coming around the mountain when she comes."_

Cena joins in, yelling the same verse.

 _We'll be coming around the mountain, we'll be coming around the mountain, we'll be coming around the mountain -"_

Olivia looks between the two as if they have lost their minds.

"Are you kidding me?" Looking at her husband in disbelief.

"What?"

"Who sings that song any more, Fitz? It's so old."

"We do - right Cee?"

"Right, daddy."

As Cena begins to sing again, Olivia frowns and looks out of her window at the beautiful scenery. After a few more minutes of being tortured by her husband and daughter singing the outdated song, Olivia is unable to take it any longer, so she presses the icon on the phone to start her newest playlist. Prince's _Let's Go Crazy_ begins. With the convertible top down, Olivia and Fitz sing off key at top of their lungs as he snakes the car up the mountain highway. The young couple in the car next to them give a thumbs up when Olivia turns up the volume as _When Doves Cry_ starts to play.

"Prince really made some good music, babe."

"Yes he did", Fitz says sadly, and Jolie stirs a little as Jill Scott's _Can't Wait_ begins to play. Olivia smiles, bobbing her head to the pulsating beat.

 _There's something on my back  
That I need to get off baby  
The world's been nuts  
Just the other day  
I had to reprimand a grown-up  
Who am I to act this way  
But sugar I'm the boss lady  
Busy handling and managing  
But oh  
When I get next to you baby (hey)-  
Ain't nobody gonna be there  
But me and you, you, you, you_

 _I can't wait baby  
(Can't wait to be loved by you)  
I've been working so hard and so long_

"Daaaad-dy", Cena yells, kicking the back of his seat again.

"How long is this yelling phase going to last?" Glancing over at his wife who simply shrugs her shoulders thinking she has been wondering for the last six years how long his yelling phase was going to last.

"Mommy says she's the boss lady", Cena yells again, and Olivia bursts out laughing before turning around and looking at her giggling daughter.

"Cena, don't repeat everything you hear."

"She certainly is, Princess. She certainly is", bobbing his head to the beat.

"You have a nice mix of music this time, Liv."

"What do you mean this time? I always have good music."

"You don't have to get so testy", reaching across the console and intertwining their hands.

"Do you want to shift?"

"I'm not getting testy. My music is always better than yours. Right, Cee?"

"I like daddy's songs", she says, bouncing in her seat. Olivia scowls at her husband and he smiles, continuing to bob his head to the music.

"She is such a daddy's girl", sliding her hand onto the gear shift.

"Cena is special to me, Liv. I love JoJo with all of my heart, but Cena will always hold a special place in my heart."

"Aww babe, you're getting misty-eyed – just like when we bought her home."

"She's my firstborn – my Princess, Liv."

He glances in the rearview mirror at his Princess playing happily on her tablet.

"Cena, put your seatbelt back on", he says sternly.

"And she has become a little you too, babe. You know she's going to sulk because you yelled at her."

"Shift", he says and Olivia pushes the car into the next gear.

"Do you remember the first time I tried to teach you how to drive a stick shift?" Chuckling at the memory.

"I don't want to talk about that", she says flatly, looking straight ahead.

"You finally got the hang of it. Shift", he directs again, and Olivia pushes the gear shift as Fitz presses the gas pedal, easily guiding the powerful car up the mountain. "Switchback roads make it so much easier to drive up these mountains", he says as the car weaves back and forth along the road.

"I just love it up here, babe. It's so serene", admiring the spire mountains to her right. This is truly god's country."

He nods, focusing on the road ahead.

"How much longer before we get to the house?"

"Another hour. When we get through the last tunnel we'll be about a half-hour away."

"I love the old tunnels", she says, smiling as he approaches the first tunnel. Fitz stops the car a few feet from the mouth of the tunnel and blows the horn.

"Why are you blowing the horn?" Looking at him strangely.

"To alert a driver at the opposite end that we are about to enter. These tunnels are only one-lane-wide -very narrow - so only one car can go through at a time. If a car is already in the tunnel they will blow their horn twice, and we'll have to wait for them to exit. The cars at the opposite end have to wait until we come through before they can enter. Everybody knows that, Liv."

"Well I didn't."

Fitz slowly enters the tunnel and the granite walls cast a shadow over the car.

"There isn't much room in here for error", he says, creeping along at the designated five-mile-an-hour speed limit.

"There's no more than three inches clearance on either side. I can reach out and touch the walls", sticking her hand out the window and touching the cool granite.

"It's like threading a needle", he says, concentrating on navigating the car through narrow space.

"I'm scared, daddy", Cena yells.

"We'll be out of the tunnel soon, sweetheart."

"I don't like the tunnel, daddy. It's too scary."

"There's only one more after this one Princess", exiting the tunnel and waving to the cars waiting in line to enter.

"Yay", Cena squeals.

"I have a special gift for you tonight, Mr. President", winking at him with a smile as she thinks about the red bodysuit she stuck into Jolie's diaper bag. And he smiles in anticipation as Boyz II Men _End of the Road_ starts to play.

"I like this song", Fitz says, placing his hand over hers that is resting on the gear shift.

"Cee, are you excited about your birthday party tomorrow?"

"Yes, mommy. I want lots and lots and lots of cake."

"Well you have to share it with your guests - your grandparents, uncles John and Bennie -

"And Asha and Deon and Tiffany and Keenan and Timmy."

"Then you'll open all of your presents."

"Lots and lots and lots of presents", kicking the back of her father's seat again.

"No kicking, Princess."

"The van is scheduled to bring Cena's friends and parents up by noon tomorrow", she says.

"That was a good idea to hire a driver. I'm sure the parents weren't too thrilled about the prospect of making the two-hour drive up here."

 **XXX**

Fitz down shifts, slowing the car as he approaches the entrance to the second tunnel. He stops the car and blows the horn, and someone in the tunnel blows their horn two times. When the car finally exits the tunnel, the smiling man waves and Olivia and Fitz smile and wave back at the man and his family.

"Our turn", Fitz says, shifting the car into first gear, slowly accelerating to the speed limit of five miles per hour as they enter the tunnel.

"I can't see daddy", Cena yells.

"Take off your sunglasses Cena", Olivia says.

"We'll be through in a few minutes, Princess. This one is a little longer."

"I'm hungry daddy."

"We'll get something to eat soon – when we get to the house."

"I want a hot dog. And I want to swim", kicking the back of her father's seat again.

"It smells like Jolie is going to need some water too when we get to the house", Fitz says, frowning at the familiar odor", as he slowly creeps the car through the granite passageway.

"That diarrhea has really gotten the best of Miss Jo", Olivia says. "She's been asleep for the entire ride."

" _What the hell?"_ Fitz yells, pressing on the horn when he sees the headlights closing in on them.

"Oh my god", Olivia screams in panic, shielding her eyes from the blinding lights illuminating the tunnel.

Fitz continues to press hard on the horn, trying to alert the driver to back out of the tunnel, but the truck continues to advance forward at a high rate of speed. Fitz quickly shifts the car into reverse and presses the gas pedal, and the roar of the BMW's powerful engine reverberates against the granite walls as the car sails backwards.

"I'm scared, mommy", Cena cries, tears streaming from under her aviator sunglasses as she watches the huge truck barrel toward them.

"Hold on tight baby. Just hold on tight", Olivia says, her voice laced with fear.

Olivia glances over at her stone-faced husband as he moves the car backward and away the oncoming truck. The runaway truck is mere feet away and Olivia can see its huge front tires and the shiny, chrome grill as Fitz tries to outrun the unrelenting truck. Cena's tiara falls from her head as she screams, watching the monster truck get closer and closer.

"Oh my god, they're speeding up", Olivia screams in horror, glancing in the back at her daughters. "They're trying to kill us, Fitz. Dear god, they're trying to kill us."

The two engines growl and roar, one driver taunting and pursuing while the other retreats, trying to save his family. Summoning everything within him, Fitz pushes the gas pedal to the floor and the engine growls louder and the high-performance tires screech on the unpaved surface, sending dust and debris swirling around the tunnel and into the car. As the car travels backward at full throttle, he prays another car is not entering the tunnel.

Exiting the tunnel at full speed, Fitz hits the brake pedal hard, bringing the car to a complete stop. With panic in their eyes, he and Olivia look at each other wondering what the hell just happened. And in a blink of an eye, the truck shoots from the tunnel like a missile from its launch pad. With eyes bulging and heart pounding like a jackhammer, Fitz quickly shifts into first gear, pressing his foot down hard onto the gas pedal as the truck barrels toward them like an out-of-control freight train. He swerves the car to the right, into the side of the mountain, and two tons of steel crash through the windshield before finally coming to a stop on the hood of the convertible.

All of the airbags have deployed and Olivia is trapped, unable to move, and the foul odor of burning rubber curdles her stomach and she wants to vomit. She has the worst headache ever and the blaring horns are not helping matters. As she struggles to extricate herself from the seatbelt, she hears Jolie screaming over the horns and Cena crying out for her father. Olivia looks frantically over to her husband for help, but sees him slumped back against the seat with blood trickling from his forehead and mouth. The truck's massive front wheels have crashed through the windshield and are pressed against his chest. And she begins to cry because her family needs her but she is unable to move. And suddenly, everything goes dark.


	30. Chapter 30 Fantasy Denied

**A/N: ***WARNIG***** This chapter contains a graphic scene, so skip the first few pages or the entire chapter if you are squeamish. The number and range of responses to the last chapter was incredible. The reviews ranged from anger and disgust to shock and surprise. For those who were angered and disgusted by the accident and believe the scene came out of nowhere, I assure you it did not. If you chose, go back to Chapter 19, Water, Water Everywhere. In that chapter, and in subsequent chapters, I began spending a lot of time describing Fitz' car. That was a hint something was going to happen to that car, although I realize you might not have seen the accident coming. For those who found the accident upsetting because of personal life experiences, I am sorry you are having challenges and wish you peace. And for those who had certain expectations for the chapter, well they were not my intentions. **Skidd,** glad this story is evoking all kinds of emotions for you. That's a compliment for a writer. **Guest 1,** Fitz should stop sharing his personal life on social media. He also told Shelby Sage, the reporter, where they were going. Don't know if you have children, but it is not uncommon for children from infancy to the toddler years to battle a host of maladies: colic, ear infections, colds, etc. And many things can cause diarrhea. This won't be Jolie's last illness. Remember, Cena had her illness as well. **Guest 2,** I sleep well at night. You might be projecting. BTW, accidents happen every day and children are involved in them, unfortunately, because they are riding in cars with their parents. **Guest 3,** Queen of angst? Hmmm. Thanks for all of the feedback. Here we go!

 **Chapter 30. Fantasy Denied**

For the past two months Marion has been putting in a lot of long hours at the office, in part, due to the mayor's request, or better yet demand, that his staff justify the cost variances across all city departments. He wants to know why the expenses for some departments are under budget while the expenses for other departments are over budget. He wants answers and he wants them yesterday. Although the answers to his requests are obvious, no one will dare say so, at least not out loud. Ever since the Marla Briggs' scandal was made public, it has been next to impossible to deal with the irascible Mayor Wilson. The press is hounding him daily, asking tough questions about what he knew about the scandal and when he knew it, making him more ornery than ever. And when he is miserable, he makes sure everyone around him is miserable as well.

Over the past few months, Wilson's staff meetings have been nothing less than a firing squad. In the middle of a meeting he would randomly select the department head he was going to train his sights on, who he was going to berate and humiliate. And at the last staff meeting, following the election, he decided it was Marion's turn to be demeaned, and he did so in the most brutal and vicious way to date. After the Director of the Department of Streets finished his update, the mayor turned to her, chomping on that offensive cigar, and demanded she show him the data pertaining to the rise in sexually transmitted diseases across the city and her plans for fixing the problem. Stunned by his request, because no one ever has their numbers at these meetings and she cannot stop people from having unprotected sex, she stumbled out an incoherent explanation, which only served to fuel his anger. However, today he was not taking any excuses from her and made it clear that if she did not get her act together she will soon find herself in the unemployment line.

As everyone filed out of the mayor's office, the Director of the Department of Records, whispered in Marion's ear the reason for the man's visceral attack on her. So she started working 15-hour days to make sure she has the information the mayor wants, in advance of the next staff meeting. While Marion does not mind working long hours, especially since she does not have anyone waiting for her at home, she hates being bullied. She also hates that the mayor is taking out his hate for Fitzgerald Grant on her. While it is not a secret, but somehow Wilson found out she has been working with Olivia Grant on the Wraparound Program. And any friend of the Grants is an enemy of Wilson.

After working such long hours and eating fast food almost every night for the past two months, the stress has begun to take its toll on Marion's body. Feeling sluggish and unfocused, she decided on her drive home from work one night to start taking better care of her body. She decided to get a personal trainer, a decision that was surprising to her because she hates all forms of exercise. But she hired Greg as her personal trainer and began working out with him three days a week. She even started to eat more healthy foods, and not just sticks and twigs, thanks to the nutritionist to whom Greg introduced her. Her commitment to nurture her body is paying off because she is feeling good and looking even better. She is projecting the image she wants the world to see.

With the report about the cost variances for Health Department on Mayor Wilson's desk, Marion left work early yesterday, dashing off to her favorite day spa to put her body in the shop. After all, the package is not complete without a professional manicure and reflexology pedicure. She wanted to look her best when she arrives at the Grants' home, so halfway through her pedicure and her second complimentary glass of wine, Marion decided to add a few more services to her appointment card: eyebrow threading, a facial, and hair coloring. Of course the staff was more than willing to oblige the last-minute, add-on services for one of their most loyal clients.

 _ **Friday**_

As Marion winds the sports car down the face of the mountain, she dismisses the odious mayor from her mind and sings along with the music flowing through the Bose speakers. She is going to forget about work and enjoy herself this weekend. Although it will not be a haute couture kind of gathering, Marion still wants to look her best so she packed some her finest casual clothes and swimwear for the getaway. No sweat or yoga pants for her. And, she would never be caught dead wearing one of those oversized men's tee shirts or sweatshirts. She is a lady and she likes to look like a lady. That is why today she is wearing her Donna Karan white, ankle-length skinny jeans, a Michael Kors yellow silk blouse, and Valentino cow hair, peek toe, chunky heel sandals that display her bright red toe nails.

She turns up the volume on the radio mind and smiles as the warm breeze blows the beautiful extra-large Hermes printed scarf that is wrapped around her neck. She thinks about the day she decided to bite the bullet and buy the pricey scarf, chuckling as she recalls her internal debate about the practicality of spending a small fortune on a whisp of material. But after 15 minutes of dueling with her alter ego, she dismissed the sounds in her head and plopped down her credit card onto the counter to purchase the vintage scarf. She convinced herself the item was well worth the money; after all, she will have the classic accessory until she took her last breath on this earth.

Marion sighs as she glances down at her phone to check how much farther she has to drive before arriving at her destination. According to the GPS app she should be arriving at the Grants' vacation home in about 45 minutes. She wishes Olivia had told her about the tunnels when she gave her the directions because she definitely would have taken a different route. She is claustrophobic and driving through that last narrow tunnel was a nail-biting experience. She grips the steering wheel and inhales deeply, preparing for the next tunnel, which is about a mile long. She hopes it is not as narrow as the last one.

She frowns when the GPS alerts her to an accident up ahead, praying she will not have to take a detour. As much as she hates having to drive through another tunnel, she hates even more the possibility of having to detour around the massive mountain. She is tired of driving and just wants to get to the house, relax, and hopefully have a glass of wine or two. When she sees the flashing police lights up ahead, she groans, presses her foot onto the brake pedal, and brings the car to a rolling stop. As the young patrolman approaches the car, she presses the button to roll down the window fully.

"Good afternoon, ma'am", tipping the brim of his hat and smiling at the attractive woman.

"Hello, officer. Is something wrong?" Stretching her neck trying to get a glimpse of what is going on up ahead.

"I'm afraid we've had an accident so I'm going to have to ask you to turn around and follow the detour signs", nodding in the direction of the orange sign she did not see. "We won't be letting anyone into the tunnel for quite some time."

"I see. Is anyone hurt? I'm a physician - maybe I can be of some assistance?"

"Surely, ma'am", becoming animated as he pulls on the door handle. "I'm waiting for the ambulances to arrive, but maybe you can check out those people in that car before the ambulances get here. It looks like we have a few fatalities."

"Of course. Of course", she says, sliding from behind the steering wheel.

"Over here, ma'am - I mean doctor", the patrolman beckons. "The people in that crumpled BMW seem to be a family. The driver, I assume is the father, hasn't moved since I got here. I think he's a goner. I'm waiting for the tow truck to come and pull that SUV off of him."

"This is a really bad accident", Marion says, glancing around at all of the personal items strewn across the road. The patrolman shakes his head as he watches the attractive doctor strut down the road in the stylish sandals. He is not used to seeing women up here wear those kind of shoes.

"There's a little girl in the backseat, on the driver's side, who hasn't moved since I got here. The women in front, on the passenger side, I assume is the mother. She hasn't moved either. You might want to take a look at the driver first, since you can get to him, although I think he is a goner. It looks like the only survivor is the baby in the backseat - I think a girl - who has been screaming her head off since I got here."

Marion nods, listening intently as the patrolman fills her in on the condition of the people in the car.

"What about the driver of the SUV?" Wondering how that truck ended up on top of the car.

"Oh, he's dead, ma'am. It looks like he was ejected from the truck on impact."

As they approach the crumpled vehicle, Marion shakes her head when she hears the baby crying. She wonders how they are going to get to the people on the passenger side since the car is pressed against the mountain. Marion has worked in hospital emergency rooms in some of the toughest cities around the country and, as an emergency room doctor, she has seen almost every conceivable injury one can imagine, like gunshot wounds, stabbings, amputations, and lacerations. And as an emergency room doctor she learned to handle tragedies with cool detachment, understanding the devastation she sees is all part of the job. But all her years of training and experience did not prepare her for what she was about to encounter on the isolated road in the mountains of Washington state.

When she and the patrolman reach what is left of the car, she gasps, stumbling backward into the patrolman. Her knees come close to buckling when she sees Fitzgerald Grant slumped back in the driver's seat, bleeding from his head and mouth. She glances out the shattered windshield at the huge tires pressed against his chest then back at his unresponsive face. With tears rolling down her face, she glances over at Olivia, who is unconscious with her head tilted toward her husband. Marion quickly looks in the back seat at the two beautiful children who Olivia raves about all of the time, and sees Cena, who is still strapped in her booster seat with her head slumped to the side. She looks as if she has fallen asleep while playing with her tablet. And baby Jolie, who is still strapped in her car seat, is screaming nonstop, as if she is in excruciating pain.

" _Oh my god"_ , bringing a hand to her lips.

"Ma'am, is everything all right?" The patrolman asks, looking at the woman's distressed face and wondering if the lady doctor fears the sight of blood.

"I know these people. I'm meeting them at their home today", she says in panic.

Quickly recovering from the shock, her medical training kicks in and she goes to work on Fitz. Pressing her finger against the side of his neck she prays she can feel a pulse, but what she feels are distended neck veins. He is in respiratory distress and there are no sounds of breath.

" _Ink pen"_ , she yells, pushing past the deployed airbag to rip open Fitz' shirt, but the young man gives her a dumbfounded look.

" _Give me your goddamn ink pen"_ , she yells.

The confused patrolman fumbles with the button on his shirt pocket, trying to retrieve the ballpoint pen. Finally pulling the pen from the pocket, Marion snatches it from his hand and jams it hard into Fitz' right lateral pneumothorax and blood splatters onto her yellow silk blouse. She pulls the pen from the hole in his side, quickly bites off the top, and removes the ink line. Bug-eyed, the patrolman's mouth falls open when she reinserts the hollowed out pen into the hole in Fitz' side, relieving the excessive air pressure in his chest.

" _Where is the damn ambulance?"_ Looking at Fitz' face regaining its color.

"You did a good job, ma'am - doctor. You saved that man's life."

She shakes her head when she looks over at Olivia and is frustrated because she cannot get to her with the door pressed against the side of the mountain. So she quickly turns her attention to Cena, opening the back door and leaning into the car to check if the little girl has a pulse. The patrolman looks up when he hears sirens blasting, sighing in relief when he sees the black Chevy Tahoe pull onto the scene.

"I gotta go, ma'am. My chief is here", he says, running toward the black SUV.

 **XXX**

Police Chief Andrew Schuller is a big burly man who frightens most people with whom he comes in contact, especially his young patrolmen who are fresh out of the academy. But anyone who knows him, who is really close to him, like his wife and daughter, knows he is nothing more than a big teddy bear. And they know how scenes like this deeply affect him, even after being in law enforcement for 17 years. So Chief Schuller sits in his truck for a while, gathering his thoughts as he looks over at the wrecked vehicles. When Schuller sees Patrolman Jefferson running toward the truck, he takes a deep breath, reaches across the console, and slides his hat from the passenger seat. He rolls out the truck wondering how many casualties they have this time. For years he has been petitioning the county commisioners to close these old tunnels, but they are a tourist attraction, encouraging people and their money to come upstate and drive through them.

Schuller shakes his head as he watches the rookie patrolman run toward him, holding onto his hat to prevent it from falling from his head. The kid would not last a week on the mean streets of Philly Schuller thinks before barking out a litany of questions and orders.

"How many casualties do we have this time, Jefferson?" Chief Schuller asks when the out-of-breath patrolman reaches him.

"I thought we had a few, but the doctor saved one", he says excitedly and quickly.

"Slow down, Jefferson. Doctor - what doctor?" Schuller asks, glancing around the accident site.

"The lady doctor over there", pointing to Marion who is leaning inside the back seat of the car. "She saved that man's life with an ink pen, chief. I've never seen anything like that in my life."

"You mean you left her over there all alone?" The chief asks in disbelief.

"Well, I saw you coming, sir", confused by his commanding officer's response.

With eyes darting quickly around the horrific scene, Chief Schuller pushes past the patrolman and stomps over to the car. Jefferson follows closely behind him.

"How many more in the car?" Schuller growls to the patrolman without bothering to turn around.

"Three, sir."

"Are they alive?"

"I don't know, sir. One is, but two others haven't moved since I got here."

"And see if you can turn off those damn horns. They're giving me a goddamn headache."

"Yes, sir."

"Is that a dead body over there?" Schuller asks, frowning as he points his finger in the direction of the figure laying across the road.

"Yes, sir. It looks like the guy over there was ejected from the SUV."

"Well cover him up, Jefferson. Don't leave him laying out in the open for the vultures to feast on him."

"Yes, sir", Jefferson responds, running to his patrol car to get the black tarp stored in the trunk.

"And where are those damn ambulances?"

"They're en route, sir."

"And Jefferson, put some yellow tape across the entrance to that tunnel. No one in - no one out. Tell the people at the other end they have to take the detour. We're gonna be here a while."

"Yes, sir."

 **XXX**

"How does it look in there, doc? _Shit, there's a baby in there?_ " Schuller exclaims when he hears Jolie screaming.

"Cena has a weak pulse and I can't get to Olivia. Her door is jammed against the mountain", Marion says quickly

"You mean you know these people?"

"We are all meeting up here - at their home - to celebrate Cena's birthday."

"Damn", Schuller says, shaking his head. "My patrolman says you saved this man's life", looking at blood splatters on the women's yellow blouse and white pants.

 _"Where are the ambulances? Fitz has a collapsed lung. He's in shock and isn't going last much longer out here._

"They'll be here any –"

The sounds of the sirens cut off the chief's words and he and Marion turn and look in the direction of ambulances. They step aside as the tow truck pulls alongside the car.

"Get that damn truck off that man's chest - right away - so they can get him to the hospital. Stevie, you're gonna have to pull the car away from the mountain so the EMTs can check on the lady and get that poor baby out there", Schuller directs.

Stevie hooks the SUV to the tow truck, jumps back into the truck, and slowly pulls the SUV off the hood of the car. He has never seen anything like this before and he has seen a lot of accidents.

"Now get that man out of there and get him to the damn hospital", Schuller yells at the paramedics.

The paramedics cut away Fitz' seatbelt and airbags and carefully pulls his six-foot-two-inch frame from the driver's seat. They gently place him onto the stretcher, securing him in place with the straps.

 _"Get him into the ambulance and get the oxygen on him and an I-V. We gotta get him to him to the hospital right away"_ , Marion yells as the paramedics stare at the ink pen protruding from Fitz' side.

"Did you do that?" The male paramedic asks, and Marion nods, hugging her body as the tears stream down her face.

"Get him over to the ambulance and get his daughter - get Cena", Marion directs the second paramedic.

The young female paramedic nods, quickly cutting away Cena's seatbelt and carefully lifting her limp body from the booster seat. As she is placed onto the stretcher, the rhinestone-encrusted tiara falls from her head and onto the ground.

"Would you like to ride with them?" The paramedic looks at Marion, who shakes her head no. She needs to stay with Jolie, Olivia would want that.

Stevie jumps from the truck, sloshing through the puddles of red and green fluids leaking from the vehicles, and slides the lift under the chassis of the mangled car. He jumps back into the truck and shifts it into reverse, backing up slowly and pulling the car away from the side of the mountain. The metal wheels on which the flattened high-performance tires are mounted, scrape against the road, digging deep into the earth, and all movement halts. Marion and Schuller look over at the driver in panic, and he waves his hand, indicating he has everything under control. Stevie pushes the hydraulic lift button, raising the car slightly from the ground. Once again, he shifts the tow truck into reverse and slowly backs up, pulling the car sideways, away from the mountain. A paramedic runs over to the passenger side of the car to check on Olivia.

"We gotta a pulse here", the paramedic calls out and the other rushes over with the stretcher carrying the medical bag.

Marion runs to the back of the car to check on Jolie, whose cries continue to pierce the otherwise still mountainside. Pushing past the deployed airbag, she quickly realizes a fractured wrist is the cause of the baby's screams, so she unbuckles the car seat and lifts the Jolie from the seat. Her yellow, white, and green daisies romper is completely soiled and the one yellow braided texture moccasin that remains on her foot falls to the ground. As Olivia is placed onto the stretcher, Marion rushes Jolie over to the waiting ambulance.

"I need to put a splint on her wrist", Marion yells, and the paramedic nods, rushing to gather the items needed to set Jolie's fractured wrist. Within minutes a splint is on the baby's left wrist, preventing further movement and damage.

"She has to get out of these soiled clothes", Marion says, looking at the paramedic. "Get me some wipes and towels."

Marion removes Jolie's romper and tosses it onto the ground as the paramedic digs into the drawers in the ambulance in search of wipes.

"We don't have anything to put on her", the paramedic says as she hands Marion a handful of wipes.

After cleaning the screaming baby, Marion snatches the scarf from around her neck and wraps it tightly around Jolie as the paramedic wheels Olivia over to the ambulance.

"I'll ride in the ambulance with Olivia and the baby", Marion says, holding Jolie close and patting her back, trying to console the crying baby.

 **XXX**

Once the ambulances have left the scene, Chief Schuller begins the arduous task of trying to figure out what the hell happened, what caused the deadly accident this time.

 _"Jefferson"_ , he calls out to the patrolman as he walks over to examine the car.

 _"What the hell?"_ Schuller exclaims when he hears something crunch underneath his right, size 14 boot. He bends down and picks up what appears to be a little girl's crown. He shakes his head as he pulls a clear, plastic evidence bag from his back pants pocket and slides the mangled crown into the bag.

Having been sensitive to loud noises most of his life, Schuller whips his massive body around when he hears music blasting from an approaching vehicle. He stuffs the plastic bag into his jacket pocket and frowns as walks toward the Jeep. When he reaches the driver's door, he crinkles his nose at the familiar odor.

"What's going on officer?" The young man shouts over the blasting music. Schuller's frown deepens because the young man cannot discern the difference between a patrolman and a chief.

"I'm sorry, but you're going to have to turn back around, there's been an accident. The tunnel is going to be closed for a while."

"Steph, isn't that the Beemer we saw a ways back - the one where the people were blasting some really good music?" The young man asks his disinterested girlfriend who has yet to look up from her phone screen.

"You saw that car earlier?" Schuller asks with a newfound interest in the young man.

"Yeh, I'm pretty sure that's it. A black 750 convertible - sweet I was thinkng when I saw it. They had the top down and I think there were a couple of kids in the back. Isn't that the car, Steph?"

"Can you turn off that music so I can ask you both a few questions?"

The young man presses the icon on his phone to turn off the music, which quickly gets Steph's attention.

"What the hell, Rodney?" Looking up from her phone in annoyance.

"I'm going to need you both to step out of your vehicle so I can ask you a few questions."

Rodney quickly jumps from the truck and a reluctant Steph slowly climbs from the passenger side.

"Now you say you saw that car a little ways back?" Schuller resumes his questioning.

 _"Oh my god",_ Steph squeals when she sees the mangled BMW. "That's - that's the car we saw earlier", pointing toward the car with one hand and covering her mouth with the other.

"What did you see?" Schuller asks.

"They were just singing and acting silly. I thought they were pretty cool for an old couple", Steph says, stll looking over at the accident site.

"Did you see them drinking anything? Did they have any open cans or bottles in sight?"

"No - nothing. We saw nothing like that", Rodney says, unable to look away from the mangled car.

"Okay, thanks for your cooperation. I'll just take a look at your drivers' licenses and will contact you if necessary", extending his hand waiting for the two to produce their identification.

"Why do you need our license? We didn't do anything. We didn't see the accident?" Steph protests.

Trying hard not to lose his temper, Schuller groans to himself and counts to three, the way his therapist taught him when he is ready to explode. He does not have time for this shit. He does not have time for a couple of kids who are high on weed and who think they know their rights. He has a dead body sprawled across the road, a severely injured family who is on their way to the hospital, and a closed tunnel that people want to drive through. So his patience is real short right about now.

"Maybe I should take a look inside your truck and see what you have in there", he threatens, taking a step toward the truck.

"Give him your damn license, Steph", Rodney shouts at his stubborn girlfriend, as he reaches into the back pocket of his cargo shorts for his wallet. Steph rolls her eyes, opens her crossbody purse, and slides out her driver's license. Schuller photographs their licenses then hands them back to the young travelers.

"You can take route 363 to get to the other side of the tunnel", turning and walking back toward the crumpled car.

 **XXX**

Brushing aside the debris from the airbag and shattered glass, Schuller stretches his large body inside the car to examine it for evidence, for signs of drugs and alcohol. Not seeing any open cans or bottles in the cup holders, he picks up a cell phone from the floor on the passenger side. He opens the glove box and retrieves the registration card. The car is registered to Fitzgerald and Olivia Grant of Church Falls. He then searches the back seat of the car and picks up a tiny yellow moccasin from the floor. Reaching is long arm over the car seat, he picks up a broken pair of little girl's aviator sunglasses, and he smiles because his Jennifer has a pair just like them. Before backing out of the car, he slides the tablet from the seat and tucks it under his arm.

" _Jefferson_."

"Yes, sir", Jefferson replies, jogging over to the car and stepping onto the hooded sweat jacket. "Looks like somebody was in the Navy", Jefferson says, pushing aside the soaked jacket with his foot.

"Bag this stuff and have Stevie tow what's left of this car to the garage."

"Yes, sir, chief. How did the family look when the ambulances took them away?" The young patrolman asks.

"Not good. Not good at all. Everybody seems to be unconscious except the baby. The doc says she has a broken wrist, that's why she was screaming her head off. The dad and the other little girl took the brunt of the accident."

"It's a shame - they look like good people. Goddamn drunk drivers", Jefferson says, shaking his head in disgust.

"How do you know the driver of the SUV was drunk?" Schuller asks, as he walks over to the tarp-covered body.

"The dead guy's truck reeks of alcohol, sir."

"Well he's done. He won't be putting another family in danger", Schuller says as he pulls back the tarp to look at the battered body.

"Good riddance", Jefferson says, spitting out his chewing tobacco onto the shattered glass near the dead man's body.

"Call the medical examiner and have them come pick up this body."

"Yes sir."

"Then get pictures of everything. We gotta get a crew out here to clean up this damn mess and get this tunnel back open."

"What about the lady doctor's car?"

"Stevie", Schuller calls over to the tow truck driver who is leaning against his truck and looking down at his phone. Schuller shakes his head wondering why the hell everybody is always looking at their damn phones.

" _Stevie"_ , he yells this time.

"Yes, chief", the young driver finally responds as he slides his phone into his pocket.

"Tow that little red sports car over there back to the station when you tow this thing", looking in the direction of Marion's car.

"Sure thing, chief."

 **XXX**

Chief Schuller walks over to the entrance of the tunnel thinking about the numerous times he has petitioned the county commissioners to install video cameras at the entrance to the old tunnels since they will not close them. But the local residents do not want video cameras and traffic lights installed because they want to retain the integrity of the tunnels. They do not want to defile history with technology. The residents believe the outdated signaling system of blowing horns to alert drivers when a car wants to enter the tunnel is sufficient. But yet here he is again, investigating another fatal accident. If cameras were installed at the entrances, it would be much easier to investigate these accidents and figure what actually happened here today.

Schuller pushes up the yellow tape and ducks under to enter the dark passageway where he sees headlights at the other end of the tunnel and a line of cars waiting to enter. He wonders if Jefferson has taped off the entrance and put up the detour sign. He pulls the flashlight from his hip holster and waves it from side to side, shining the light against the granite walls and onto the ground. Like an old frontiersman, he follows the two sets of tire tracks halfway through the tunnel. Whatever happened seems to have started at this point, scratching his chin as he looks down at the ground. Schuller walks out of the tunnel backwards, following the two sets of tire tracks out to the road. He shakes his head as he studies the tire tracks, something just does not seem right to the veteran law enforcement officer.

Schuller walks over to where the sedan seemed to have come to an abrupt stop, then suddenly took off again, colliding into the side of the mountain. He wonders what would have caused a man who is on vacation with his family to suddenly crash into the side of a mountain. He also wonders why the driver of the SUV was traveling at such a high rate of speed in the tunnel, causing such a violent crash that landed him on top of the car. He shakes his head - something just does not seem right about this accident. It does not appear the driver of the SUV tried to brake to prevent the crash. Perhaps the truck's braking system malfunctioned, Schuller ponders as he stares at the SUV. The mechanics at the police garage will have to figure that out.

"What's the matter, chief?" the young patrolman asks, carrying something in his hand as he approaches Schuller.

"Something's just isn't right here, Jefferson", glancing around the accident site.

"What do you mean, chief?"

"What would cause a man to suddenly crash his car into the side of a mountain – with his family in it? And how in the hell did that truck end up on top of that car?"

The two men glance around the site for a moment trying to figure out the mystery.

"Maybe he swerved into the mountain to prevent from crashing through that the guardrail over there", Jefferson says, pointing across the road. "If he'd crashed through that guardrail, they would've landed at the bottom of that 30-foot embankment, and they all would've been a goner."

Schuller nods, rubbing the sides of his jaw with his calloused fingers thinking Jefferson might be on to something.

"You know, Jefferson, there might be hope for you after all", reaching into his inside jacket pocket for a cigar.

Jefferson smiles brightly at one of the chief's rare compliments.

"Now get in there and put that tape at the other end of the tunnel. And tell those people on the other side this road is gonna be closed for a while."

"Yes sir", Jefferson says proudly as he runs toward the tunnel.

 **XXX**

The chief walks over to the guardrail, shaking his head as he tries to avoid stepping on all of the personal items thrown from the suitcases and now strewn across the road. Kicking broken glass with his boot and sidestepping the contents of broken bottles of toiletries and bars of soap, he bends down and picks up a flattened red item, and wonders what the piece of plastic used to be.

"Look what I found, chief", Jefferson says, running over to Schuller and holding up what appears to be a leather-bound book. "It looks like some sort of diary or something."

"Damn, this things reeks of booze", the chief says, contorting his face and holding the book by the corner. "Bag it and put it with the other evidence."

Schuller bends down and picks up a broken bottle resting in the pool of brown liquid streaming across the road. Chomping on his cigar, he holds up the bottle by the neck in an attempt to read the soaked label attached to the glass.

"Damn", he says, half to himself, recalling the days when he enjoyed a good glass of scotch. The days when he could drink any man under the table. But those days are all behind him now, he has not had a drink in five years. Susan told him it was either the bottle or her.

"What you got there, chief?"

"Balvinie - scotch – 30 years old", Schuller says, looking at the bottle reminiscently.

"Is it any good?"

"At a $1000.00 a bottle it's damn good, Jefferson. Smooth as silk. Smooth as a woman's …"

Something laying across the road catches the chief's eye and he walks over to investigate, with Jefferson following closely behind him. Schuller squats, sitting on his haunches, and picks up the red lace material falling out of the baby's diaper bag.

"What's that, chief?"

Schuller fingers the red, lace bodysuit then looks back at the broken bottle of scotch he is still holding in his hand.

"A man's fantasy denied", tossing the broken bottle over the guardrail and down the embankment. "Bag this with the rest of the evidence", handing the patrolman the bodysuit before walking back to his truck. "I'm going back to the station. I gotta figure out what the hell happened here."

 **XXX**

With hands stuffed deep into his pants pockets, Geoffrey Tynes stands in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows in his office at Grant Enterprises, allowing the sun streaming through the windows to warm his face. His office is a slightly smaller version of the one the company's owner occasionally occupies, but he enjoys the view from his office much better because he can watch the joggers make their way around the trail. It has been unseasonably warm in Washington these last few days so more people are out on the trails getting in their run before winter blankets the park with snow.

Geoffrey smiles ruefully when he thinks about the day Fitzgerald Grant pulled the last trick from his bag trying to convince him to leave a successful job in New York City and move to a small town in Washington, of all places, to join Grant Enterprises. While Geoffrey admired and respected the famous negotiator, he had no desire to leave the big city and move to a small town. He had enough of small town living and small town beliefs and values. But Fitzgerald Grant was persistent, and he spent three days in New York City trying to convince Geoffrey of the benefits of joining his firm. The starting salary was quite impressive, he would earn more than he was currently making, which was pretty difficult to top. Of course the benefits were of the highest standard, so that was not a factor for him. However, Geoffrey was struggling with the idea of returning to the kind of small town in which he was raised, the kind of place from which he escaped after graduating high school and going to Yale.

Geoffrey thinks about how Fitzgerald Grant explained he could have located his offices anywhere in the world, but he chose to remain in Church Falls, Washington. Church Falls is where his family lives, it is where he was raised as a child, and it is where he wants to raise his children. He explained to Geoffrey how important family is to him and how he wanted to establish a work team that would be an extension of his family. He also argued that the business deals would allow Geoffrey to travel around the world, so he would not be limited to having a Church Falls-only experience. While Geoffrey appreciated Grant's Pollyanna views of Church Falls, he still was not sold on the idea of leaving New York City. But the sly negotiator had not given up on trying to convince Geoffrey when he showed up at Geoffrey's apartment lobby at 5:20 one morning to join him on his daily five mile run.

 _ **Flashback**_

"I thought you hate running", looking at the man who appears eager to embark on this new adventure.

"I do, but I I'll run with you every damn day if that's what it'll take to convince you relocate to Washington. We have wonderful jogging trails in the great state of Washington, you know? And, if you agree to join my company, I will be your jogging partner - a few days a week."

"You're kidding, aren't you?" Looking at the man decked out in running gear he obviously bought last night from the mall.

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" He says with a smile, modeling his new athletic gear.

"Well let's go - let's do it", Geoffrey says, jogging toward the front door.

Geoffrey decided to really test Grant's conviction, so he took him on the most circuitous and rugged route in the city, and he was impressed by the man's ability to keep pace with him. An hour and fifteen minutes later they arrived back at the apartment building, both red-faced and winded.

"Water?" Geoffrey asks, walking over to the table holding containers of lemon water and plain water, and Fitz nods, unable to speak.

"I run at 5:30 every morning - rain or shine", handing Fitz the cup of water. Fitz nods as he brings the cup to his lips, quickly guzzling the cool liquid.

"You're insane you know? I took you on one of the toughest running trails in the city and you hung in there - now I am impressed", reaching for the cup to get Fitzgerald Grant a much-needed refill. "I can be in Church Falls in a month." Walking back to Fitz and handing him the cup. "Deal?"

"Deal. You won't regret it, Geoffrey."

 _ **End Flashback**_

Geoffrey closes his eyes as he waits for his small staff to join him in his office. He does not know how he is going to tell Sandra and Marcus that their boss and his family were in a horrific accident while driving to their vacation home. How does he tell his employees that Fitzgerald Grant is hanging on to life by a thread?

"Geoffrey", Sandra says hurriedly as she breezes into the office, interrupting his reverie. "You could not have picked a worse time to call an impromptu meeting. I have to get over to the courthouse. It's challenging enough trying -"

"What's going on, Geoffrey?" Marcus asks, walking up to the office. "I just got your text …."

Marcus stops abruptly in the doorway when he sees Sandra standing in the room holding her ever-present tablet.

"Oh - I didn't realize this was a staff meeting", smoothing his tie before buttoning his jacket.

"Geoffrey, please. Can you tell us what this is all about so I can compile the documents for your trip tomorrow?"

Red-faced and eyes brimming with tears, Geoffrey turns away from the window to face his staff and Sandra's heart starts to pound wildly. She is panicking because she has never seen the usually calm and reserved man so emotionally distraught.

" _My god, Geoffrey"_ , bringing a hand to her chest and taking a few steps toward the desk. _"What's going on – what's the matter?"_

Marcus also begins to panic as he looks back and forth between Sandra and the man standing behind the desk with his hands stuffed into his pants pockets. While always a friendly and affable man, no one would ever accuse Geoffrey Tynes of wearing his heart on his sleeve, of being an emotional man. But something obviously has happened to shake that well-crafted image.

"Something has happened – there's been an accident", and both Sandra and Marcus hold their breath, watching as Geoffrey slides a hand from his pants pocket and rakes his fingers through the usually well-coiffed, strawberry-blonde hair.

"Earlier this morning – Fitz – Mr. Grant and his family were in an automobile accident on the way to start their vacation."

" _Oh my god"_ , Sandra exclaims.

"I don't have all of the details, but apparently they were hit by a drunk driver."

Marcus presses a tightly balled fist to his lips, trying to fight back the tears.

"Is he – are they?" Sandra manages to choke out.

"I talked to Fitz' - Mr. Grant's brother – John. He says Mrs. Grant has suffered a severe concussion and the baby has a broken wrist."

"Dear, Lord", Sandra mumbles half to herself. "And Mr. Grant?" Sandra asks nervously, and Marcus walks deeper into the room as he searches Geoffrey's face for a sign of what he is about to say.

"I'm afraid it's not good. Mr. Grant and his older daughter, Cena, are in critical condition. It seems they suffered the brunt of the accident."

Sandra drops into one of the chairs in front of Geoffrey's desk and Marcus no longer tries to stem the tears, so he allows them flow freely. Mr. Grant is a good man and has been good to him. If it were not for Fitzgerald Grant, he would never have gotten the opportunity to work in such a prestigious firm before completing his law degree. And he surely had been looking, knocking on the doors of all of the top law firms in the city. He is trying to wrap his mind around what he has heard as he thinks about election night, four days ago, when everyone was celebrating Fitzgerald Grant's victory.

"When will you know more, Geoffrey?" Sandra insists as she pulls tissues from up her sleeve, her usual storage place."

"John will contact me when he has more to share. In the meantime, we continue on here with our duties - running Grant Enterprises. Mr. Grant wouldn't expect anything less."

Sandra and Marcus nod and the three remain silent for the next few minutes, not knowing what to do next. Do they all stay huddled together, like most people want to do when a tragedy occurs? Or do they each go their separate way, back to their workspaces and try to remain calm while praying for the Grants.

"We should all try to get back to work", Geoffrey says, fumbling nervously with the papers on his desk. I will keep you posted as soon as I hear anything."

"Of course", Sandra says in a daze as she stands shakily from the chair. Marcus wraps an arm around her shoulders and escorts her down the long hall and back to her desk in the reception area.

"Can I get you anything, Sandra?" Marcus asks, looking into the woman's tear-filled eyes.

"I don't know – I don't know."

"Sit down, Sandra while I get you some water.

Still clutching the tablet to her chest, Sandra sits at her desk and stares across the empty reception area.

"Drink this, Sandra", Marcus says, handing the woman a glass of water.

"Thank you, Marcus. Thank you". With trembling hands, Sandra lifts the half-full glass of water to her lips.

"I'm going to make a few calls, Sandra. I'll be back shortly to check on you", giving the woman the best encouraging smile he can muster.

"Of course – of course", Sandra stutters.

Marcus walks quickly back down the long hall to the small office Sandra set up for him after he was hired as Geoffrey's assistant. He pulls out his phone and sends a group text to Marcella, Rashid, and Jason; and within seconds his phone is ringing.

" _An accident? When? How bad?"_ Marcella fires off her questions while Rashid and Jason listen on the conference call.

"We don't have a lot of information right not, but I can tell you the baby has a broken wrist, Mrs. Grant has a severe concussion and is in shock."

" _Oh my god"_ , Marcella says with tears running down her face.

"And Mr. Grant and Cena …" Marcus rubs his forehead as he paces around the small office.

"Just say it, Marcus", Jason demands through the speakerphone.

"I understand they're in pretty bad shape."

Listening quietly, Rashid drops his chin to his chest and shakes his head in despair.

"Do you know happened, Marcus?" Rashid asks anxiously.

"All I know right now is they were hit by a drunk driver while on vacation."

"Cena's birthday is tomorrow", Jason says to no one in particular.

"None of this gets posted on social media – not until we know more. It's the family's call about what they want to share – and when", Marcus directs.

They all nod in silence as the tears stream down their faces.

"I have to tell Mrs. Grant's assistant - they're friends", Marcella says through the tears.

"But no one else, Marcella. We owe it to the Grants to protect their privacy as much as possible. I'll text you when I have more information. And, let's all pray for the Grants."

They all nod in silence before disconnecting the call. Marcella pulls on her jacket, grabs her purse from the bottom desk drawer, and pulls out her phone to order an Uber car. She cannot wait for public transportation today, she has to get over to the foundation and tell Mona what has happened.

 **XXX**

Mona picks up her phone from the desk when it beeps, alerting her that someone has entered the waiting area. She taps on the security camera icon and smiles when she sees Marcella standing in the waiting room.

"Come on back, Marcella", Mona says cheerfully. She chuckles when she sees Marcella jump and look around the room trying to figure out where the voice is coming from. "Just come on back, Marcella. I'll explain when you get back here."

Mona pushes the buzzer to unlock the door that leads to the private office space. This additional security was a welcomed part of the renovation, especially after Charlie Barber's unexpected visit last year. Stomach in knots, Marcella pushes open the door and hurries down the hall in search of Mona's office. She passes Mrs. Grant's empty office and the tears begin to roll down her face again, and by the time she reaches Mona she is in a full-fledge meltdown.

"Marcella, I can see everything from …." Mona stops talking when she sees how shaken the young woman is.

"Marcella, what's the matter? What has you so upset?" Setting her phone onto the desk as she walks over quickly to the young woman. Placing her hands on Marcella's shoulders, she looks into Marcella's tear-filled eyes. "What's the matter – what's happened?"

"There's been an accident, Mona."

"What do you mean an accident? What kind of accident?" Mona's voice rising with each question.

"Mrs. Grant.…"

And before Marcella could say any more, Mona's world seems to have stopped. Her heart seems to have stopped as well as she grips Marcella's shoulders tightly.

"A drunk driver", Marcella continues quickly.

Mona legs weaken and she stumbles backward, reaching for the desk, reaching something solid, something she can hold on to. Her ears are ringing and she cannot comprehend what Marcella is saying. She sees the woman's lips moving, but she cannot hear anything she is saying. She cannot breathe.

"Sit down, Mona", Marcella says anxiously, as she helps the stricken woman into the chair next to the desk.

Mona wraps her arms around her body and begins to pray out loud as Marcella shakily lifts the glass carafe from the desk and pours water into the glass.

"Drink this, Mona", raising the glass to the woman's lips.

Mona tries to take a sip but she cannot swallow, so she shakes her head and waves away the glass. After a moment, she manages to take a few shallow breaths, an attempt to regain her voice.

"Is she?"

"No", Marcella says quickly and repeats for Mona everything Marcus shared with the team.

"I gotta get up there, Marcella. I gotta see her – see them."

"You can't go up there, Mona. They're two hours away. We have to wait down here until we get more information."

" _And who is giving you this information? How do we even know it's even true?"_ Denial beginning to kick in.

"It's true, Mona", Marcella says sadly as she sits in the chair next to the woman. "Geoffrey, Mr. Grant's partner, told my friend, Marcus."

 _"And who the hell is this Marcus person? How do we know he -"_

"It's true, Mona", looking into the woman's eyes and grabbing her hand.

" _Well I won't just sit here on my hands waiting"_ , snatching her hand away and walking over to her desk to pick up her phone.

"Who are you calling?" Marcella asks tearfully.

"Maura – Maura Grant. Olivia's mother-in-law."

 **XXX**

"We have to contact the families who are bringing their children to Cena's birthday party tomorrow. We can't have all of those people come all the way up here – not under the circumstances", Maura says.

"Does anyone have the invitation list? How the hell do we contact all of those people?" Gerry demands.

"I'll call Hildie", Abby says. "Olivia says Hildie's been up here all week getting everything ready. Hopefully she has a list."

Abby hands her husband Ethan and walks back to the waiting room to deliver the bad news to Hildie.

 **XXX**

Gasping for breath, Nalawa, the young missionary from the church in Dakar city, dashes into the hut where Calvin and Gwendolyn Pope are teaching a room full of mixed-age chldren. He has an urgent message from their parent church in the States, from Rev. Walker. He has to deliver the message no parent ever wants to receive, the message that their child has been severely injured in an accident.

The Popes tried frantically to contact Rev. Walker and any of the Grants on the bumpy from the Bush to Dakar, but there was no cellular service for most of the drive back to the city. When they reached the Dakar, they were able to speak with Gerry, who informed them that Fitz and Olivia were in a car accident driving up to their new home in the mountains. He gave no further details and said a private plane will be waiting for them at the Dakar airport, and when they arrive in Washington, a car will be waiting to drive them to the hospital.

The 17-hour flight from Dakar, Senegal to Tacoma, Washington was tortuous, and Calvin and Gwendolyn Pope held hands and prayed fervently the entire flight. Calvin tried to remain stoic for his wife's sake, but internally he is falling apart. His one and one child is hurt and he cannot get to her fast enough. While Olivia and her mother have always been close, sharing many good times together, she is really a daddy's girl, through and through.

Calvin gently squeezes his wife's hand as she dabs the tears streaming down her face. The long flight back home is giving Gwendolyn plenty of time to think about all of the wonderful times they shared with their daughter. She thinks about the day Olivia was born, coming into the world feet first. She thinks about Olivia's first day of school, when she wanted to take her favorite stuffed animal and Calvin had to tell her no for once. She thinks about when Olivia went away to overnight camp and she cried nonstop until she and Calvin left in the middle of the night to bring their daughter back home. She thinks about when Olivia graduated from college, proudly watching her flip her tassel. And she thinks about how beautiful Olivia looked on the day she married Fitzgerald Grant. And Gwendolyn begins to cry when she thinks about when Cena was born and silently admonishes herself for not being there for her daughter when Jolie was born.

"It can't end like this, Calvin. It just can't", covering her mouth with her hand.

 _ **Saturday**_

When the Popes arrive at the hospital the kind gentleman at the information desk directed them to their daughter's room on the ninth floor. As they rush off the elevator on the ninth floor, Gwendolyn spots Ben who is standing near the nurses' station talking to a woman who is wearing green scrubs.

" _Ben - Ben",_ Gwendolyn screams, running down the hall with her hand outstretched.

When Bennie looks up and sees Mrs. and Mr. Pope rushing down the hall, his heart sinks because he has no idea what he is going to say to them. The Popes have been like a second set parents to him since they moved to Church Falls. They were the kind of parents many kids, especially teenagers, always wanted. They allowed their daughter the kind of personal freedom he and his friends certainly did not enjoy. They encouraged Olivia to exercise her curiosity and express herself however she chose to, although Olivia admitted to him more than once she wished her parents were a little less liberal.

When they reach the nurses' station, Calvin wraps an arm around his wife's shoulders, holds his breath, and looks anxiously into Ben's eyes. For the past 20 hours, since Nalawa ran into the school and delivered the dreadful news, he has been trying to be strong, trying to hold it together. While he told himself he was being stoic to support his wife, but the truth of the matter is he knew if he allowed himself to think the worse, to think that he would never feel the warmth of his precious daughter again, it would destroy him mentally.

" _Ben - Ben. Where is our Livvia? Is she okay? Is she?"_

"Olivia is unconscious and has a severe concussion, Mrs. Pope."

" _Oh my god"_ , eyes stretching wide as she cups a hand over her mouth.

"Apparently she hit her head during the accident. Fitz is pretty banged up, too", giving them the sanitized version of their injuries.

"Where are the children? Where's Cena and Jolie?" She asks frantically.

Ben takes a step toward Gwendolyn and places a comforting hand on her arm.

"Mrs. Pope, the girls were in the car, too", he says sadly.

 _"Oh my god - not the babies, too. Not the babies, too."_

Her piercing screams echo through the sterile halls as she slides to the floor wailing like a wounded animal. Ben slides to the floor too, trying to comfort her as she clings tightly to his arms. Calvin turns away, unable to watch his wife in so much pain.

" _This can't be. This can't be. Not all of them. Please Lord, not all of them. Calvin, the babies too",_ reaching for her husband's hand.

"I know – I know. They're all going to be all right, Gwennie", looking into Ben's eyes for reassurance.

When they hear the screams in the hall, Maura and Gerry run from the waiting room with John on their heels. Maura rushes over to Gwendolyn and slides onto the floor, wrapping her arms around a mother in pain.

" _Maura"_ , she cries, looking up into Maura's tear-stained face. _"All of them, Maura? The babies too?"_

"I know. I know", caressing Gwendolyn's face. "They're strong, Gwendolyn. And we have to be strong too."

Gwendolyn shakes her head from side to side.

"They're going to make it through this. We are all going to get through this - together. We have to believe it. Now let's get up – let's get you someplace to lay down."

" _I need to see, Livvia. I need to see my baby."_

"The doctors are with her now, Gwendolyn. They'll let us know when we can see her", Maura says, she and Ben helping Gwendolyn to her feet.

" _Ben, where are the babies? Where's Fitzgerald?"_ Struggling to stand.

"Jolie sustained the least of the injuries. She has a fractured wrist and is downstairs in the Pediatrics Unit. Abigail is down there with her."

" _Lord, Lord. Lord"_ , Gwendolyn moans, bringing her clasped hands to her chest.

"Cena and Fitz - well they sustained the worst of it. They are both uconscious. Fitz has a collapsed lung, a few fractured ribs, and a severe head injury."

"Dear Lord. And Cena?" Calvin asks.

"As I said, Cena is still unconscious and doesn't seem to have any movement in her legs - right now", he adds quickly.

"Is she?

"We're not sure. More extensive tests need to be run on both of them. They are both being prepared to be airlifted down to Mercy Sinai where they can receive the proper treatment.

"Mother of God", Calvin mutters softly.

"I'll be going in the helicopter with them."

" _Take care of them Ben. Please take care of them"_ , Gwendolyn cries as she grips his arm.

"I will, Mrs. Pope. Now go with the nurse", giving the distraught woman an encouraging smile. "She's going to give you a mild sedative to help you relax."

"Come Gwendolyn" Maura says. "Let's go with the nurse", and Gwendolyn looks at her husband with fear in her eyes.

"Go with them, Gwennie. I'll be in shortly."

She nods, allowing herself to be led down the hall. Calvin looks over at Gerry who looks as white as a sheet.

"Gerry, what do you know? What the hell happened up here?" Calvin demands as John and Ben walk over to listen to their father's latest update.

"It was a pretty horrific crash, Calvin. I said none of this in front of the women, but I spoke briefly with the Chief of Police and he says based on preliminary reports, it's a miracle that any of them survived. If it weren't for a doctor on the scene – Olivia's friend – Fitzgerald would be dead."

"My god", Calvin exhales, running a hand down the side of his face.

"Do they know what happened?"

"We were all headed up here yesterday to spend a few days with Fitzgerald and Olivia to celebrate Fitzgerald winning the election and Cena's fifth birthday."

"God, Cena's birthday is today", Calvin says and Gerry nods.

"John drove his family up. I drove my wife. Bennie drove and Olivia's friend, Dr. Harris, drove. She came across the accident site and stopped to help. That's when she realized …." Gerry shakes his head, still trying that process everything that has happened.

Calvin nods for the man to continue.

"Like I said, everything is preliminary. The police still have to investigate, but it seems like they were hit by a drunk driver."

"My god. One person nearly kills four people because they decided to get behind the wheel of a car after having a few damn drinks", Calvin says angrily.

"That's the way it looks", Gerry says.

"Well I can't wait to get my hands on whoever did this."

"Unfortunately, you won't get the chance. The asshole died in the crash."

"Good", Calvin spits out angrily.

"I have to leave now", Bennie says. "They're ready to transport Fitz and Cena."

"John and I are going to drive back to the city and meet you at the hospital", Gerry says to his son.

"I'll stay here with the women", Calvin says.

"Good – good", Gerry says, running a hand through his thick, white hair.

"Dr. Grant", Marion calls from across the hall.

"Excuse me", Bennie says to his family before walking over to the woman dressed in green scrubs and brightly painted toes peeking through the stained high-heeled shoes.

"Yes, Dr. Harris."

"Olivia's doctors would like to speak with you before you leave."

"Thank you", smiling politely before turning and walking down the hall in the direction of Olivia's room.

 **XXX**

Marion watches as Dr. Benjamin Grant fights back the tears while listening to the doctors update him on Olivia's condition. After the doctors leave the room, he walks over to Olivia's bed and kisses her tenderly on the forehead. He brushes her cheek with the back of his hand and turns to leave when he sees Marion standing in the doorway.

"Dr. Harris, thank you for saving my brother's life – for taking care of his family."

"That's what we do, Dr. Grant", smiling politely at the teary-eyed man.

 _ **Breaking Story**_

 _Newly elected President of City Council, Fitzgerald Grant and his family were involved in a fatal car accident yesterday. Two ambulances and a tow truck responded to the scene and the injured were rushed to an area hospital. The Needles Tunnel will be closed until further notice and we will keep you posted as we learn more about the fate of the Grant family._

Mayor Wilson picks up the remote control from the desk and turns off the television. He, leans back in his leather chair, lifting the glass of bourbon to his lips as a wide smile spread across his face.


	31. Chapter 31 Mercy, Mercy, Mercy

**A/N:** **Guestt -** Rip Wilsons throat? Wow. **YELLOW JESUS –** I wish you had written that story. BTW, I read a story long ago where Olivia died. I think the excellent Purple Pineapple did it. **Cleo -** Gerry seems to have grown a lot since the early days. Maybe? **Guest 1 -** Exceptional writer? You're kind. I enjoy reading the diverse reviews and I will not abandon the story, although I might have to update on some Sundays. Lots of stuff happening on Saturdays. And, you are perceptive. **Monica -** Glad you liked the Marion surprise. Maybe she's not that bad after all? Maura has grown a lot. You're right, Olitz inspired me to start writing again, which I hadn't done in years. I enjoy getting these two in all sorts of situations and helping them to persevere. **saddie29 -** I take it you don't like Mayor Wilson too much. Put a tree around his neck ... LOL. **Clanay -** Cena was sick in an earlier chapter when Olivia bought her the colorful monkey. And you're right, the accident will change them forever. **LaJoyMechell -** It is going to take some time for them to heal. **Kelleekellkell** \- I enjoy the chapter by chapter feedback: the critiquing, opining, suggesting, praising, and even the lambasting. None of it stops me from writing or impacts the direction of the story. There are about eight more chapters before this story ends. All mapped out, since the beginning. Just gotta get them there. Sheesh.

 **Chapter 31. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy**

The air ambulance lands in the parking lot of St Joseph Hospital in upstate Washington to transfer father and daughter to Mercy Sinai Hospital in Church Falls. Fitz and Cena's injuries require specialized medical treatment the small, rural hospital cannot provide. Mercy Sinai is a state-designated center of excellence, providing trauma patients critical and advanced care in the disciplines of neurology, cardiology, pulmonary sciences, and pediatrics. Mercy's cardiology program is what attracted Bennie to the hospital as a cardiovascular surgeon when he completed his residency back east. Joining Mercy would also allow him to be close to his family. As the helicopter begins its ascent above the earth, Bennie shakes his head, because would never had imagined in a million years when he joined Mercy Sinai he would one day be working desperately hard to save his brother and niece.

The pilot alerts the onboard medical crew they can remove their seatbelts and attend to the patients after the aircraft has reached a cruising altitude of 8000 feet. Fifteen minutes later the unfasten seatbelt sign is illuminated and Bennie and the other medical staff quickly jump into action, checking that Fitz and Cena are stable after the aircraft's bumpy takeoff. Each medical professional silently performs their specific tasks, checking monitors and ensuring intravenous lines and oxygen masks have not shifted during takeoff. As the crew cares for the patients, the pilot announces they will be cruising at a speed of 105 miles per hour, with flight time of about 45 minutes. The estimated arrival time to Mercy Sinai is around 8:22 AM. Bennie glances at his watch, trying to will time to fly by as quickly as the helicopter is traversing the sky. He knows every minute they are in the air is not good, especially for his brother. He shakes his head and his eyes well with tears as he looks at his older brother, whom he has always loved and admired, even during the difficult times. He knows how protective Fitz is of his family and knows his brother would be devastated if he were conscious of what has befallen his family.

 **XXX**

As the aircraft approaches the Mercy Sinai rooftop, the pilot looks for the signs indicating the weight the helipad can support. This is his first time landing at Mercy Sinai so he quickly searches for the two-digit number that represents the pad's weight limit. Then he checks for a second number that represents the maximum rotor diameter the rooftop can accommodate. Satisfied the pad can support the aircraft, he begins to make the descent. Bennie quickly rechecks Fitz and Cena's intravenous drips, oxygen masks, and safety straps one last time before buckling into his small seat as directed by the pilot.

As the aircraft nears the rooftop, Bennie glances out the window at the hospital medical staff waiting for the helicopter to land. The on-ground medical team is familiar with the process of evacuating trauma patients from an air ambulance, so they hang back until the aircraft has landed safely onto the helipad. As the on-ground crew rush over to remove the patients from the aircraft, the whirling blades slicing through the air blows hair and rustles clothing. The loud roaring engine makes it difficult for t hem to hear so they signal orders with their hands.

"We have an unconscious 42-year-old male who was involved in an automobile accident yesterday morning. He is suffering from pneumothorax (collapsed lung), fractures of the R5 and R6, and a severe head injury", Bennie yells over the whirring blades and loud engine.

Dr. Keller, who is the emergency room on-call physician today nods in understanding.

"We also have his four – five-year-old daughter - who also has been unconscious since the accident. Preliminary tests indicate she had no motor function in her lower extremities."

"We have their records from St. Joseph. Are you a doctor, sir?"

"Yes - Dr. Grant. I'm on staff here. This is my brother and my niece."

The doctor gives him a sympathetic look before rushing off with the other medical personnel who have already rushed Fitz and Cena inside the hospital.

"Follow me, Dr. Grant", Dr. Keller yells over his shoulder.

"Good luck, Dr. Grant", one of the members of the on-board medical crew shouts from the aircraft.

 **XXX**

Bennie follows Dr. Keller to the emergency room where his brother is flanked by a team of doctors, nurses, and technicians. After quickly assessing Fitz' condition, Dr. Keller instructs one of the nurses to have Fitz transported to the Radiology Department. Bennie takes off after the transport orderly, but is stopped by Dr. Keller.

"We'll take it from here Dr. Grant, looking at his colleague sympathetically. "They're going to be working on your brother for some time. Get yourself some coffee and try to relax."

Bennie nods, somewhat in a daze.

"Call me if –"

"We'll take good care of him", Dr. Keller says. "I'll personally contact you once we have the results from all of his tests, patting Bennie on the back before disappearing behind the security doors.

Bennie leans against the wall trying to collect himself, trying to breathe. He has been running on autopilot since yesterday morning when his father called and told him about the accident as he was driving to Fitz and Olivia's new home for a weekend of celebrating. So shaken by what he was hearing, he pulled over to the side of the road and stared out at the open space. Fitz, Olivia, and his nieces were all in horrible car accident and no one knew if they were going to survive; none of it made any sense.

The wall provides Bennie the support he desperately needs as he finally lets the tears fall. Although he is a physician and is supposed to remain detached, that is an impossible order under the circumstances. These are not strangers who needed medical assistance, they are family, and the possible outcomes frighten him.

"Dr. Grant", a nurse standing several inches away from the distraught doctor calls apprehensively. "Can I get you anything, Dr. Grant?" She asks empathetically.

Bennie wipes the tears from his face and shakes his head _no_ before hurrying down the hall toward the men's room. Leaning his hands atop the white porcelain sink, he stares into the large mirror that spans the length of the wall. And in the privacy of the men's room of his place of work, he allows the tears to flow freely. The memories of his quarrel with his brother about Olivia flash through his mind and his body begins to tremble. How stupid was he to allow his pride to sever his relationship with his brother and Olivia. Things have not been the same between the three of them since Fitz and Olivia started dating 10 years ago, and it was not their fault. It was all on him. He turns on the faucet and splashes handfuls of cold water onto his face to wash away the tears and reduce the puffiness of his red, swollen eyes. As he snatches sheets of the brown recycled paper towels from the dispenser, he promises himself he would never cause a rift in his family again. Life is too short he thinks as he balls the damp brown towels and tosses them into the trash can and snatches open the door. He has to find Cena. He has to check on his niece.

 **XXX**

The Grants and Popes sit in silence in the waiting room on the eighth floor of St. Joseph's Hospital, periodically looking up at the door when they hear footsteps on the tile floor. They are waiting for the doctors to finish examining Olivia, again. She awoke a few hours ago and they wanted to run more tests to check the effects of the traumatic brain injury she sustained.

Marion stands across the room watching the doctors ask Olivia a series of questions to check her memory and concentration. When Dr. Rutherford asks Olivia if she remembers what happened, she looks up with confusion in her eyes and that is when she sees Marion standing across the room.

"Marion?" Olivia says questioningly, blinking her eyes trying to focus. Marion takes a few steps toward the bed.

"Where am I? What's happened?" Scrunching her face as she rubs her forehead. She has the worst headache ever and she does not know why.

"You're in the hospital, Olivia. You're going to be fine", taking Olivia's hand into hers.

"Hospital?" Now glancing around the room and taking in her environment. She tilts her head slightly, squinting, trying to discern the unfamiliar faces in white coats. Everything is blurry. "Why? I don't understand."

"You have a concussion. Things are going to be fuzzy for a while."

Olivia nods, thinking that explains the little man in her head with the jackhammer. But she still does not know how she got a concussion.

"There was an accident, Olivia", Marion says, sitting on the side of the bed and looking into the bewildered eyes.

Olivia closes her eyes trying to process what Marion is saying, but her head hurts too much.

"A car accident."

Olivia closes her eyes for a few moments, straining to remember what happened, and then the memories start to slowly trickle back into her consciousness. The tunnel. The huge black truck pursuing them. The bright headlights. Fitz racing backward out of the tunnel. The awful burning smell of rubber. Cena and Jolie screaming. The huge tires pressed against her husband's chest. And, she begins to scream hysterically.

"Calm down, Mrs. Grant", one of the doctors implores. "Everything is going to all right." But Olivia continues to scream, kicking wildly and causing the white bed covers to wrap around her legs.

"Marion, where's Fitz? Where's my husband?" she yells, grabbing Marion's arm in desperation.

" _Get her parents in here - STAT"_ , Marion yells at the doctors who are standing around the room watching the pitiful scene unfold.

" _Where are my children?"_ Screaming and fighting desperately to get out of bed. _"I want my family. I want my family. Where's Fitz? I want my babies"_ , she cries out repeatedly as she slides down onto the bed curled in a ball.

"Calm down, Olivia", Marion says, trying to restrain her friend.

" _I don't want to calm down. I want to see my family"_ , she screams, continuing to fight, trying to peel Marion's hand from around her arms.

" _I need some help over here"_ , Marion yells. _"And get me 10 ccs of midazolam."_

"Please, Marion, don't tell me Fitz – my babies are …. Please don't say that to me. You can't say that to me, Marion. Please don't", she pleads, looking into Marion's eyes for a sign of hope. Calvin and Gwendolyn rush into the room and see their daughter crying uncontrollably.

" _Olivia!"_ Calvin yells as he rushes over to his daughter, and she stops crying when she recognizes the familiar voice.

"Praise the Lord", Gwendolyn exclaims.

"Dad?" She says, whimpering and looking at him blankly.

" _Livvia"_ , Gwendolyn calls out as she rushes over to the bed. Marion releases Olivia's wrists and backs away from the bed, allowing her parents to comfort their daughter.

When she realizes her parents are actually in the room, she begins to cry again because she now knows something terrible has happened.

"Dad, are they? Is Fitz – is my family?" She asks with frightened eyes.

"No – no – no", holding his daughter tightly.

"Mom, where's Cena and Jolie? Where are my babies?" Looking over her father's shoulder at her mother.

"Jolie is downstairs - Abigail is with her", Gwendolyn says as she sits on the side of the bed and holds her daughter's hand. Olivia looks at her mother curiously because everything is hazy and nothing is making sense.

"Livvia. Look at me, Livvia", her father demands. "You, Fitzgerald, Cena, and Jolie were all involved in a serious car accident on your way to your new home up here. Jolie sustained a broken wrist –"

"Oh my god", bringing a hand to her mouth. "Is she okay? Is anything else wrong with her?"

"Jolie is going to be fine – in time."

"Baby", her mother begins. "Cena and Fitzgerald sustained injuries that required them to be treated at a different hospital – somewhere they can get the appropriate treatment."

Olivia looks back and forth between her mother and father, not understanding what her mother is saying.

"Cena and Fitzgerald are both unconscious", Gwendolyn continues.

" _Oh, god - nooo. This can't be happening. Tell me it's not real mom."_

"Baby, Fitzgerald and Cena are going to be fine. They're in good hands."

"I have to get to my family, dad. I have to get to my husband", trying again to climb out of the bed, but Calvin gently pushes his daughter back down against the pillows.

"You're not going anywhere—can't go anywhere – not yet. You have a concussion and must stay here a few more days."

" _I'm not staying here, dad. I need to be with my family – I need to be with Fitz and Cena."_

"Olivia, dear", Maura says as she and Abigail slowly enter the room. "Bennie is with Cena and Fitzgerald. He went with them to the hospital. Bennie is taking care of them. Do you understand? Bennie is taking care of them."

Maura looks into Olivia's anxious eyes and nods, waiting for her words to sink into Olivia's head. And after a moment, with mouth slightly agape, Olivia slowly nods.

"Olivia, Jonathan and Gerry drove down to Church Falls to meet Fitzgerald and Cena at the hospital. They'll be with Cena and Fitzgerald, too", Abby says tearfully.

"Abby …" She says with trembling lips as they look into each other's tear-filled eyes.

"I know. I know", Abby says, walking over to the bed and rubs her hand up and down Olivia's arm. "Everything is going to be all right. They're all going to be all right. Okay?" Olivia nods slowly as her mother wraps her arms around her daughter's shaking shoulders.

"I'm going downstairs to get Jolie. I'm sure you both need to see each other."

"Thank you, Abby", Olivia says sadly, holding onto her father's hand.

"Jonathan said he would call when they got to Mercy Sinai. Okay?"

"Okay", resting her head on her mother's shoulder while her father gently squeezes her hand.

"Olivia, the doctor is going to give you a mild sedative – to help you to relax", Marion says from across the room when Dr. Rutherford returns to the room.

"No – no. I need to stay awake. I need to see my baby, Marion."

"Olivia –"

"I'll be fine – really", giving Marion a weak smile while wondering why the woman is dressed in scrubs. Nothing is making sense.

 **XXX**

Bennie exits the elevator on the 10th floor and jogs down the hall toward the circular nurses' station located in the Pediatric Unit. He needs to get the latest status of his niece's condition. If she has awakened he does not want her to be alone, he wants her to see a familiar face.

"Your niece is still being undergoing tests, Dr. Grant. It's going to be a few more hours", the nurse says, looking down at Cena's chart.

"May I?" He asks, reaching for the chart. He furrows his brow as he reads the most recent intake report.

 **XXX**

One hour and forty-five minutes later, Gerry and John rush through the revolving glass doors at Mercy Sinai in search of Bennie. They stop at the receptionist desk trying to get an update on Cena and Fitz' condition. After looking at her monitor, the woman informs them because of the HIPAA law she cannot provide them any information about the patients. She gives them a sympathetic look and directs them to the Pediatric Unit on the 10th floor. Gerry and John rush to take the elevator to the 10th floor.

"Bennie, what's happening? Where's Fitzgerald and Cena?" Gerry demands when he spots his son standing at the nurses' station.

"They're being examined. The doctors have ordered a lot of tests. It's going to take a while", he says tiredly.

"What kinds of tests?" Gerry insists.

"I don't know. The stan –"

 _"What the hell you mean you don't know? You're a goddamn doctor aren't you?"_ Gerry shouts as John looks at his brother expectantly.

"Dad, I'm a cardiologist, not -"

 _"Don't give me that specialist crap. You're still a damn doctor and I want some answers about your brother and niece. Now_ _!_ _These people around here won't talk to us._ _They won't tell us a damn thing"_ , wagging his finger back and forth between John and himself.

"Bennie - just see what you can find out for us", John says pleadingly.

"John, I just read Cena's chart, the doctors are examining Fitz and Cena as we speak. It would be inappropriate for me to just barge in there."

 _"Inappropriate? Your brother could be in there_ _dying a_ _nd you're standing here worried about goddamn protocol"_ , Gerry spits out. _"What's the point in having a doctor in the family on staff here if he can't pull a few strings?"_

Gerry Grant is all about pulling strings to get the answers he wants, that is how he got information from Chief Schuller about the accident. He had his friend Pete, their local police chief, contact Schuller and update Gerry on what he knew so far about the accident.

Bennie feels the familiar headache building, the same kind of headache he always gets whenever his father goes off on one of his tirades. Rubbing his temple, he looks at his father then at his brother before turning and walking down the hall. His father always makes him feel like a kid and he hates that he still allows him to get away with doing so. As he walks away, he closes his eyes, trying to block out his father's voice, who is still ranting to John about something.

 **XXX**

Three hours later two teams of physicians, one for Fitz and the other for Cena, have assembled in a conference room to update Dr. Grant and his family on his brother and niece's condition. The team of pediatric physicians includes an orthopedic surgeon, a neurosurgeon, and a psychologist, all sit on one side of the table. On the other side of the table sit the team of physicians for Fitz, including a neurosurgeon and a pulmonologist. All have laptops opened in front of them on the table. The pediatric neurosurgeon begins.

"Dr. Grant - and family - We are happy to report that your niece – granddaughter - is doing well. We have run a series of tests and have determined there has been no trauma to the brain. Aside from a small bump on her forehead, Cena has not sustained any brain trauma."

"Thank god", John says, running his fingers through his hair.

"Then why the hell is she still unconscious?" Gerry demands.

"Mr. Grant", Dr. Thames, the psychologist begins. "While your granddaughter has not suffered and physical trauma, we believe she is suffering from emotional – psychological trauma. She was involved in a very serious automobile accident. She saw her entire family – the people who she loves the most - get injured badly. For a little girl – for anyone actually – this would be a terrifying event.

John nods his head.

"So, Mr. Grant, your granddaughter is in shock and her brain has decide to protect her by putting her asleep – for a while", the psychologist concludes.

"So how long will this shock last?" Gerry asks gruffly.

"It depends. She could wake up in a few minutes or in a few hours."

"But why can't she move her legs?" John asks.

"Well, Mr. Grant", the pediatric neurosurgeon surgeon begins, leaning forward and resting his arms on the table. "Like with the shock, we believe the loss of motor function are psychological, as Dr. Thames indicated."

"Nor is there any musculoskeletal damage. Therefore, there is no physical reason why your granddaughter is unable to move her limbs", Dr. Reid, the pediatric orthopedic surgeon chimes in.

"We all believe she is suffering from what is called conversion disorder - hysterical paralysis", the psychologist continues.

Gerry looks at the man strangely because he has no idea what the heck the doctor just said. So he turns to his son for translation.

"Dad, conversion disorder occurs when a person experiences psychological trauma that converts to a physical problem. With Cena, her emotional pain has manifested in her inability to mover her legs –"

"Mr. Grant", the psychologist interjects. "Psychological stress can show up in many different ways. In Cena's case, it has manifested as hysterical paralysis."

"My god", John says, slumping back into his chair.

"Well how long will she be like this?" Gerry asks.

"It depends", Dr. Reid says.

"Does anybody around here ever give a straight answer? It depends on what?" Gerry demands, and Bennie rubs his forehead, feeling another headache building.

"Well, Mr. Grant, it depends on how well Cena responds to therapy - physical and psychological once she awakens. It is important that Cena gets into therapy of both kinds immediately. We don't want her getting stuck where she is. She experienced a traumatic event and she is going to need help feeling safe again. And she is going to need physical therapy to help build confidence that she can actually walk. In cases like these, the patient truly believes they cannot walk."

Gerry shakes his head as he rakes his long fingers through his thick, white hair. Fitz' neurosurgeon looks to Dr. Grant for permission to begin the update about his patient. And Bennie nods.

"Mr. Grant, I am Dr. Sridarh, I am the neurosurgeon that is taking care of your son, Fitzgerald."

Gerry and John both lean forward, waiting for the update on Fitz.

"Your son - your brother", looking back and forth between Gerry and John, suffered severe injuries in the accident. He is a lucky man. He has significant swelling of the brain, which we believe is caused by a severe blow the head. Perhaps he hit his head on the steering wheel or the windshield. In any case, we are keeping him in a medically induced coma until the swelling subsides. We expect that to happen in another day or so, then we will awaken him."

Dr. Sridarh sits back in his seat and allows Dr. Cooper, the pulmonologist to deliver her update. She smiles politely before delivering her report.

"Your son experienced pneumothorax and an emergency procedure was performed at the site of the accident to aspirate the excessive air from his chest cavity. An hour ago I performed a surgical procedure to alleviate the acute atelectasis that occurred as a result of the emergency procedure. We have inserted a catheter into his chest, to expel any air that might be trapped in the chest cavity. The chest tube will remain in place for a few more days and Mr. Grant's collapsed lung should heal within a week or two. Whoever performed the emergency procedure on your son saved his life", Dr. Cooper says.

"Thank god for Marion", John mumbles.

"Your son – brother –has also incurred two fractured ribs, the R5 and R6, which will take about six weeks to heal. Mr. Grant is pretty banged up and in a lot of pain. We have him on some powerful painkillers for now to make him more comfortable."

Dr. Cooper sits back in her chair and studies the faces around the table.

"Any questions?" Dr. Thames asks, as silence falls over the room.

Gerry and John shake their heads no, thinking about the long road of recovery Fitz and Cena have before them.

"If there are no further questions, then we will be going", the psychologist says, closing his laptop and beginning to stand. The other doctors close their laptops as well and stand from their seats.

"Thank you, doctors", Bennie says, rising from his seat to shake the hands of his colleagues.

"Thank you, doctors", Gerry and John chime in, still trying to absorb everything they just heard.

 **XXX**

After being in a long and pleasant sleep for two days, Fitz awoken to a nightmare that shook him to his core. When he opened his eyes, he was immediately swarmed by an army of people who were shouting at him and each other. They were calling his name, poking and prodding various parts of his body, stretching open his eyes, and asking him lots and lots of questions. He had no idea where he was and why all the people were shouting at him, but he did know he had a splitting headache and his chest felt like a four-ton elephant had been resting on it for days. All he wants to do is go back to sleep.

As he slowly realizes where he is, he begins to remember the horrific ordeal that occurred on the mountain while he was driving his family to their new home to celebrate Cena's birthday. And he begins to sob because he does not know what has happened to his family, he does not know if they survived the crash. His body shudders uncontrollably as the unthinkable floods his mind, and warm hand on his shoulder stills his shaking body, and the familiar voice of his father slowly pulls him from the depths of despair. For the next hour, Gerry Grant tells his son about the state of his family.

Fitz learned that he and his family narrowly escaped death after their car was plowed into by a massive truck. He learned that his wife and baby daughter are still in an up-state hospital. He also learned that his older daughter has been brought to the same hospital as he and is suffering from hysterical paralysis. He also learned Cena has been calling for him since she awoke two days ago and all he wants to do is see her and make her feel safe.

 **XXX**

Cena screams when she sees her father wheeling himself into her hospital room. Her hair has been combed and all sorts of colorful hair ribbons have been weaved through the two long braids trailing down her back. The nurses have been enjoying taking care of the precocious five year old while her father was unconscious and her mother is in a hospital two hours away. The pediatric nurses bought her a pretty set of pajamas, covered with Disney characters. They also bought her a pair of furry red slippers because she told them red is her favorite color, and hoping they would encourage the little girl to want to walk again.

" _Daddy!"_

"Hey Princess", trying to muster up enough strength to give his daughter a smile. He is weak and in a lot of pain.

Cena squirms in her uncle's lap, stretching her arms toward her father. John stands and sets Cena in her father's lap and she wraps her arms around his neck, squeezing tightly, and he winces silently from the pain. But he hugs his daughter just as tight, covering her tear-stained cheeks with kisses. He needs to be the strong father his daughter has always known.

"I was scared, daddy. I was calling you when the truck crashed us, but you were sleeping."

"I know. I know, sweetheart. Daddy is here now and I'm not going anywhere. Okay?"

"I told you Cee-Cee he would be in here soon. How are you brother?" Johns asks stupidly. He could kick himself for asking such an asinine question. His brother is obviously in a lot of pain and is trying to put on a brave face for his daughter.

"I'm getting better, John", he says, not wanting to frighten his daughter any further.

"Liv and Jolie are fine, too. Mr. and Mrs. Pope are going to bring them down tomorrow."

Guilt washes over Fitz when he hears the Popes are back in town. How can he face his in-laws when he almost allowed their daughter and grandchildren to be killed in a damn car accident?

"I have a bump, daddy", pointing to her forehead. "And a red Band-Aid too."

"Does it hurt?" Kissing the Band-Aid.

"No. The nurse gave me a red lollipop and said it wouldn't hurt any more."

"That's nice, Princess."

"Look, daddy. I have braids", turning around in her father's lap to show him the two long braids. "The nurse comb my hair. I have red slippers, too", pointing to her feet to show off her new slippers.

"They're real nice", he says, trying desperately to suppress a cough. "You look so pretty", stroking her cheek with his finger. "Do you like you hair like that?"

Cena nods her head up and down.

"I guess I'm going to have to learn how to comb your hair like that", smiling weakly at his daughter.

"I can't walk, daddy", Cena says, shaking her head from side to side as she plays in his matted hair.

"We'll take care of that, Princess. Okay?"

"My daddy's going to take of it", she says smiling at the nurse who has walked into the room. "Can you ride me in your chair, daddy?" Bouncing up and down on her father's lap and Fitz looks over at his brother.

"Cee-Cee, how about we let your father get some more rest before taking you for a ride. OK?"

She nods sadly.

"Where's mommy and JoJo?" She asks, looking around the room. "I want mommy."

"They're with GrandPop and Mom-Mom", Fitz says weakly.

"GrandPop and Mom-Mom are here?" Eyes widening to the size of meatballs.

"Yes, they are. They'll be down to see you soon - with mommy and JoJo."

"Yeah", clapping her hands happily.

"How about I get you a chair and push you around the hall while your father goes back to his room and rests for a while?" John says, seeing the pain etched in his brother face. Cena looks at her father and he nods, giving her a forced smile.

"Go with Uncle John and I'll come see you later. Okay?"

She nods again.

"Daddy loves you - more than anything", fighting back the tears. "Pucker, Princess."

Cena smiles at the familiar request and pecks her father on the lips.

"Mr. Grant, I need to get you back to your room now. You need to rest."

Fitz nods at the nurse and Cena wraps her arms around his neck to give her father one last hug before he leaves.

"I hug my daddy a lot", she says, smiling as she looks up at the nurse.

"I see that", the nurse says, smiling kindly. "Now let me get daddy back to his room. Okay?"

Cena nods up and down as John lifts her from her father's lap.

"Take care of my daughter, John", pecking Cena on the cheek and squeezing her as tight as he can before the nurse wheels him from the room.

 **XXX**

Once Fitz is back in his room he allows himself to break down because he realizes he almost lost everything that matters to him, he almost lost his family. Cena is downstairs suffering from psychological trauma, which is causing her to believe she cannot walk. His six-month-old baby is in a different hospital with a broken arm. And Olivia, the love of his life, is in the hospital with a concussion. He needs to talk to her right away. He knows she is frightened because he is frightened too. Bennie walks into the room as he struggles to reach for the phone on the table.

"Bennie", he says in a broken voice, setting the phone back onto the table. And Bennie rushes over to his brother's side.

"They almost died, Bennie. I almost killed my family."

"It was an accident, Fitz. It wasn't your fault."

"I'm supposed to protect my family. I didn't."

"You can't protect them from someone who decided to get behind the wheel of a two-ton truck after drinking."

"I should've seen it coming, Bennie. I failed my family – I failed Liv. She's going to hate me for this.

"Liv could never hate you, Fitz. She loves you too much."

"I need to talk to her, Bennie." Bennie nods as he slides the phone from his pocket and dials Mrs. Pope's phone number.

"Ben?" Gwendolyn says with concern in her voice, and Olivia's eyes widen and her breathing quickens when she hears her mother say Ben's name.

"Mom?" See says fearfully, bringing a hand to her mouth.

"Yes, Mrs. Pope. Fitz is awake and wants to speak to Olivia."

"Of course. Of course", rushing over to the bed to give Olivia the phone.

" _Bennie? What's wrong? Is Fitz okay? Is Cena all right?"_

"Hi", he says.

She brings a hand to her mouth and lets the tears fall when she hears her husband's weak, raspy voice. She has not heard his voice since before the accident.

"Hi", she manages to croak out. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine", he lies.

"I'll be back later", Bennie says, walking from the room to give his brother some privacy.

"Are you all right? Are you hurt?" He asks weakly.

"I hit my head but I'm all right", brushing the tears from her cheek.

"And JoJo? How's my baby doing?" Pinching the bridge of his nose trying to stem the tide of tears.

"She has a broken wrist, Fitz. Our baby has a broken wrist and a cast." He closes his eyes tight and bites down hard on his knuckles. The lump in his throat will not allow him to speak.

"Fitz, are you there?" She asks with trembling lips.

Racked with guilt, his body trembles violently as he sobs quietly.

" _Fitz"_ , she calls out in desperation and her mother looks over at her with concern.

"I'm here", he says in a broken voice, wiping the tears from his face with the back of his hand.

"How is Cena? Is she okay?"

"I just left her – she's with John. She's upset, of course", he says somberly and Olivia closes her eyes, giving thanks to God.

"Liv, she can't – won't walk."

"Oh my god. Is she?" Gwendolyn clutches her chest as she listens to her daughter's end of the conversation.

"No - no. The doctor says she has conversion disorder - hysterical paralysis."

" _What?"_

"It's caused by the emotional trauma from the accident. She's going to be fine -in time. I promise."

"Oh, Fitz. How did this happen?"

"I'm sorry, Liv. It's all my fault. I should have –"

"It's not your fault. Don't say that. Don't do this to yourself."

"When can you get here, Liv? I need you here with me. I want my family together."

"We're being discharged tomorrow. Mom and dad are here. Gerry found them in Senegal and had them flown in."

"That's good. I'm glad they're with you, babe."

"Oh, Fitz", she says with trembling lips. "You almost died."

"I'm fine now", he says weakly, barely able to hold onto the phone any longer.

"Don't do that again. Okay?" Wiping the tears from her face.

He nods as the tears continue to flow.

"I'll call you later so I can talk to Cena. Okay?"

He nods and mutters _okay_.

"I love you, Fitz."

"I love you too. Hurry, Liv."

 **The Next Day**

The drive down to Church Falls is solemn and nerve-wrecking and is taking much longer than usual. Calvin Pope carefully navigates Gerry Grant's luxury sedan down the mountain, his wife in the front seat and his daughter and granddaughter in the backseat. Although Olivia is anxious to get to Fitz and Cena, Calvin Pope detour around the historic, narrow tunnels. He does not want his daughter to relive the horrific accident. He does not want to imagine what happened in that tunnel.

Leaning back against the plush leather seat, Olivia absently rubs her fingers back and forth across her lips as she looks out the window at the rapidly passing scenery. She thinks about the uncertainty and beauty of life. She wipes the tears from her eyes when she thinks about dear, dear Abby rushing from the hospital in search of a local store to buy a new car seat so they could take Jolie home. She imagines the car seats and everything they packed for their two-week vacation were destroyed in the wreck; parts of their lives scattered across some desolate road. She has no idea what happened to her phone, but she is thankful for the cloud because he has so many pictures, so many wonderful memories of their life on her phone.

She wraps her arms around her body and her fingers caress the soft cashmere sweater Marion gave her to wear. Hell, everything she is wearing belongs to Marion. After Marion retrieved her car from the police station, she brought the suitcase she packed for the weekend getaway to Olivia's hospital room and dumped a virtual trunk load of clothes onto the bed, encouraging her friend to select something to wear that would make her smile. Everyone's eyes in the room bulge as they looked at the pile of clothes and accessories sprawled across the bed. They all silently wondered how long Marion planned to stay with Olivia and Fitz because she obviously had enough clothes to last a month. Thank god for Marion.

Olivia smiles at the memory and looks over at her baby girl who is innocently cooing and blowing spit bubbles. She tickles the little fingers poking out the pink cast and smiles wider when Jolie giggles. Her baby has no idea what has happened as she laughs and bangs her cast-covered left hand against the car seat's padded armrest. As Olivia watches Jolie smile and blow more spit bubbles, in that moment she decides she will not let some drunk driver seize control over her family, to steal their joy and happiness. She will not let the tragic event – one day - define their lives - define who they are. They have so much to be thankful for and she will not let some faceless, nameless idiot control her family from the grave.

 _ **Dream**_

When Cena hears the security system chime, she drops her toys onto the family room floor and takes off running, in search of the person she has been waiting anxiously to see for the past three days. The widest smile spread across his face and he drops the worn, brown leather suitcase onto the floor when he sees his princess running down the foyer with her mop of brown curly hair bouncing all over the place. Admiring his beautiful daughter, who stole his heart from the day she made her appearance into his world, he scoops her up in his arms.

"Daddy, daddy. I wait for you, daddy."

"Who's my favorite princess in the whole wide world?"

"Me, daddy, me", pointing to her chest as she bounces up and down in her father's arms.

He covers his daughter's face with lots of wet kisses and tickles her side, causing her to squeal and squirm with laughter.

"It tickles, daddy", Cena manages to eke out through the laughter.

"Is that right?" Rubbing his stubbly chin on his daughter's smooth face.

"No, daddy. No." Cena laughs, squirming, trying to escape her father's stubbly face.

"Did you miss, daddy?" With the biggest smile, she nods her head rapidly.

"Mommy said I be three. One. Two. Three", counting her fingers the way her mother taught her.

"Yes you will. You're getting to be such a big princess", shifting her in his arms as he walks down the hall in search of his wife.

"Mommy said I can have cake and cream."

"My favorite girl can have whatever she wants", pecking her on the cheek as they walk into the kitchen.

"Not _whatever_ she wants", Olivia says with an arched brow when she sees the two most important people in her life walk into the kitchen. "Not a D-O-G."

Cena has been wanting a dog since the neighbor down the street got a new white Labrador Retriever. She thinks the dog is absolutely beautiful and wants one of her own. Cena, however, does not know that dogs are a lot of responsibility, that they are not a toy. She also does not know her mother does not really like dogs, or any kind of pet for that matter. Calvin Pope does not like animals and did not want them in his home. He thinks they are sneaky and cannot not be trusted, so he would not allow Olivia to have any pets as a child. And Olivia is continuing the tradition with her family.

"Welcome home, baby", wrapping an arm around his neck and pecking him on the lips, which he deepens into something more.

"I missed you – it's been three days", licking his lips as he looks at her with desire.

"I'm going to be three", Cena announces again as she displays three fingers.

"You look tired – are you hungry?" Turning back to the stove to stir the sauce for his favorite meal.

"I'm starved. I didn't want to eat anything at Kennedy. I wanted to have dinner with my two favorite girls. Besides, airport food is horrible."

"Sketti, daddy", Cena says, pointing to the pot into which her mother is dropping the pasta.

"Do you want to eat sketti with daddy?" Cena nods her head up and down, bouncing in his arms again.

"Don't say sketti, Fitz. She'll never learn how to pronounce it correctly if you keep saying it like that."

"Sketti, sketti, sketti. Right, Princess?"

"Right, daddy."

"Do you want to shower before dinner?" Turning from the stove, taking Cena from his arms, and setting her onto the booster seat at the granite island.

"I'll wait for our bath later", pinning her against the counter and devouring her everything."

"Behave, Fitz."

"Nope. I plan to misbehave all night long", sliding his tongue into her mouth.

 **XXX**

"I can't believe my little girl will be three years old in a few days", he says, dragging the soapy towel up and down his wife's back.

"For the past three days, every hour on the hour, she has been asking when _daddy_ was coming home. She doesn't get time yet."

"I wish I could keep her this age forever."

"Oh, Fitz please. She's growing up every day."

"Then I want to keep you like this forever. Turn around."

She turns around in the huge soaking tub, splashing water everywhere, and straddles him. He winces as she sits on his thighs.

"What's wrong? Why are you in pain?"

"I went running this morning – at 5:30"

"Running? But you hate running." He rolls his eyes because everyone says that. It is not that he hates running, he just prefers other forms of exercise.

"I don't hate running, Liv."

"Well that's what you always say when I ask you to run with me."

"Well I don't need to convince you to move to Church Falls. I already got you", running his tongue over her full lips.

"So why were you running? And why five miles?"

"Geoffrey is an avid runner and he runs five miles every morning, for god's sake", running a hand through his hair.

"So you ran five miles with Geoffrey Tynes just to convince him to move to Church Falls?"

"Yup."

"Well is he? Did you convince him?"

"Yup. Now enough about running Geoffrey" caressing her bottom as he glides his tongue across her neck. "I need you", his says with pure, unadulterated lust.

"Somebody sounds a little horny tonight", wrapping her arms around his neck and smiling as she looks into his eyes.

"I won't lie to you, Olivia", giving her a serious look that concerns her.

"What is it Fitz? What's wrong?" Pulling back and crinkling her brow as she looks into his eyes.

"I'm very, very, very horny", he says before laughing out loud. "It's been one, two, three days", holding up three fingers like Cena.

"You are so silly", slapping him on the shoulder.

"But I am. Feel."

She slides her hand into the warm soapy water and wraps her hand around his hardness, and he leans back against the tub and closes his eyes. She strokes him gently at first as the warm water billows around his sac.

"Livvie", he says in ecstasy.

"Somebody is horny", sliding down his chest, resting her breast on his stomach.

"Lift", she says, looking at his manhood with hooded eyes. And he arches his bottom from the bathtub floor and she takes him into her mouth. And he moans with pleasure.

"I've missed you", running his hand in her hair as he pumps slowly in her mouth. The feel of her wet mouth wrapped around him is everything. He will never tire of her making love to him like this. His sac tightens and he thrust become more rhythmic.

"Livvie", he exhales in pleasure, and she sucks harder. "Just like that, baby. Just like that."

She releases him from her mouth and slides onto his hardness, and they both moan from the sensation. They look into each other's lust-filled eyes and she captures his mouth, sliding her tongue in and out as she bounces up and down on his erection. She gasps in pleasure as the protruding veins create a wonderful sensation against her walls.

Wrapping his arms around her waist, he holds her tight and he plunges deep into her. And she rests her head in the crook of his neck and moves with him. They have found their rhythm and they ride each other unrelentingly as the warm bubbling water splashes around them. The vibrating whirlpool tub stimulates his sac and he thinks this must be what heaven is like. He captures a soapy nipple in his mouth and sucks hard and she glides up and down until she trembles and collapses against his chest.

Her licks his lips and plunges deeper into her trembling walls, and the sensation is driving him mad; he needs to release. He pulls her limp body closer and pumps faster. His heart feels like it is going to explode and suddenly he stiffens. Squeezing his eyes tight, he flows deep into her. The feeling is magnificent and he feels like he can cum forever. With chest heaving up and down, he collapses against the back of the tub, and she smiles at him, running her fingers through the sides of his damp hair.

"I was horny, too", she chuckles.

 _ **End Dream**_

Holding her breath, Olivia heels clack against the tile floor as she runs down the hospital hall in search of her husband's room. She left Cena sleeping with her parents and now she must find her husband. She quickly scans the large black numbers on the walls outside each room, looking for 2214. When she reaches the door, she gasps when she sees her husband laying still in bed with a huge bandage on his forehead and scratches across his face. Frozen in place, she brings her hands to the sides of her face when she sees the catheter sticking out his right side of his chest. Tears well in her eyes as she traces the intravenous line from the pole to his arm. He looks so broken. She slowly walks over to his bedside and brushes the back the curl that is resting on the bandage and tenderly kisses his bruised cheek.

"Oh, Fitz", she says weepily, kicking off her shoes and climbing into the narrow bed. Careful not to hurt him any further, she lay her head on his pillow, draping an arm delicately across his stomach.

He smiles trying to hold on to the scent that is uniquely his wife as he stirs from his dream. He will never tire of smelling her uniqueness. He smiles because the dream seemed so real because Olivia's scent still lingers in his nostrils. Slowly awakening, he tries to turn on his left side, to get in a more comfortable position, but prevents him from moving. When he opens his eyes he is surprised and delighted to see his wife asleep on his chest.

"Liv? Livvie?" Kissing her eyelid in an attempt to waken her.

 **Five Days Later**

Still weak and in a lot of pain, Bennie and John help Fitz out of John's truck and into the house. He and Cena were discharged from the hospital this morning and the entire family was there to support them, to help bring them home. Gerry carries Cena into the house and Calvin carries a babbling, spit bubble-blowing Jolie.

"Take him upstairs - to our bedroom, John. I want him to rest – he needs to rest", Olivia directs as she nervously watches her husband lean precariously onto his brothers. "Be careful, Bennie, don't let him fall", pacing around the foyer watching her brothers-in-law help Fitz down the hall toward the staircase.

"I'm fine, Liv."

 _"You're not fine. You almost died"_ , the anxiety in her voice rising with each word.

"I want daddy", Cena whines as she watches her uncles help her father up the stairs.

"Daddy has to rest, baby. You stay down here with Gramps."

"Let's get something for this crowd to eat, Maura", Gwendolyn says, hurrying down the foyer and into the kitchen.

"Of course. Of course."

"Can someone warm a bottle for Jolie?" Calvin yells. "Livvia said there are a few in the freezer."

"I'll get it", Abby yells as she sets Ethan onto Jolie's play mat on the family room floor.

 **XXX**

"Thanks John – Bennie", Fitz says as he leans back against the headboard.

"Do I have to come back tonight and give you a bath and put on your jammies, too?" John quips.

"Don't make me laugh, John. It still hurts", Fitz says with a pained look on his face as Olivia nervously struggles to remove the childproof top from the bottle of pain pills.

"Take these, baby", she says, handing her husband two pills and a glass of water. He pops the two pills into his mouth and washes them down with the cool water.

"The doctor says to apply an ice pack to your side every 20 minutes of every hour you are awake for the first two days. Then 10 to 20 minutes three times a day as needed. It should help reduce the pain and swelling. I don't know if we have ice packs – do we have ice packs? I have to go to the store to get ice packs. He's going to need ice packs" she fires off rapidly.

She is nervous and jittery and does not realize she is rambling as she paces around the room rubbing her forehead, trying to remember all of the discharge instructions. Really she is beginning to crack from the stress. Everything that has happened since the accident has finally caught up with her. John looks at Fitz with concern.

"Liv, I'll get the ice packs", Bennie says sadly, and she abruptly stops pacing.

"Good – good - Bennie. That's good. You get the ice packs. I should stay here and take care of Fitz. You get the ice packs", speaking quickly.

"Liv." Fitz calls out weakly, trying to get her attention, but she continues rambling.

"When does your prescription need to be refilled? Where did I put that bottle? Where are the discharge papers? I have to check if I'm forgetting anything. Where is my pocketbook? Maybe they're in my pocketbook", looking around the room frantically. "I have to find those papers."

She walks over to her vanity table and fumbles with the items on the silver tray. Fitz looks at his brothers and motions them to leave him alone with his distraught wife.

" _Olivia"_ , he musters up enough strength to get her attention, and she stops fumbling with the items on the tray and turns and looks at him wild-eyed.

 _"What? What's wrong? Do you need something? Are you hurting"_ , she asks frantically, rushing over to the bed.

"Livvie", he says softly, extending his hand to her, and she brings her hands to her mouth and begins to cry.

"Oh Livvie. Come here, baby."

"You almost died", she says, standing frozen in place.

"I'm fine.'

"That truck was on top of you and I couldn't help you. I couldn't help our children."

"I'm fine. We're all going to be fine."

"I was so scared. Cena and JoJo were crying and I couldn't do anything."

"I know. It's okay now."

"And when I woke up I found out you and Cena were taken to a different hospital."

"Everything's all right, Liv. We're all home together.

"You promise?"

"I promise", he says as she curls into his side and he closes his eyes tight to stifle the pain.

"Does that hurt?" She asks weepily.

"I'm fine", he lies. "I need you to stay calm, Liv. We're home now. You can't get all worked up."

"We came so close to losing our family, Fitz. I don't know what I would do if …"

"I know. I know", he says sleepily, the medicine is beginning to do its job.

"You have to go for a follow-up appointment in two weeks."

Unable to keep the heavy eyelids open, he nods one more time before falling asleep.


	32. Chapter 32 Diary of a Madman

**A/N:** Sorry for the delay in publishing this chapter. I had a packed weekend with absolutely no time to spend editing this chapter. Excuse all typos, please.

 **Bujuman:** Benny was suffering too, that's why he reacted that way to Gerry. **Guest,** you'll see more of Hildie in this chapter and Nora is still away trying heal. **Monica:** your comments about affordable and quality healthcare are right on target. Fitz and Olivia are wealthy and will be ok in that respect. **Cleo:** glad you caught those snippets from season 2. Here we go!

 **Chapter 32. Diary of a Madman**

Sitting in the dimly lit study, Olivia leans forward on her elbows studying the invitation she received in the mail today to speak at the annual Women's Conference again. She shakes her head as she fingers the textured sheet of paper because March is such a busy month at the foundation. With March being Women's Month, she and Mona always have so much to do to prepare for the annual conference. To add to their stress, World Water Day also occurs in March, which requires them to have their brochures and signage ready for the printer by mid-December. March Madness is certainly an appropriate moniker for the busy and unpredictable month and, for her, it has nothing to do with college basketball. She tosses the invitation onto the desk, leans back in the chair, and stares at the professionally printed invitation for a few minutes. She will not be speaking at the Women's Conference or any other event next year. Too much has happened and she needs to be present for her family.

She massages her forehead trying to obtain some relief from the pounding in her head, which is partly a result of the brain concussion and partly due to listening to Mayor Wilson drone on and on for the last half-hour about how sorry he is for the tragedy that has befallen her family. She loathes everything about the man and not just because he detests her husband for beating his candidate in the special election, but because of his lack of regard for the city's disadvantaged. Everyone knows Wilson is in the back pockets of certain segments of the city's business community, which has left him deaf to the needs of the underprivileged. But, as the wife of a public official, she was gracious and spent 29 minutes too long on the phone with the man.

Although Dr. Stein said the headaches and dizziness should only last for a few days, they will however, at times, make it difficult for her to concentrate and perform her daily activities. He also said she should expect to experience bouts of irritation, which she was definitely feeling while talking with Mayor Wilson. Dr. Stein ordered her to get a lot of sleep at night and rest during the day. He said rest helps the brain to heal. So, she tucks one leg under her bottom, closes her eyes, and wraps herself in the sweater her husband always leaves hanging on the arm of the chair. Inhaling deeply to take in his scent, she silently thanks God for showing mercy on her family. She swipes the tears from her cheeks, thinking how close they all came to dying on the top of that isolated mountain because some anonymous drunk decided to get behind the wheel of his two-ton truck and crash into them. Shivering from the thought, she pulls her husband's sweater more tightly around her body and looks around the room at the flowers and other gifts sent by their friends, colleagues, and clients. She shakes her head thinking there is a sliver of difference between wishes for a speedy recovery and expressions of sympathy.

"Livia, what are you still doing awake? I hope you're not in here working", her mother says, the brass charms on her bracelet jingling as she walks into the study.

"I just needed to return a few calls, mom. A lot of people have been calling today to check on us."

"You and Fitzgerald are well liked, Livvia", Gwendolyn says, looking around the room at all of the flower arrangements, fruit baskets, and other gifts. "We ran out of space in the other rooms so Hildie and I put some of the flowers in here."

"People are being kind", Olivia says sadly.

"Well, I've collected all of the cards and have labeled them with the names of the senders and the item they sent. Hildie and I will start sending out thank-you notes next week."

"Thanks mom. I'm so glad you and dad are here. I don't know if I could get through all of this without you", tears streaming down her face again.

"Aww baby, everything is going to be all right. Fitzgerald will be up and about in no time. And, Cena well she'll be walking soon - once she starts therapy. And that Jolie is not going to let that cast stop her from trying to bang on things with her toys."

"I know, but so much has happened over the last year, mom. This accident is just the latest thing."

"The election is over now, Livvia. Things will settle down once you all are healthy again."

Olivia smiles weakly, thinking her mother has no idea about everything she and Fitz have been through, starting with her leaving her family for two months and living at Mirage. She chuckles inwardly as she thinks her running to the beautiful mountains to escape the stress of everyday life, and months later almost dying on one of those same mountains.

"Well, I want you to rest - you have a concussion", standing from the chair and walking around the desk and extending a hand to her daughter. "Your father and I are here to take care of you and your family. We're not going anywhere."

"I appreciate you and dad being here to help us", she says, taking her mother's hand and standing to her feet.

"We are your parents, Livvia. You give for those you love", hugging her only child tightly.

Olivia smiles, reveling in her mother's warm embrace. She is thrilled her parents are here for this most recent crisis in her life. While she loves the Grants and her friends, there is nothing like having her mother – her parents – around to support and comfort her during the most challenging time of her life. She has missed them so much.

 **XXX**

Olivia displays a genuine smile as she walks into their bedroom carrying the large bouquet of flowers the New Gs sent. She decided to bring them up to their bedroom thinking they might help to cheer up her husband. She shakes her head when she sees him sleeping on his back with his mouth hanging open and drooling. After what they have been through, seeing him like that is the most beautiful sight in the world. She wishes she had her phone so she could take a picture to capture the moment. She will have to buy a new phone when she goes to her doctor's appointment and have lunch with Marion next week. She sets the heavy vase of the flowers onto the table across from the bed and Fitz begins to stir.

"Can I get you anything, babe?" Turning when she hears him coughing.

"No - I don't want anything", sighing heavily as he struggles to slide up against the headboard.

"Babe, the house is filled with flowers, fruit baskets, and all sorts of gifts. Many of your clients from all over have sent well wishes."

He nods and reaches for the bottle of water on his nightstand.

"These are from Marcella and the team", she says, rearranging some of the flowers in the large vase. "They've been concerned about you."

"That was nice of them", smiling slightly at the colorful bouquet of flowers.

"Mayor Wilson called", she says carefully, continuing to fluff the flowers. "He wanted to express his concern and tell you to take whatever time you need to heal. He said your confirmation will be delayed until you're ready to start as council president."

"Wilson is an ass", he musters up enough strength to say. "How are you feeling?" Watching his wife play with the floral arrangement.

"I'm fine", plastering a smile on her face before turning to look at him.

"You're not fine, Liv. You have a concussion. I don't want you running around here trying to do everything. You need to rest."

"Our family has been so helpful, babe. Mom and dad are getting the girls ready for bed as we speak."

"That's good, now you should come to bed", beckoning for her to lay down with him.

 **XXX**

A few hours later, being careful not to further injure his fractured ribs, Fitz turns slowly in the bed and looks at his wife who is in a deep sleep.

"Liv", he whispers softly, trying not to startle her, but she does budge.

"Livvie", he says with more urgency, now shaking her shoulder, but she still does not waken.

" _Livvie",_ shaking her a little more vigorously until she finally wakens.

"What – what?" Jolting up in bed. "What's the matter? Is something wrong? Are you hurting?" Trying to find his eyes in the dark room.

"I have to pee. I tried to hold it longer – until morning - but …."

"Fitz, you're going to damage your bladder trying to hold it. Just wake me whenever you have to go", throwing back the covers and rushing around to his side of the bed.

"I hate having to wake you, Liv", trying to get out of bed on his own stead. "You need your sleep, too."

"Come on, babe, lean on me", helping him to his feet, and he feels woozy immediately.

She wraps and arm around his side and he drapes his arm over her shoulder, resting his weight on her.

"Watch the ribs, Liv", he says, squeezing his eyes shut in pain. She nods and slides her arm down his waist.

"Take your time, babe", she says, guiding him into the bathroom and over to the toilet.

He fumbles with his boxers, slowly pulling it out.

"Do you need me to hold it for you, babe?" She asks seriously, looking up at the strain on his face.

"No", looking at her in disbelief as he begins to relieve himself. He closes his eyes and exhales in relief and continues to empty his bladder.

"My goodness, Fitz, you really had to go", watching closely as he continues to pee.

"I told you I had to go", he says, shaking away the last droplets before stuffing it back into its holding place. And she reaches around him to flush the toilet.

"Come on, babe. Let's get over to the sink and wash your hands."

"I hate being helpless, Liv", leaning on her as he hobbles over to the sink.

"I know. But you won't be feeling like this much longer", washing his hands then drying them.

"I don't like you having to take care of me this way – like I'm JoJo", catching his reflection in the mirror and thinking he looks like an old man.

"You are my husband. I take care of you when you're sick - no one else", she says emphatically, looking at his tired face. "In sickness and in health – remember?"

He nods as they hobble back to the bedroom. She helps him to sit on the side of the bed and he lets out a heavy sigh.

"It takes all the strength I have just to go to the bathroom, Liv", struggling to roll back into bed without injuring his ribs. "I'm completely drained of energy."

"Are you warm enough?" She asks, pulling the covers up to his chest. "Do you want another blanket?"

"I'm fine", sighing from fatigue.

"Do you want another pillow?" Reaching over to her side of the bed and grabbing one of her pillows.

"I'm fine, Liv."

"Can I get you something – a glass of water?"

He looks at her as if she has lost her mind because the last thing he wants is more water. He does not want to trek back to the bathroom anytime soon.

 **XXX**

They have all been home from the hospital for two days and Fitz continues to spend his days in bed sleeping. His appetite is nonexistent and he is still in a lot of pain, only taking the medication when he can no longer tolerate the pain caused by his cracked ribs. The last thing he wants is to get hooked on the opiod.

When Olivia walks into the room, she sees the pain on his face. She hates seeing her usually vibrant and active husband not only in pain, but also seemingly experiencing a touch of the blues. She sits on the bed with her back against the headboard and he slowly gravitates toward her placing his head onto her lap.

"Still tired, babe?" Scraping her fingernails across his scalp because that always helps to feel better.

"Liv, I'm so tired. I still don't seem to have any energy", enjoying the feel of her fingernails on his scalp.

"You've only been home for a few days, babe. Dr. Cooper said you should expect to feel tired for a while. She says it's not unusual for someone who has had major surgery to feel tired. Don't you remember she called it surgical fatigue?"

"I hardly remember anything from that day, Liv. I just wanted to get out of that hospital and back to our home. Thank god the family was there to help us home."

"Thank god for John's huge truck, it finally came in handy. He was able to drive us all home in that thing. I can see why Cena loves it, and I can also see why Abby hates", chuckling as she reaches over to her nightstand and picks up the discharge papers.

He sighs as the corner of his mouth twitches involuntarily.

"Look - read this", pushing the discharge papers to his face.

"I don't want to read that now, Liv", he says wearily, not bothering to lift his head from her lap.

"Then I'll read it - again. It says major procedures, especially those that require several days of recovery in the hospital, can result in fatigue that lasts for an extended period of time."

"Great", he says tiredly.

"It says fatigue typically improves as the recovery period progresses."

"Well I'm not fatigued, I'm downright exhausted. I feel like an old man", he says grumpily.

"You are an old man, babe. You're my old man", patting his head playfully, and he rolls his eyes. "Babe, you have a few fractured ribs and a concussion. It's going to take time."

"How are you feeling today? How's your head?"

"Getting better every day."

"Are you sure?" Kissing her thigh. "I don't want you overdoing it."

"I'm fine, Fitz. My family is fine so I'm fine."

"Where are my girls? How are they doing today?"

"Mom is feeding them breakfast. She won't let me do a thing."

"You need your rest too, Liv."

"Babe, Cena has her first appointments next week with the physical therapist and psychologist. She has to start walking again. She can't get stuck where she is."

"I know", turning his head away from his wife. "I'll be there."

"Fitz, you might not -"

"I said I'll be there, Olivia."

"Fine", looking down at him with an arched brow.

"When does JoJo see the doctor?"

"Dr. Jordan doesn't need to see her for three more weeks. If everything looks good at that time then he'll remove the cast."

He nods, running a hand through his lop-sided hair.

"I'm going back to sleep", carefully rolling back to his side of the bed.

"Can I get you some breakfast? I'm sure Hildie has made something for you."

"I'm fine", turning on his side. "I just need to sleep."

 **XXX**

Gwendolyn breezes into the kitchen with alacrity, wearing one of her colorful Senegalese dresses and matching head wrap and carrying Jolie in the carrier. She has spent the last hour playing wth her granddaughter in the nursery and now Jolie is hungry, as evidenced by her smacking lips.

"Good morning, Hildie", Gwendolyn says cheerfully as she sets the baby carrier onto the granite island top. "It's such a beautiful day - isn't it?"

Hildie looks up from the stove where she is preparing breakfast for the family and eyes the colorful woman, thinking Mrs. Pope is wearing a lot of fabric so early in the morning.

"Good morning, Mrs. Pope. May I get you some breakfast, ma'am?"

"No - no - not at all", waving her hand in the air dismissively as she walks over to the refrigerator. "But I will get my beautiful granddaughter her breakfast. She's beginning to get a little cranky.

"I can feed our - the baby, ma'am", Hildie quickly self-corrects, watching Mrs. Pope peer into the refrigerator.

"No, I wouldn't think it. I want to feed my grandbaby this morning. I have a lot of lost time to make up for, Hildie."

Gwendolyn hums a tune as she continues to scan the array of homemade baby food on the shelf dedicated to Jolie's foods, which are kept separate from the rest of the family's food since Dr. Jordan diagnosed her last month with several food allergies shortly after Olivia began to introduce soft foods into the baby's diet.

Still trying to decide what to feed her grandbaby this morning, Gwendolyn finally slides a few jars from the shelf then opens the freezer to retrieve a bottle of mother's milk. She sets Jolie's breakfast foods onto the counter and walks over to the overhead cabinets. Hildie frowns when she sees the items Mrs. Pope has selected for the baby's breakfast.

"She doesn't care for that peach too much, ma'am."

"Oh - okay", Gwendolyn says as she opens the overhead cabinet and pulls out a small, orange-colored bowl.

"She prefers the pink bowl, ma'am."

Gwendolyn turns around and looks at Hildie curiously and Hildie quickly turns away and resumes preparing the family's breakfast.

"Hildie, is something wrong?"

"Ma'am?" Turning away from the stove to look at Mrs. Pope who is holding the orange bowl in her hand.

"Well, you seem somewhat annoyed with me. Have I done something to offend you, Hildie?"

"Not at all, ma'am. Jolie just likes certain things", glancing again at the orange bowl in Mrs. Pope's hand.

"I see", Gwendolyn says, nodding her head slowly and thinking a five-month-old baby does not have a preference about the color of the bowl in which her food is served.

Gwendolyn scoops a couple of spoonfuls of the baby food into the bowl and opens the microwave door. She sets the bowl and four-ounce bottle of milk in the microwave and starts to close the door.

"Mrs. Grant prefers to heat the baby's food on top of the stove - ma'am", Hildie says, wiping her hands onto the kitchen towel.

Frowning in frustration, Gwendolyn nods as she removes the items from the microwave and sets the back onto the counter. She opens and closes cabinet doors trying to find a pot in which to warm Jolie's food.

"The small sauce pan we use to warm the baby's food is in that cabinet", Hildie says, pointing to one of the bottom cabinets.

Gwendolyn bends down and pulls out the first pot she sees, a large aluminum pot, and sets it into the copper farmhouse sink. She glances over at Hildie before turning on the faucet and filling the pot with a few inches of water. As she sets the pot on top of the stove, her husband enters the kitchen carrying Cena on his hip. Hildie glances over at the oversized pot, then at the man who is wearing as much fabric as wife.

"Gwennie, the weather these past few days has been just magnificent. We weren't afforded this kind of weather in November when we lived here. Good morning, Hildie", he says in his usual chipper tone.

"Good morning, Mr. Pope, sir."

"Cena and I had a wonderful morning stroll. Right, Cena?" Smiling proudly at his beautiful granddaughter.

"Right, GranPop", Cena says happily.

Jolie is hungry and tired of waiting for her breakfast so she makes her displeasure known by crying, kicking her feet, and flailing her arms. Hildie looks in the direction of the carrier.

"How is my Cena doing this morning? Did you enjoy your walk with GranPop?" Gwendolyn asks, pecking the little girl on both cheeks before sitting at the island to feed Jolie.

"Nana, we saw Rufus. He run so fast."

"And who on earth is Rufus?" Gwennie asks, slowly stirring the mixture in the baby bowl as Jolie's cries get louder.

"He's a white dog. He's pretty, Nana", Cena says as Calvin sets her onto the stool at the island.

"I'm sure your grandfather wasn't too impressed by Rufus", slipping the rubber baby spoon into Jolie's mouth.

"May I get you some breakfast this morning, Mr. Pope?" Hildie asks as she sets the plate of pancakes and small glass of milk in front of the little girl.

"Thank you", Cena says before grabbing the glass of milk.

"Nothing for me, Hildie. Coffee and toast is the most Gwennie and I ever eat for breakfast", pecking his wife on the cheek.

"And Hildie", please call us Calvin and Gwendolyn. There is no need for formalities."

"Yes, ma'am", Hildie says in her usual flat tone as she pours syrup onto Cena's pancakes. The Popes strange ways make her nervous.

"Would you like a cup of coffee, dear?" Calvin asks his wife as he walks over to the coffee maker.

"Yes, please", lifting Jolie from the carrier to now feed her the bottle of milk.

"Is the bottle cool enough, ma'am?"

"Of course it is, Hildie", Gwendolyn says with indignation. "I wouldn't give my granddaughter milk that is too hot."

Hearing the annoyance in his wife's voice, Calvin leans against the counter, darting his eyes back and forth between the two women. He wonders what is going on with his wife and Hildie as he brings the mug to his lips. As Olivia enters the kitchen she smiles when she hears her baby girl let out a loud burp and Cena laughing hysterically, the way she does whenever her baby sister expels excess air of any kind.

"JoJo burp, GranPop", Cena says giggling and her eyes shining brightly.

"She did", Olivia says, walking over and kissing her giggling daughter on the top of her head. She is happy to hear Cena is laughing again.

"How's my Cena doing this morning?" Looking into her eyes for any signs of sadness.

"Mommy, GranPop and I saw Rufus."

"You did?" Glancing over at her father who is rolling his eyes.

"Rufus run fast, mommy. GranPop couldn't catch him."

"I'm sure he couldn't", Gwendolyn mumbles, rocking a sleeping Jolie.

"Good morning, Hildie", Olivia says, as she passes the housekeeper on her way to the coffee maker.

"Good morning, Mrs. Grant. May I get you some breakfast?"

"Yes, the usual please", pulling her mug from the cabinet.

Her parents look at each other wondering when their daughter got to the place where she can no longer prepare her own food.

"How are you feeling this morning, Livvia? Any headache or dizziness?"

"Not yet, mom. I'm actually feeling fine so far."

"Well, be careful, Livvia. You don't want to have a setback. A concussion is tricky business", Calvin says.

"I will, dad."

"Livvia, you should try some of this Café' Touba", holding up his mug. "I bought some back for you and Fitzgerald. I know how much your husband loves a good cup of coffee."

"No thank you, dad", waving her hand. "That stuff is too spicy – too strong for me", she says, sitting next to her daughter who is happily enjoying her pancakes.

"And how is Fitzgerald doing this morning? Gwendolyn asks.

"He's tired, mom - exhausted really."

"Well that's to be expected after everything that man has endured."

"Are you finished your breakfast, sweetheart?" Olivia asks Cena, who is draining the last of her milk from the glass.

"Yes, mommy", see says, letting out a loud burp, which results in another fit of giggling.

"It seems like Jolie isn't the only one who is full of air this morniing", Calvin quips as Hildie sets Olivia's plate in front of her.

"Thank you, Hildie. Can you take Cena upstairs now for her bath?"

"Of course, ma'am. Will Mr. Grant be wanting breakfast this morning, ma'am?"

"Not this morning, Hildie. Thank you."

Hildie lifts Cena from her seat and the little girl waves good-bye to her mother and grandparents.

"Have a good bath, Cena", Gwendolyn says as Hildie walks from the kitchen.

"I'm sorry, Livvia, I wasn't thinking."

"That's all right, mom. I just don't want Cena to think something is seriously wrong with Fitz. I don't want her to get upset – under the circumstances."

Gwendolyn nods as she looks down at a sleeping Jolie.

"When is Cena's appointment? I don't like seeing her like this", Calvin says. "We have to get her walking again as soon as possible."

"Next week, dad. Fitz is insisting on going with us."

"Do I need to go up and help him get into the shower this morning?"

"No - thanks dad. He's sleeping right now. He says he feels like an old man."

"Well I'm an old man and I don't feel like an old man", Calvin says with a huge smile.

"You didn't have a truck sitting on your chest either, dear."

"He's just going to need more time. He'll be fine. Fitzgerald is a strong man."

Olivia nods as she eats a forkful of Hildie's wonderful scrambled eggs.

"Livvia, what is this business we've been hearing about Marla? Calvin asks as he pours another cup of coffee.

"I'm am so sorry Marla has had a stroke. I must go see her before we return to Senegal", Gwendolyn says, and Olivia rubs the back of her neck because she does not want to think about her parents going back to Senegal.

"It's hard to believe that Marla was involved in any kind of criminal behavior, dad. Frankly, I didn't want to believe it when I first heard about it."

"The Marla I know would never be involved in any kind of criminal activity", Gwendolyn says, still rocking Jolie.

"People do all kinds of things when they are in a difficult situation, including embezzling."

" _Embezzling?"_ Calvin says in shock.

"Yes, although she had a reason for what she did - it's still a crime."

"And what reason could she possible have for stealing money from the city—for all these years?"

"Mom, some people will do anything to protect their children."

"What do you mean, Marla doesn't have any children?"

"Mom, Marla has a daughter."

 _"A daughter?"_ Gwendolyn shrieks and stops rocking Jolie.

For the next hour Olivia tells her parents everything about the scandal and what she knows about Marla's daughter.

"I'm sure Marla couldn't pull off this scheme without assistance", Gwendolyn says, still in disbelief.

"Mayor Wilson has recently been indicted on corruption charges, mom. But he denies having any involvement in Marla's embezzlement scheme."

"Well, Marla's indiscretions opened the door for Fitzgerald to have a political career", Calvin says, taking another sip of Café Touba.

"Actually dad, local legislators approached Fitz about running for council president after Marla's stroke - before the scandal ever became public."

"I guess I'll start setting up our little classroom", Gwendolyn says, shaking her head as she places Jolie into the carrier.

"Mom, I really appreciate you helping Cena with her studies until she can go back to school. You and dad have been such a big help to us.

"I love teaching, Livvia, and I love teaching my granddaughter even more."

 **XXX**

Over the next few days Olivia's headaches and dizziness begin to subside significantly and she has begun to regain more energy. And, under the watchful supervision of her mother and father, she gradually starts to do more to help take care of her family. Tonight is the first time since they returned home she has felt like playing a game with Cena. Although she is feeling better, she is not sure when she will return to work since so much depends on how quickly Fitz and Cena recover. Thank goodness for Mona.

After enjoying one of Hildie's wonderful dinners with her parents and the girls, and playing her final game with Cena and Calvin, Olivia climbs the long staircase to check on her husband. As she looks around the room she thinks how much their high-end, contemporary bedroom now resembles that of a hospital room, with brown bottles of pills lined across Fitz' nightstand along with his spirometer and a melting ice pack. She walks over and begins to straighten the items on the nightstand.

"Have you used your spirometer today, babe?"

He shakes his head _no_.

"Fitz, that's the only way your lung is going to get healthy", lifting the breathing device from the nightstand. "You have to use it every few hours, babe", sitting on the side of the bed next to him and he groans.

"Open", placing the mouthpiece into his mouth. "Breath out", and the ball jiggles a bit at the bottom of the chamber. "Now breathe in - slowly. You have to practice more, babe, the chamber is barely moving. You have to do this every few hours. I'm going to set a timer for you."

"It still hurts, Liv."

"I know, but it's going to hurt for a little while", reaching over and grabbing her pillow. "Hold this against your ribs so it doesn't hurt too much."

He nods, holding the pillow against his side as he breathes in and out of the spirometer.

"Is that better?" Caressing the side of his face.

He nods again.

"Keep practicing while I go get the girls. They want to say good night before going to bed tonight."

He breathes out and in the device a few times until he hears Olivia and her mother returning with his daughters. Quickly, he stashes the breathing device under the covers and sits up against the headboard.

 _"Daddy"_ , Cena screams as Olivia carries her into the room.

"Hey, Princess", he smiles weakly.

"Daddy, I play a game with GranPop and he gave me a bath, too."

"That's nice, sweetheart. Did you win?"

"I did", nodding her head up and down and smiling in victory.

"Give daddy a good night kiss", Olivia says, and Cena tries to wiggle out of her mother's arms to climb onto her father's lap.

"Just a good night kiss, baby", and Cena pouts because she wants her father to hold her.

"I'll hold you tomorrow, Princess. Okay?"

"OK, daddy", nodding her head with a smile.

"Fitzgerald", Gwendolyn says, carrying Jolie over to her son-in-law. "How are you feeling this evening?" Looking sympathetically at her pale son-in-law.

"I'm getting better, Gwendolyn", he says as his mother-in-law leans Jolie in so he can give his baby girl a good-night kiss.

"Good night, Angel", pecking the baby on her drool-covered lips.

"All right, time for bed. Say good night, Cena", Olivia says.

"Night - night, daddy."

"Good night, Princess. Daddy will see you in the morning. Okay?"

"OK, daddy."

"Good night, Fitzgerald."

"Have a good night, Gwendolyn."

Once everyone has left the room, he falls back against the upholstered headboard, breathing slowly with open mouth. The brief encounter with his children has exhausted him. He feels like an old man.

"Babe", Olivia says with a smile in her voice as she re-enters the bedroom, pushing up her sweater sleeves. "One benefit of you being laid up is you don't have to read _Goodnight Moon_. Dad is stuck with the task of reading it to Cee – and he's enjoying it", she says as she sits on her side of the bed. She frowns immediately when her butt comes in contact with the hard plastic breathing device.

"What is this doing under the covers?" Holding up the spirometer and looking at him curiously.

"I don't want to appear weak, Liv."

"Well you are weak - you're recovering from a horrible accident and surgery. Your body is trying to heal", handing him the device.

"I don't want my children to think I'm not capable of taking care of them."

"What are you talking about?" Taking his hand into hers. "JoJo doesn't know what's going on and Cena loves you more than anything. You'll always be her hero - wear the _S_ on your chest."

"Cena looks up to me because she knows that no matter what happens, I will always take care of her. But I didn't protect her, Liv. I didn't protect any of you. And I damn sure am not looking much like a superhero these days."

"Stop it, Fitz", she admonishes him. "One", looking into his sad eyes and holding up her index finger. "Cena looks up to you because you're her father and she loves you very much. "Two", holding up another finger. "The accident is not your fault. You can't protect us from a drunk driver. And three", holding up a third finger. "You're getting out of this bed tomorrow", handing him another pain pill and stool softener.

He glares at her, tosses the two pills into his mouth, and washes them down with the glass of water she is handing him.

"Don't give me that look. It'll be four days tomorrow since you were discharged from the hospital. It's time to get up. You're coming downstairs in the morning for one of Hildie's famous breakfasts. I've been craving her cinnamon rolls, but you know she only bakes them for you. So, you're getting up tomorrow."

 **XXX**

"Fitzgerald, I am so happy you were able to make it down for breakfast this morning", Gwendolyn says happily as she stirs the mixture in the pot on top of the stove.

"I haven't had much of an appetite lately, Gwendolyn", plopping onto the stool next to his daughter.

"Good morning, Princess", kissing Cena on the cheek.

"Good morning, daddy."

"Are you ready for breakfast?" He asks and she nods her head up and down.

"So am I", he says, not feeling too tired this morning.

"Fitzgerald, I've prepared a traditional Senegalese breakfast for us", Gwendolyn announces proudly and Fitz looks over at his wife with wide eyes.

"Calvin, slice those boiled eggs, please", Gwendolyn directs.

"Surely", Calvin says in his chipper voice, moving quickly over to the chopping board to slice the eggs.

"What are you preparing, mom?" Looking at her husband's panic-stricken face.

"You are all going to love it", scooping the bean mixture from the pot and spreading it onto the baguette that is split down the middle. "Pass me the sliced eggs, Calvin", she says, cutting another bean-filled roll in half for Cena.

"Here you go, Fitzgerald", Gwendolyn says, smiling brightly as she sets the plate on the island top in front of him. "And this one is for you Cena."

Cena looks at the bean-filled roll topped with sliced boiled eggs and pokes out her bottom lip.

"That's not panny cakes, Nana", staring at the mystery on her plate.

"No it's not, Cena. This is what little girls in Senegal eat for breakfast."

Fitz frowns at his breakfast sandwich too, wondering where the hell is Hildie. He has an appetite this morning and was really looking forward to eating one of her famous breakfasts and cinnamon rolls. He glances over at his wife to save him and his daughter from having to eat the mystery on a roll.

"Café Touba, Fitzgerald?" Calvin asks, holding up a mug. "I know how much you love a good cup of coffee so I tossed some in my bag when we left Senegal."

"Mom – dad", Olivia interjects. "I'm afraid Fitz cannot eat such a rich meal this morning. The doctor wants him to eat light meals until he is fully recovered. I'll just scramble him a few eggs and make some toast", beginning to stand from her seat.

"Oh – of course. I wasn't thinking. I'll just save this bean sandwich for another time."

"Thank you, Gwendolyn", Fitz says weakly.

"Sit down, Livvia. I'll fix Fitzgerald's breakfast."

Fitz glances over at his wife again because she has told him many times that her mother cannot cook. Gwendolyn Pope's lack of cooking skills is what prompted Olivia to learn how to cook at any early age.

"And mom, Cena will just have cereal. She is not used to eating so much food in the mornings. I don't want her to get an upset stomach."

"Oh - of course. Then you can eat it, Livvia. I'm sure you're going to love it."

"Yeah, Liv, why don't you eat it? I'm sure you're going to love it", Fitz says with a smirk.

"Eat up Livvia while I scramble Fitzgerald's eggs."

"And I'll get my granddaughter her cereal", Calvin says, smiling broadly as he sets the mug of spicy coffee in front of Fitz.

"Thanks, dad", she says, darting her eyes between the sandwich and her grinning husband.

 **XXX**

Later that night Calvin and Cena are sitting on the floor in the family playing a game he has let her win the last two rounds because that is what grandparents do. Olivia is sitting on the sofa next to her husband helping him search for a new car on her tablet. He is trying to spend less time in bed and more time downstairs with his family. Gwendolyn sits in the plush chair across from the sofa humming softly as she flips through the most recent issue of Bon Appetit magazine. With each flip of a page, the little brass charms on her leather bracelet jingle, breaking the silence in the room.

"Oh my", she exclaims, looking down at the magazine in excitement. Everyone looks over at the woman, wondering what has her so excited.

"What is it, dear?" Calvin asks looking up from the board game.

"Calvin, you won't believe what I just came across in this food magazine", smiling as she continues to stare at the page. "I just found a recipe for poulet yassa. Livvia, this was the first Senegalese dish your father and I had when we arrived in Dakar."

"Magnificent. Chicken, onions, lemons ..." Calvin says.

"I must make this for our dinner tomorrow night", Gwendolyn says with enthusiasm, and Fitz and Cena look at Olivia with wide eyes. Neither can take another one of the women's well-intentioned attempts at cooking. They miss Hildie's cooking.

"Fitzgerald, Livvia has told me you've become quite the chef", Gwendolyn says, looking at the list of ingredients need to prepare the dish.

"I'm afraid I haven't had a lot of time to do much cooking lately, Gwendolyn."

"We'll have to prepare a meal together when you're back on your feet", still staring at the magazine. "You're really going to appreciate this dish, Fitzgerald. Since we've been living in Senegal I've been trying my hand at preparing some of their traditional dishes. While I'll be the first to admit that I was never fond of cooking when Livvia was young, I seem to have gotten pretty good at making these new dishes. Isn't that right, Calvin?"

"We'll go to the Senegalese grocery store in the city tomorrow, dear", Calvin says. "From what I remember the supermarkets in Church Falls have a limited international foods section. I doubt if much has changed since we lived here."

"We'll leave after breakfast", Gwendolyn says excitedly, flipping the page in the magazine.

Fitz squeezes his wife's hand gently, encouraging her to stop her mother from planning another meal. He cannot tolerate her cooking any longer.

"Mom ..." Olivia says cautiously.

"Yes, Livvia", looking up from the magazine serenely.

"Mom, you don't have to worry about cooking for us while you're here. You and dad are helping us out so much with girls – you don't need to cook our meals, too. That's why we have Hildie."

"Well, Livvia, I'm sure Hildie wouldn't mind having a little break while we're here."

Fitz and Cena continue to look at Olivia.

"But mom – Hildie gets somewhat anxious when someone usurps her territory."

"You're telling me. She seemed somewhat annoyed when I was preparing my grandbaby's breakfast."

"Well it is her job, mom."

"And this is your house – your kitchen – and I plan to use it a little while we're here."

Fitz squeezes his wife's hand again because she does not seem to be getting through to her mother.

"It's your turn, Cena", Calvin says to the little girl who is staring at her mother with wide eyes.

"Mom", Olivia starts again slowly. "While I – we", wagging her finger back and forth between her and Fitz. "While we appreciate you wanting to share some of the wonderful dishes of Senegal with us, we – I find them to be – to be", searching for the right words.

"To be what, dear?" Looking up from the magazine with a curious look on her face.

"Well, the dishes are too rich."

" _Rich?_ What are you talking about, Livvia?"

"We're just not used to eating so many carbs mom – especially for breakfast. And", she continues quickly, "Fitz is still recuperating and his stomach is unable to handle the new dishes."

"I see", Gwendolyn says with disappointment. "Well, I'll just make enough for you and Cena and your father and me."

Fitz squeezes Olivia's hand one more time because he has to save Cena from the fate of having to eat another one of Gwendolyn Pope's meals. It is not they do not think Senegalese cuisine could be quite delicious, but Gwendolyn Pope has never been a good cook of any kind of food – American or Senegalese.

"Mom, just let Hildie do the cooking. She's very good at it."

With a look of puzzlement on her face, Gwendolyn is trying to understand why her daughter seems to be resistant to enjoying a traditional Senegalese dinner. Tension is in the air because the adults are uncomfortable by the exchange between mother and daughter. Finally, Gwendolyn realizes why Olivia does not want her to prepare the meal.

"Oh – I see. I understand", nodding slowly as she glares at her daughter. "Well, I'm sure Hildie will be able to prepare you all a wonderful dinner tomorrow night", standing from her seat and tossing the magazine onto the table.

"Mom -"

"I must be going to bed now."

"Mom, don't be upset. It's just –"

"I'm not upset, Livvia" waving her hand and causing the brass charms to jingle. "I just need to get to bed early because your father and I have to be at Triumph Tabernacle early in the morning. We promised Rev. Walker we would help out at the church while we're in town."

"Mom –"

"Unless you need your father and me to be here when the Chief of Police arrives tomorow?"

"No, mom, we'll be fine", Olivia says sadly, knowing she has hurt her mother's feelings. She hates disappointing her mother.

"Good night, Livia – Fitzgerald."

"Good night, Gwendolyn", Fitz finally speaks.

"Give Nana a kiss good night, Cena", bending down to kiss her granddaughter.

"Are you coming to bed now, Calvin?" She asks tersely.

"I'll be in shortly, dear. After I finish this last game with Cena."

When Calvin is sure his wife is in their bedroom, he turns to his daughter with the biggest smile on his face.

"Thank you, Livvia, for sparing us all from another one of your mother's creations. Senegalese food is quite wonderful, mind you, if it's prepared by skilled hands. You know your mother has never been proficient in the kitchen", and the adults all burst out laughing.

"Dad, why didn't you say something?"

"Happy wife, happy life. Right, Fitzgerald?"

 **XXX**

Andrew Schuller worked for the Philadelphia Police Department for 17 years, a patrolman for five years and a detective for another 12 years, and during that time he has seen almost everything imaginable on those mean streets. He had almost become numb to the violence he encountered daily. But on one July afternoon all of that changed when he witnessed a mentally disturbed mother toss her newborn baby from the window of her fifth floor apartment on Berks Street. Seeing the innocent baby splattered across the sweltering sidewalk rattled everyone standing around the horrific scene, including him. As his partner covered the tiny body with the black tarp, he knew in that moment it was time to leave the city. He no longer wanted to witness this kind of ugliness again, nor did he want his wife and daughter to experience the other negative things the city had to offer. Wanting to protect them from the drugs, the gangs, and the bad schools, he decided to move to rural Washington State where his wife Karen was born and all of her family still live. So, when he learned the Chief of Police in his wife's hometown was retiring, he decided to apply for the job. And three months later he was moving his family to the great state of Washington, where they have lived for the past four years.

For the most part, life is easy in the small rural town and, as the town's top law enforcer, he does not have to worry much about the violence that comes with living in a major metropolitan city. However, he can see that is slowly changing. Rural towns have their problems too. Although there is no gun violence up here, which is ironic since there are lots and lots of guns in this part of the state. Almost everyone owns multiple firearms. And the unemployment rate is high and the use of opioids is even higher, which is contributing to the rise in petty theft cases. Two-bit junkies often burgle cars and homes to steal money and goods to buy their drugs.

Crime apparently has no boundaries, there really is no escaping it. He knows it is just a matter of time before violent crimes committed using guns will soon become a problem for him. People, drugs, and drugs are a deadly combination.

 **XXX**

As the chief settles in the wide leather seat for the 200-mile drive to Church Falls, he lights his cigar and reflects on the day he received the call that another accident had occurred at one of the narrow tunnels off Interstate 80. He was home with his family celebrating his daughter's sixth birthday when his rookie patrolman called to report he was on the site of the most horrific scene of his brief career in law enforcement.

Although Schuller has seen a lot as a policeman in Philly, he was still shaken by the sight of the family in the crumpled BMW. Perhaps because the little girl, who he later learned name is Cena, reminded him of his little Tiffany. Or maybe it was because the vacation-bound family reminded him he needed to taken Karen and Tiffany on vacation, something he has not done since moving here. Whatever the reason, he quickly became obsessed with trying to untangle the mystery of what happened on top of the mountain on a beautiful day in November.

His initial examination of the accident site made him uneasy because things just were not adding up. While there have been several accidents in the old tunnels, there was something peculiar about this particular accident. The whole scene was odd, that is the only way he could describe what he saw, odd. A tenacious investigator with the innate ability to piece together arcane clues to solve a crime, he spent countless hours, to the chagrin of his wife, studying the pictures taken at the accident and the bags of evidence he and Patrolman Jefferson collected.

Once Schuller pieced together the evidence and determined what happened outside of the tunnel, he waited two weeks after the Grant family was discharged from the hospital before contacting the couple and requesting a meeting. He needed them to know what actually happened. While he thought it was important to provide the Grants with answers, he also wanted to allow the family to time to heal - physically and emotionally.

 **XXX**

As he rolls his truck up the long driveway leading to the large colonial-style house, Schuller admires the beautiful structure and landscaping. So this is how the famous negotiator turned politician lives he thinks as he parks next to the white Audi Q5 SUV. Schuller grabs his hat and the three large plastic evidence bags from the passenger seat and slides out of the truck. It is time to update the Grants on the results of his investigation.

Fitz and Olivia sit on the sofa in silence, holding hands as they wait for Chief Schuller to arrive. They were both surprised when the chief called asking to meet with them to discuss the accident. They were beginning to move on, trying to put their lives back together after the events of that horrible day. Olivia has recovered from her concussion. Fitz is regaining his strength and his collapsed lung is healed. Although he is still experiencing pain from his fractured ribs, he is doing much better. Both he and Cena have doctors' appointments later in the week. And Jolie, well she is fascinated by the pink cast and tries everything within her power to rip it off.

They both stiffen when they hear the doorbell ring, trying to steel themselves for whatever the chief has to tell them. When the door opens, Schuller looks at the middle-aged woman whose gray-streaked hair is pulled back into a tight bun. He smiles slightly at her stern face but she does not reciprocate. He thinks it must be nice to have a housekeeper and pit bull all wrapped into one.

"Good morning", tipping his hat. "I'm Chief Andrew Schuller. I have an appointment with Mr. and Mrs. Grant."

"Come in, sir", Hildie says in her monotone voice, dropping her hand from the doorknob and stepping aside to allow the man to enter the foyer. Schuller glances quickly around the space thinking it must be nice to have money.

"Follow me, sir", Hildie says, turning and walking down the long hall to the living room.

Schuller removes his hat and follows the woman down the hall, glancing up at the massive two-story staircase.

"Chief Schuller has arrived", Hildie announces to Fitz and Olivia as she stands in the doorway of the living room with the visitor. Olivia and Fitz both stand from the sofa with nervous smiles to greet the chief.

"Chief Schuller", Fitz says, walking over and extending a handshake.

"Mr. Grant", the chief returns the salutation with a slight smile.

"Come in chief – have a seat. And call me Fitz - please."

Fitz guides the man into the room where Olivia is standing, nervously wringing her hands and wishing she had taken her parents up on their offer to stay home with them for this meeting.

"This is my wife, Olivia Grant", Fitz says, draping an arm around Olivia's shoulders.

"It is so good to meet you Chief Schuller", Olivia smiles as she shakes his hand. "We can finally thank you in person for everything you and your department did for our family", tears welling in her eyes as she continues to hold onto his hand. "The entire community was beyond wonderful to us."

"You're quite welcome, Mrs. Grant. Everybody just wanted the best for you and your family", he says, smiling politely at the woman who is obviously nervous.

"Call me Olivia, please", she says, wiping a tear from under her eye.

"And I'm Andrew. I only require my patrolmen to call me chief", he chuckles, trying to ease the tension.

"Have a seat, Andrew", Fitz says, motioning his hand toward the sofa and wondering what is in those plastic bags the man is holding.

The chief sits onto the sofa and immediately feels the difference between the sofa's plump cushions and the ones he usually reclines on at home in their small den.

"May I?" Seeking permission to set the plastic bags onto the coffee table.

"Of course", Olivia says, eyeing the bags as Hildie enters the room carrying the coffee service set.

"Coffee, sir?" Hildie asks, looking at the chief as she sets the tray onto the table.

"Yes, thank you. It's been a long drive this morning", setting his hat onto the sofa.

After pouring coffee for everyone, Hildie deftly slides the man's hat from the sofa and walks it to the foyer closet.

"Thank you for traveling all this way to update us on your findings", Olivia says nervously. "But I'm not sure what more can be said about a person getting behind the wheel of a car after having too many drinks."

"Well, I wanted to give you all some time to recuperate before I made the trip down here. You two look well. How are your daughters doing?"

"Jolie, our baby, has a fractured wrist."

"I'm so sorry."

"She's wearing a cast for now but she is going to be fine."

"That's good to hear. That doctor on the scene took really good care of her."

Olivia smiles, fighting back the tears again, and Fitz gives her hand a gentle squeeze.

"And Cena, our five-year-old, well, she's going to be just fine in time. She's going to need some therapies – but she'll be fine", nodding her head to punctuate the sentence.

"That's good", the chief says, glancing over at her silent husband whose body sudenly stiffened.

Fitz eyes the chief closely because he knows the man did not drive 200 miles early this morning just to update them about an accident that happened weeks ago. He could have delivered whatever information he has by telephone, so there is more to this visit Fitz thinks to himself as Hildie returns with a plate of her famous miniature cinnamon rolls, hot from the oven. The chief smiles unknowingly because the pastry looks and smells wonderful.

"Hildie is famous for her homemade cinnamon rolls, chief. Please help yourself, but I should warn you they are quite addictive", Olivia says with a smile.

"Thank you. I don't mind if I do", sliding a roll from the plate and taking a bite. He closes his eyes as the pastry melts in his mouth. "This is absolutely wonderful", quickly taking another bite.

Hildie smiles to herself as she walks back to the kitchen. Olivia and Fitz smile, watching the chief take a sip of coffee.

"I told you", Olivia says. "Hildie only bakes those rolls for Fitz", sliding her hand onto her husband's crossed leg.

"Well, I am truly honored", looking over at the man who is wound as tight as a drum. "But you must promise not to say a word about this to my wife. She sort of considers herself an amateur baker."

"Your secret is safe with us", Olivia says with a smile.

Now that the pleasantries have come to an end, the chief knows it is time to get on with what brought him to Church Falls this Wednesday morning.

"I have a few items I was able to salvage from the accident site", wiping his mouth and hands on the linen napkin before reaching for one of the plastic bags he set on the coffee table. "Here are your cell phones", handing Olivia the bag. "I'm sure they need to be charged after all of this time."

"Thank you, Andrew", Olivia says quietly, setting the plastic bag onto her lap. Seeing their phones in what appears to be a police evidence bag brings back the memories of that day and her breathing becomes uneven as the chief reaches for the second plastic bag.

"I found this in the car. It was a bit mangled but I was able to fix it. My Tiffany has one just like it and she just loves the thing. I thought your little girl would want it back", handing the bag to Fitz.

Eyes brimming with tears, Fitz reaches for the bag containing the silver, gemstone-encrusted tiara and twirls it between his fingers, remembering the day he and Cena left dance class and stopped into the children's store two doors away to buy the sunglasses she liked so much. He remembers the morning of the start of their vacation when he surprised her with the tiara and placed it onto her head after helping to dress her. He remembers her smiling brightly in the back seat of the car when she announced she was a real princess. Olivia squeezes his thigh.

"Thank you", he mumbles softly, continuing to stare at the tiny crown.

Schuller reaches for the last plastic bag on the coffee table thinking about the words he has practiced over last few weeks for this moment. After reading the stunning contents of the book, he knew he needed to find the right words to explain to the couple why they almost lost their lives in a remote part of the state. He inhales deeply and slowly slides the stained leatherback book from the bag, and Olivia and Fitz frown immediately from the stench of stale alcohol. Schuller looks down at the book for a moment, then back at the couple who are staring at him with confusion in their eyes. He knows they have no clue about what he is about to reveal to them, and he does not know if the information he is about to share will help them to put the tragedy behind them or if it will send them spiraling down into a different kind of hell. He clears his throat and takes a sip of coffee before beginning.

"Fitz – Olivia – this here is a manifesto — well it's more like a diary of a mad man", he says, bouncing the book in his hands. "It was found at the accident scene – inside the truck that plowed into your car."

Fitz and Olivia stare at the man with blank looks on their faces. They have no idea why the chief is showing them a stained and tattered book that reeks of alcohol.

"This diary belongs to a Charles Barber", the chief says carefully, watching for their reaction.

Olivia gasps, moving her hand from her husband's thigh and bringing it to her chest. Fitz' eyes widen and stands abruptly from the sofa, bumping into the coffee table and nearly toppling over the coffee service. He has made the connection between the accident and Charlie, and Schuller knows it. Olivia looks in surprise as her husband walks across the room and resting his forearms on the mantle as he looks down at the floor shaking his head in disbelief. Olivia crinkles her brow because her husband's tense body advertises his anger and inner turmoil.

"Fitz?" Seeing he has turned a deep shade of red.

"I don't know how much either of you know about Charlie Barber's past, but he was a mentally disturbed man."

" _Was?"_ Olivia asks nervously.

"Mrs. Grant – Olivia", the chief says, trying to get her attention, and she slowly turns away from her husband and looks at the chief. "Charlie Barber was the driver of the truck that plowed into your family. He was ejected from his truck on impact and expired at the scene."

" _Oh my god"_ , Olivia shrieks, bringing a hand to her lips and looking back at her husband who is still staring down at the floor.

"The crash was not caused by an alcohol-impaired driver – it was an intentional act planned and plotted by a deeply disturbed man - as outlined in his diary."

"This makes no sense", she finally mutters. "Charlie was many things – but attempted murder?"

"Charlie Barber has held a vendetta against you and your husband for quite some time, Olivia."

Olivia's heart pounds and she is finding it increasingly difficult to breathe. Fitz looks up and turns to face the chief.

 _"What?"_ He says in anger.

"As he wrote in this diary, his deep dislike for you – both of you - started well over eight years ago when you two started dating."

Fitz furrows his brow and listens intently as the chief describes his nemesis' visceral hate for them and the diabolical plan he created to destroy their entire family. Olivia sits stunned, frozen in place, as the chief runs down Charlie Barber's timeline of hate.

"He apparently has been obsessed with you for some time, Olivia. He documented every interaction he had with you over the past eight years", Schuller says, still holding onto the diary.

"I don't believe this."

"And his infatuation with you only escalated over the years. All of these color sticky things indicate an event on the man's timeline", pointing to the pages he has flagged in the diary.

Fitz walks back over to the sofa, sits next to his wife, and takes her trembling hand in his as the chief flips to the first page with the green sticky flag.

"When Barber discovered you were dating Mr. Grant, he became livid. That was actually the start of his hate for you, Fitz. For quite some time he held out hope that one day the two of you would be together, Olivia." Her eyes widen as Schuller flips to another page with the blue sticky flag.

"You run a foundation, correct, Olivia?"

"I do - the Olivia Pope Foundation. But what does that have to do with anything?"

"Mr. Barber's hate escalated more when you did not award him the contract for a plumbing job. He apparently really needed that contract to pay his bills."

"The Springfield Heights project", she says softly, half to herself.

"And you had a fight with Barber shortly after that, is that correct, Fitz?" Olivia and Fitz look at each other and Fitz nods.

"He threatened my wife."

"Well he vowed to pay you back for that fight and for destroying many of the things in his apartment he valued."

"I should have killed him when I had the chance", Fitz growls.

 _"Fitz"_ , Olivia admonishes.

"And that would have been the worst mistake of your life", Schuller says, flipping to the page with the orange sticky flag. "Barber apparently retaliated for not getting the contract and for the fight."

" _Retaliated?"_ Olivia questions, looking at her fuming husband.

"He wrote in detail how he broke into your foundation and damaged a sprinkler head in the conference room - causing your office to flood."

 _"Oh my god"_ , she exclaims, standing from the sofa and starting to pace around the room. "And all of this time we thought a faulty sprinkler head caused all of that damage."

Fitz runs his fingers through his head, thinking this is all his fault, and Schuller flips to the page with the pink sticky.

"As I said Olivia, Barber always hoped you and he would one day be together as a couple", looking over at Fitz who looks as if he is about to implode.

"But there was never anything between us", she protests, more for her husband's sake than Schuller's.

"He apparently thought he should have been the father of your children. And with each pregnancy he became more deranged."

"That bastard", Fitz mutters.

"Fitz, this was a sick man. His anger finally went over the top when he performed poorly at the debate and ultimately lost the election. For Mr. Barber, everything - his whole life -hinged on winning that election."

Fitz looks over at the man curiously.

"Charlie Barber was broke. With two failed businesses he was on the verge of losing everything, including that fancy condo, which was at the top of the list. The people supporting his candidacy had been paying all of his expenses until he lost the election. That's when all of the money stopped. No one would return his phone calls – not even Mayor Wilson.

"This is so damn bizarre", Fitz says.

"So when Mr. Barber got behind the wheel of his truck on that Friday morning, he was a broken man and an out-of-control man who was bent on seeking revenge on the people he blamed for everything that was wrong in his miserable life."

"It's all my fault", Fitz mumbles again.

"Fitz -"

"I should have seen it coming. I should have known he would try something like this."

"This is not your fault, babe", walking over to her husband and placing a hand on his shoulder.

Fitz, your wife is right. Charles Barber was a sick and twisted man long before either of your paths crossed his. He was apparently abused and emotionally abandoned by his mother at an early age – around six or seven. After spending several years in the foster care system he moved in with his elderly grandmother in the Tilghman housing project."

Olivia shakes her head because she knew nothing about Charlie's background.

"And when he met you, Olivia, well you were everything he dreamed of in a wife. He thought you could legitimize him."

Olivia frowns because she had no idea Charlie had these kinds of feelings for her.

"You came from a good family, college educated, owned your own business, and was community focused. You were the perfect package, if you will. You were everything he wasn't. And he hoped if he were with you – if he could marry you -then you would somehow rub off onto him." Schuller glances over at Fitz again before continuing.

"Fitz, you had no control over Charlie Barber's actions the day of the crash. But you had control when it mattered", and Fitz looks at the man curiously.

"You saved your family on that mountain, Fitz. "If you hadn't acted as quickly as you did – veering your car into the side of that mountain - well let's just say things might've turned out a whole lot differently."

Olivia nods in agreement.

"The man responsible for all of this is gone – forever. Put him behind you and be thankful for your beautiful family - and home", sweeping his eyes quickly around the room.

Fitz nods with lips pressed into a thin line and his brow furrowed.

"I guess I'd better get going", picking up the diary from the coffee table and stuffing it back into the plastic bag. "My little one likes for her daddy to be home every night for dinner", sliding his thumb and index finger across the top of the plastic bag to seal the contents.

Fitz gives the chief a weak smile of understanding.

"Thank you, Andrew, for coming all this way to give us this information."

"Yes, thank you, Andrew", Olivia says, sitting on the arm of the sofa next to her husband.

"Not a problem. I wanted to personally tell you everything - you deserved to know. Take care, Olivia", shaking her hand and Jolie begins to cry from upstairs in the nursery.

"Thank you again, Andrew, and have a safe trip home. I must get to our daughter."

"Of course."

Schuller smiles politely as he watches the woman leave the room to attend to her infant daughter. Recognizing the look of guilt on Fitz' face, he walks over to the man and gives him a few parting words.

"As a man who loves his family the way you obviously love your family, I can and will do anything to protect them. But sometimes things are just beyond our control. Don't let that asshole destroy you, Fitz. Don't let him win."

Fitz looks at the man for a while then nods.

"Thank you for coming all of this way to tell us what really happened out there", Fitz says, standing from the sofa.

"Enjoy your family, Fitz", the chief says as the two men walk down the hall toward the front door.

"Have a safe trip back home, Andrew. I appreciate you coming here today. I won't forget it."

"Chief Schuller", Hildie calls out as she hurries down the hall.

The chief and Fitz turn and look at the woman.

"Your hat, sir."

"Oh - thank you, ma'am", smiling politely and holding the hat close to his chest.

"And here are some of those cinnamon rolls, sir", returning the man's smile as she hands him the bag filled with the delightful pastry. "Hot from the oven."


	33. Chapter 33 The Appointment

**A/N: kkimberly49** , you're right, all of the dirty secrets are not out of the bag. **Cleo** , I could relate to Fitz as well. I was in a similar place after my surgery. **yesparteme** , feliz pore star gostando da historia. I hope I got that right. **Guest** , thanks for keeping me honest and reading so carefully. You're right, Cena is now 6. Olivia was not naïve about Charlie, but she had no idea the depths of his crazy feelings for her. Women don't think every man who likes them will eventually try to kill them – at least I hope not. You want drama? **Coralsue3** , how's that Dem/Rupub thing working during these times? We'll read more of this in future chapters. **kelleekellkell** , someone had to stop Mama Pope's cooking and give Hildie back her kitchen. Hildie gave Schuller those special rolls because he did a special thing for the people she cares about. **Symone0939** , you're right, the real heal begins in this chapter. **Mari** , you did some serious marathon reading. We'll read a bit more about the interracial/mixed race theme in future chapters. I'm sure you will check me. Welcome aboard.

Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. It's getting harder and harder to find time on the weekends to edit this work. Here we go!

 **Chapter 33. The Appointment**

Dressed impeccably in a navy blue skirt suit and lavender silk blouse, Marion exits the elevator on the seventh floor of City Hall and walks down the long hall toward the mayor's office. Mayor Wilson has summoned her to his office and she has no idea what he wants, but she brought her revised budget just in case he wants to scrutinize her numbers again. As she struts down the hall in her black Jimmy Choo pumps and carrying her Louis Vuitton briefcase, she wonders who else will be attending the meeting since the mayor's assistant gave her next to no details about the meeting's purpose. When she approaches the assistant's desk, the young woman gives her a sympathetic smile, and Marion returns a half-hearted smile. Now she knows this meeting is not going to be pleasant, so she takes two deep cleansing breaths before knocking on the door.

" _Come in"_ , the voice behind the door growls.

Marion crinkles her nose when she enters the office because the awful cigar smoke hanging heavily in the air immediately offends her olfactory receptors. Wilson stands with his back to the door puffing on his cigar as he looks out the window admiring his city. He does not bother to turn around when he hears Marion enter the office, so she stands in the middle of the room waiting for the man to acknowledge her presence; she refuses to give him the pleasure of stating the obvious. Making people wait is one of the many small ways in which Wilson likes to demonstrate power, so Marion waits patiently, counting down to when she has to file her nails tonight.

Marion has dealt with a lot worse men than Wilson while attending medical school and during her residency. Some of the aspiring doctors told her outright that medical school is no place for a woman, especially one as attractive as she. Others had the audacity to say she was better suited to be the wife of a doctor, even going as far to follow up their denigrating comments with a proposal of marriage, or something far less appealing. And when she rejected all of their weak offers, they tried to retaliate in all kinds of childish and not-so childish ways.

But Marion was unmoved by the attempts to belittle her and thwart her career because she saw through each and everyone one of those small men. Each masked their own weakness and insecurity by trying to bully and intimidate women. She supposes that is why they went into the medical profession, to be idolized and praised by those who could not see behind their masks. And sadly but true, men in government are no different than men in the medical field. She supposes men are men. She ruminates about all the loud and egotistical men that have crossed her path as she waits for another insecure man to acknowledge her presence.

"This is a beautiful city", Wilson says, still looking out the window, and Marion remains silent, glaring at his back with disdain. "It is my pleasure to serve the people of this great city", he says in a lofty tone, as he turns and lasciviously sweeps his eyes over her body. She cringes internally, wondering where the nearest shower is located.

Wilson sits in his huge chair, sets his fat cigar onto the ashtray, and begins to rifle through a stack of papers on the desk. He picks up a document and pretends to examine it for a few minutes before finally looking up and offering her a seat – another small power move.

"Have a seat Marion", gesturing a hand toward one of the chairs situated in front of his desk.

Without taking her eyes off the man, because she knows never to take her eyes off an asp, Marion sits in one of the uncomfortable chairs and sets her briefcase on the floor.

"I don't like playing games Marion, so I'm going to get right to the point", leaning back in his seat and giving her a look meant to intimidate.

Watching the smoke curl upward from the cigar, Marion summons everything within her not to laugh out loud because the man's every action since she walked into the smoke-filled office amounted to nothing more than game playing.

"I understand you single-handedly saved Fitzgerald Grant and his family after the accident."

"That's a bit of an overstatement, sir", wondering how he knew about her invovlement at the accident site.

"I don't think it is", studying her closely. "I got a full report on the accident from the local yokel – a Chief Schuller. The report says you performed some emergency procedure on Grant – kept him alive until the ambulances got there."

"I just did what I was trained to do, sir."

"I see", nodding his head while twirling the Mont Blanc pen in his right hand. "What the hell were you doing up there? And don't tell me you just happened to be driving by", he says forcefully.

"Excuse me?" Tilting her head slightly.

"You heard me. What the hell were you doing up there? You don't strike me as the hiking or fishing type."

"I was on my personal time, sir – not city time."

" _Answer my damn question, Marion"_ , banging his fist onto the desk, and she does not flinch, which only serves to increase his ire.

"With all due respect, sir –"

"Remember, Dr. Harris, you serve at the pleasure of the mayor. _And I am the goddamn mayor of this great city"_ , turning halfway around in his seat and pointing toward the window through which he was just peering.

" _But I don't seek the pleasure of the mayor"_ , Marion fires back, her own anger beginning to rise. She has had enough of his nonsense.

Wlson stands and leans forward with his fists pressed onto the desk, and the two glare at each other for a long while, neither willing to break the staredown.

 _"I expect – no – I demand complete and total loyalty from all of those who work for me"_ , he snarls through clenched teeth. _"Do you understand me, Dr. Harris?"_

"I hear you, Mr. Mayor", unmoved by his bluster.

"Wilson grunts something imperceptible as he walks over to the bar and pours himself a drink. He does not bother to offer the city's top doctor a drink.

"Everybody knows you can be tough, Marion. But don't test me on this - too much is at stake here."

Marion has no idea what the man is referring to and nor does she care, so she continues to stare straight ahead thinking about what she is going to have for dinner tonight.

"You may leave now, Dr. Harris", dismissing her as he brings the glass to his lips.

Marion grabs her briefcase from the floor and stomps toward the door. Ignoring all professional courtesy, she does not bother to say a good-bye as she wraps her hand around the cool brass door knob.

"And Dr. Harris", Wilson says, turning to the woman who is almost out the door. "Stay the hell away from those Grants. Any enemy of mine should be an enemy of yours."

Marion turns to face the mayor and launches her final response.

"And Mr. Mayor, as I said earlier, how I choose to spend my personal time is my business", slamming the door behind her.

Wilson grimaces as he brings the glass of bourbon to his lips, thinking Grant is one lucky bastard.

 **XXX**

The family is sitting around the family room relaxing after eating another one of Hildie's scrumptious meals. Cena is on her father's lap cuddled into the side that was not injured in the accident and emulating his movements. Fitz is still searching online for a new car, so she swipes her finger across her tablet screen each time he swipes his finger across his screen. Olivia sits at the other end of the sofa working on, of all things, a needlepoint project she started while at Mirage. One of the counselors at Mirage, who was an avid crafter, suggested needlepoint as a way to relax and take her mind off the things that brought her to the facility. So she decided to embroider a pillow for the new baby and she continued the project, for a while, when she returned home. But when life got busy again she put the project aside. Today, however, she found herself digging through the mountains of boxes in the basement looking for the pillow she started last year. The pillow will match the pink and white fringed blanket Mona gave her for Jolie's crib. Hopefully, the mindless will stop her from thinking about what Chief Schuller told them last week.

"Fitzgerald, have you decided on the kind of car you want?" Calvin asks, absently rubbing his full belly.

"I haven't, Calvin. But I need to decide on something real soon", looking up from the tablet.

"Look what JoJo did, daddy", pointing across the room as the infant throws her small stuffed toy again. Fitz smiles in Jolie's direction, thinking his baby girl is going to be a lefty like him.

"JoJo doesn't like that toy", Cena states with conviction.

"And how do you know that, Cee?" Olivia asks, looking over at her daughter.

"Because she always throws it and cries", Cena says in a matter-of-fact tone.

Olivia sets the needlepoint onto the sofa cushion, walks across the room, and picks up the soft toy from the play mat. She puts the toy back into Jolie's hand and by the time she returns to her seat, Jolie has tossed the toy again and is starting to cry.

"I told you, mommy. JoJo doesn't like that toy. She likes that one", pointing across the room at the purple tiger."

"That Jolie can really have a temper at times", Calvin says as his wife bends down to pick up the crying baby.

"She only gets upset when she's hungry. Right Jolie?" Defending her granddaughter.

"And when she poops", Cena says, giggling and hiding her face in her father's chest. Fitz kisses the top of her head and smiles. "Daddy, get that truck", pointing to the huge vehicle displayed on his screen. "That's Uncle John's truck – nothing can crash that."

"Come, Cena", Olivia says, setting the needlepoint onto the table next to the sofa. "It's bath time. We have a big day tomorrow.

"I'll be up in a minute, babe", Fitz says with a frown.

 **XXX**

A few hours later Olivia is draped across her husband in a deep sleep, and he is sleeping soundly as well, until the tiny voice coming through the baby monitor sitting on his nightstand jolts him awake - again. He jumps up immediately, knocking his wife off him and across the bed, startling her from her sleep. Since the crash Cena periodically has nightmares about the huge black truck pursuing them in the dark tunnel. She always wakes from the nightmare at the same point, when the truck plows into their car. When the nightmares first started Fitz would sit in his daughter's bedroom throughout the night, comforting and ensuring her that everything was going to be all right and that she was safe. However, after a week of him sleeping in Cena's room Olivia insisted he allow Cena to sleep alone and should return to their bed. Setting up Jolie's extra baby monitor in the two bedrooms was the compromise.

"What – what's the matter?" Olivia asks, still foggy with sleep.

"Cena needs me", he says hurriedly before dashing from their bed and down the hall to once again comfort his daughter. They have a big day tomorrow and he wants her to be well rested and at ease before she starts therapy.

 **XXX**

Since the crash Gwendolyn has taken on the task of getting Jolie dressed in the mornings while Calvin gets Cena ready for the day. She and her husband are happy they can help Olivia and Fitz while they continue to recover from their injuries, but they are also ecstatic they are getting to spend so much time with their precious granddaughters.

Despite the many illnesses she has had in her short life, Jolie is proving to be a happy and resilient six month old who seems to never tire of the attention she gets from everyone, especially from Nana Pope. Jolie and Gwendolyn have become fast friends and have established a ritual for starting their day together. Each morning when Gwendolyn enters the nursery she walks over to the dresser and winds the vintage music box, allowing the melodic sounds of _Holding Horses_ by French electronca artist Colleen to fill the room, which always causes Jolie to smile and wriggle in the crib. And like every other morning when Gwendolyn picks up Jolie from the crib she sees the baby has once again kicked off her blanket. While making a mental note to tell Livvia she thinks Jolie gets too hot at night clothed in pajamas, a knit cap, and covered with the blanket, Gwendolyn folds the pink and white fringed blanket and hangs it on the cribs top rail.

"Good morning, Jolie", Gwendolyn coos, and Jolie smiles because she recognizes her name and Nana's voice and face. "You are such a happy baby so early in the morning – aren't you?" Gwendolyn says softly as she carries Jolie over to the rocker for their morning talk. There is no urgency.

After the two have caught up on the happenings in each other's lives, Gwendolyn carries the baby over to the changing table and removes the knit cap, pajamas, and diaper; it is time for her morning bath. Jolie squeals and kicks her legs wildly each time Nana Pope squeezes the towel and the warm soapy water streams over her round belly.

"Are you ready for a shampoo, mademoiselle?" Gwendolyn asks playfully as she reaches for the natural baby shampoo. Jolie's wispy blonde hair seems to be getting longer by the day and she laughs each time Gwendolyn pours the warm water over her head to rinse away the suds.

After bath time is over, Gwendolyn carries Jolie back to the room and winds the music box again, and Jolie once again kicks her legs and flails her arms. As the music plays softly, Gwendolyn warms the unscented lotion in her hands and gently massages the thick liquid over Jolie's body, not missing one roll of fat.

"So, what are we going to wear today, Jolie?" Gwendolyn asks as she finishes snapping on the onesie, and Jolie gives her grandmother a clueless look.

Gwendolyn shakes her head as she does every morning when she looks into the dresser drawers because Jolie has enough clothes to fill a small boutique for infants. After pondering for a few minutes what to put on Jolie, she decides on a green romper and matching green and white socks. She then brushes the infant's fine hair with the antique silver brush and places the yellow and white knit hat on her head. Their daily ritual has come to an end and it is time to make their way downstairs for breakfast.

 **XXX**

Performing basic daily routines like showering and getting dressed are still somewhat of a challenge for Fitz. His fractured ribs are not fully healed and he is often in pain. And this morning is no different as he is moving slower than usual. He sat up with Cena for most of the night until she fell back to sleep. As he walks into the closet, he lets out a loud yawn.

"You didn't get much sleep last night", Olivia says, sliding on her favorite black Palazzo pants.

"I'm fine, Liv", pulling the baby blue V-neck sweater from the shelf and walking back into the bedroom.

"You can't - shouldn't—run into Cena's room whenever she calls you. She has to learn how to self-soothe again", tucking the white silk blouse into her pants.

"My daughter needed me. I won't let her lie in the dark frightened and crying", wincing as he pulls the sweater over his head.

"Do you need some help with that?" Looking out the corner of her eye watching him struggle with the sweater.

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure, babe?"

"I'm fine, Liv."

"Well, I'm going downstairs to get some breakfast. You need to get downstairs soon if you're going to eat before we have to leave."

"I'll be down shortly", he says tiredly.

When his wife leaves the room Fitz sits on the bed, leans forward, and covers his face with his hands. He slides the brown bottle from the nightstand and pops a painkiller into his mouth, washing it down with water. Olivia will have to drive to the doctors' appointments he thinks as he slides his feet into the brown loafers. He cannot bother trying to lace his oxfords today, it just takes too much effort. He takes another sip of water and heads downstairs to prepare for their first day out of the house since the crash.

 **XXX**

Olivia enjoys seeing her parents in her kitchen every morning when she comes downstairs for breakfast. While the circumstances that caused them to return to the States are not ideal, she loves having them back home nonetheless; she has missed them so much. Having her parents back home to help her and Fitz recover from the crash is truly a blessing in many ways. Cena and Jolie can really get to know their other grandparents, in person, not just through Skype. She smiles when she sees her mother feeding Jolie and her father standing near the coffee maker pouring another cup of that spicy coffee. Today is a good day she thinks as she glances around the room.

"Good morning", Olivia says cheerfully, kissing Cena on the top of her head and glancing at her daughter's outfit.

"Good morning, mommy", Cena says just as cheerfully.

"Good morning, Mrs. Grant. Will you be having breakfast this morning, ma'am?"

"Good morning, Hildie. I'll have the usual, thank you", sitting on the stool next to Cena. "Dad, did you select Cena's outfit today?" She asks, looking at the mix of colors and patterns her little girl is wearing.

"We did it together, right Cena?" Smiling proudly as he brings the mug to his lips.

"Right, GranPop", the little girl agrees just as proudly.

"We had to hurry this morning so we could get in our morning stroll before Cena leaves for her doctors' appointments. We didn't have time to wait for your mother to finish up with Jolie."

"I see", Olivia says, glancing over at her mother who shakes her head in amusement. Gwedolyn Pope usually helps her husband select Cena's clothes in the mornings.

As Hildie sets Olivia's breakfast on the island in front of her, Cena updates her mother on the latest sighting of Rufus.

"Mommy, we saw Rufus again. And Rufus barked at GranPop."

"He did?" Glancing over at her father who simply rolls his eyes.

"Rufus seems to be a good judge of character", Gwendolyn smirks as she slides the spoon into Jolie's mouth.

"Good morning", Fitz says, walking into the kitchen with a big smile.

"Good morning, Fitzgerald", Calvin and Gwendolyn say in unison and Jolie squeals when she hears her father's voice. He pecks Jolie on her food-covered lips and frowns.

"JoJo, I don't know how you eat that stuff", wiping his mouth with Olivia's napkin.

"Don't say that, Fitz. She likes it."

"She doesn't know any better", pecking his wife on the cheek and tousling Cena's hair as he walks over to the coffee maker.

"May I fix you breakfast, sir?"

"Thank you, Hildie. I'll have what my wife is having."

"Right away, sir", turning back to the stove to scramble another batch of eggs.

"Café Touba, Fitzgerald?" Calvin asks, holding up the coffee pot invitingly.

"Um– sure", Fitz stutters.

Olivia smiles to herself as she watches her father fill her husband's mug with coffee. She has stopped her mother from cooking and now it seems like she will have to stop her father from making that spicy coffee every morning, but she will let her husband suffer for a few more days. She will have to buy another coffee maker tomorrow after her lunch with Marion.

"So what's this I hear about Rufus?" Kissing Cena on the top of the head as he takes the seat next to his daughter.

"Daddy, we saw Rufus again and he barked at GranPop", she giggles.

"And why did Rufus bark at GranPop?"

Cena simply shrugs her shoulders because she really does not know why Rufus always barks at her grandfather.

"Daddy, I want a dog", giving her father the best pouty face she can muster.

"Cena, I said no dog. They're a lot of responsibility", Olivia says quickly and Cena drops her chin to her chest and pokes out her bottom lip.

"And don't give me that face, young lady", Olivia says, watching her husband smile as Hildie sets a plate of his favorite cinnamon rolls in front of him.

"Hildie, you are a gem", pecking the woman on the cheek and she immediately turns a bright shade of red.

"Eat up, babe", rubbing her hand across his back as she walks over to the sink. "We have to get going soon if we're going to be on time for our first appointment."

"Maybe we'll think about a dog later", Fitz whispers to his daughter, which brings a big smile to her face.

"Let's go put on your coat, Cena", Olivia says as she lifts the smiling girl from the stool.

"Have a good day, Cena", Gwendolyn says with a smile, happy that her granddaughter is finally going to start therapy.

"Bye, Nana", waving her hand like the princess in a parade.

"We'll play a game when you return, Cena", Calvin says, pecking his granddaughter on the cheek. "Okay?"

"OK, GranPop."

 **XXX**

When Fitz finishes his breakfast he walks into the family room and sees his daughter sitting on the sofa swiping her finger across the tablet screen.

"Are you ready, Pricess?"

"Here you go, babe", Olivia says, walking into the room carrying his jacket. "Mom, we should be back around one."

"Take your time, Livvia. We'll be fine", looking down at Jolie who is sleeping in her arms.

"Babe, do you want to drive?" Olivia asks, digging into her purse looking for the car keys, and Cena begins to cry.

"What's the matter, sweetheart?" Fitz asks, immediately squatting in front of his daughter and wiping the tears from her face. "Why are you crying?"

"I don't want to go, daddy."

"Princess, therapy will help you to walk again. The sooner you start walking the sooner you can go back to school and resume dancing. Don't you want to see Asha?"

"I'm scared, daddy", blue eyes staring into blue eyes. "You might crash again", and she begins to scream, causing Calvin and Hildie to run into the room.

"Shhh. Shhh. Don't cry. You don't have to go. Daddy won't make you go", picking up his hysterical daughter and she immediately wraps her arms tightly around his neck.

"Promise, daddy", she says weepily, pressing her face against his neck.

"I promise, sweetheart", he says, and the shame deepens.

"Fitz, she has to go today. She needs to start therapy", Olivia tries intercede.

"It's pointless to try to get her to go today, Olivia. She's too upset."

"Fitz –"

" _She's not going today, Olivia"_ , he snaps and her eyes widen from the unexpected outburst.

" _You don't let a child make adult decisions",_ raising her voice as well.

"I'm making the decision and I say she's not going today", glaring at his wife while rocking his sniffing daughter. "Reschedule her appointments", he commands as he carries Cena upstairs to her bedroom.

" _For when?"_ She calls out with incredulity, but he does not bother to respond.

" _What about your appointment?"_

Gwendolyn and Calvin watch as their daughter takes off her coat and pulls out her phone.

"Livvia –"

"Not now, mom. I have to reschedule Fitz and Cena's appointments", tossing her husband's jacket onto the sofa as she walks toward the study.

Hildie shakes her head and walks back into the kitchen.

 **XXX**

As Fitz sits in the large contemporary wingback chair holding his daughter on his lap he looks around the room decorated that is for a little girl and shakes his head. He had no idea his daughter was traumatized to this extent. How the hell could he have missed it? He will never forget the fear he saw in her eyes when it was time for her to get into the car.

"Are you feeling better, Princess?" Brushing back her hair and looking down at her with concern in his eyes. Cena shakes her head slowly from side to side.

"How can daddy make it better?" Kissing the top of her head.

"Don't drive, daddy. The big truck might crash us again", wrapping her arm tightly around his waist.

The morning has slipped away and the early afternoon sunlight streams through the sheer curtains warming their faces. Fitz holds Cena protectively as she sleeps, sliding the wet thumb from her slightly agape mouth. He carefully slides her arms from the coat and hangs it on the arm of the chair. He inhales deeply and rests his head against the back of the chair. He has to make this right. He has to help his little girl to overcome her fear and make her feel safe again.

 **XXX**

After the events of the morning, dinner at the Grant house is much quietier than usual. There is no laughing and chattering by GranPop Pope and Cena. There is no storytelling about Olivia's childhood by Gwendolyn. All that can be heard is the deafening silence and the occasional scraping of a utensil against a plate. Hildie made an extra effort to prepare a wonderful meal in hopes of cheering up the family. She even prepared Cena's favorite dessert, but no food of any kind is enough to repair the damage that has been done to the family.

"Hildie has really outdone herself tonight", Calvin says, scooping the last of the beef stroganoff on his plate into his mouth.

"Hildie certainly has a talent", Gwendolyn says, setting the fork on the side of her plate. "Livvia, Cena has been doing quite well in our classes. She grasps concepts so quickly. We're breezing through the curriculum her teacher sent over."

"I'm glad to hear that, mom. We really appreciate everything you're doing to keep Cena current with her class."

"I absolutely love spending time teaching my granddaughter, Livvia. Many grandmothers don't get this kind of opportunity", she says, pushing her plate aside.

"You're an excellent teacher, Gwennie - always has been", Calvin smiles as he pats the top of his wife's hand.

"Well dear, early childhood education is not just about the classroom - about learning concepts, letters, numbers, colors and shapes. It's also about socializing. Children learn from each other – in the classroom and at play", bringing the glass of water to her lips, which causes the brass charm bracelet to jingle.

Olivia rubs her right temple because she knows what her mother is alluding to and she does not doubt her husband knows as well.

"Are you ready for dessert, Princess?" Fitz asks Cena who is sitting on his lap and eating her meal. "Hildie made your favorite."

"Yay", Cena claps happily at the prospect of eating the Black Forest Napoleon cake.

"Fitz, let Cena sit in her own chair when she eats dessert", Olivia says carefully, eyeing her husband closely.

"She's fine where she is, Olivia", he says tightly and Gwendolyn leans back in her chair, crosses her hands on her lap, and glances at her daughter.

"I'll get your dessert, Cena", Calvin says, standing quickly from his seat. "And I think I will have some too. Does anyone else want cake?" Glancing around the table at the adults' solemn faces.

 **XXX**

After everyone has gone to bed Olivia walks into the study and curls into Fitz' large chair. The study has become her refuge at night, the place where she can be alone and think. She pulls his sweater tightly around her body and sits in the dark for hours thinking again about how much healing her family has to do before they can get back to normal. But to be honest, she rather not deal with any of that right now. Her family is home and safe and that is the only thing that matters and she does not care what anyone thinks.

The next morning,Olivia leans over and kisses her sleeping husband on the corner of his mouth before leaving for her appointments. He is exhausted because once again he sat up with Cena throughout the night. Although he has not said anything to her, she knows he feels guilty about the crash and Cena not believing she can walk, so she gives him space to work through both his mental and physical pain.

He stirs in his sleep and turns onto his back when he feels her lips brush against his face.

"Liv?" He says in a raspy voice, still half asleep.

"Go back to sleep, babe", she says softly. "I'm leaving for my appointment." He nods, turns onto his side, and falls back to sleep.

 **XXX**

"Mom, after my doctor's appointment I'm meeting Marion for lunch. Can you and dad check on Fitz while I'm gone?"

"Of course, Livvia. Go and enjoy this beautiful weather we're having. I'm sure it won't last too much longer."

"Thanks, mom. I'll be back in a few hours."

"Take your time, Livvia. Jolie is napping and your father and Cena got a late start on their daily walk. Tell Dr. Harris I said hello."

When Olivia pulls into a parking space at Restaurant 52, she sits in the car for a few minutes reflecting on the first time she dined at the restaurant with Marion. It was shortly after she learned about the water problem in Springfield Heights and wanted to discuss the matter with certain city officials. And since Marion is the Director of the Department of Health, Olivia wanted the city's top doctor to provide her expert opinion on how lead poisoning affects the health of young children. Olivia remembers being impressed by Marion's knowledge and hoped they could work together in the future. She shakes her head and sighs as she stares out the windshield at nothing in particular because that day seems like a lifetime ago. So much has happened since then.

Olivia pulls the small gold compact that Nora gave her as a birthday present from her purse and looks into its mirror and sees she has once again streaked her makeup. She dabs the small sponge over her face to conceal the sadness, then touches up her lipstick. Satisfied the mask is back in place, she slides from the car and walks across the parking lot toward the restaurant, thinking she has to call Maura and check how Nora is coming along.

"Welcome, Mrs. Grant. We are so happy to see you back at Restaurant 52 again", the hostess greets her carefully. "We all have been keeping you and your family and our thoughts."

"Thank you, Katie", Olivia says with a kind smile.

"Follow me, Mrs. Grant. I'll show you to your table. Your guest has already arrived."

As Olivia follows Katie through the dining room, she feels the many eyes of the diners on her. Today is her first day out in public since the incident and she is totally unprepared for the attention she is getting. When they pass the table with a group of older woman who are all wearing red hats, someone grabs her wrist, stopping her movement.

"Olivia", one of the elderly women begins. "It is so good to see you. We prayed for you and your family. Triumph Tabernacle has the best prayer warriors ever, you know", and the other ladies sitting at the table nod in agreement.

"Thank you so much", Olivia says kindly. "My family and I appreciate your prayers very much."

"And you tell that handsome husband of yours we're waiting for him to take office and shake things up in this city", another woman says.

"And give those beautiful babies a hug for all of us. Children are strong Olivia – they're going to be fine", a third woman says knowingly.

"Thank you. Thank you all so much for your kind words", Olivia says with tears in her eyes.

"And tell Gwendolyn we're looking forward to seeing her and Calvin at Bible study on Wednesday night", another woman says.

"I will - and thank you again", taking Katie's lead to move on to her table.

"Enjoy your lunch, Mrs. Grant", Katie says with a smile as she hands Olivia the large menu. And Olivia smiles at Katie in return.

"I am so sorry to keep you waiting, Marion", Olivia begins with an apology.

"I saw those ladies stop you", looking over in the direction of the Red Hats who are looking in their direction as well. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I wasn't expecting to discuss what my family has gone through in the midle of a restaurant", she says shakily.

"Olivia, you are known for your work around here, your husband is the new City Council president, and the accident has been all over the news. People in this city care about you and your family."

"It's unsettling nonetheless, Marion. I'm just trying to get back to normal."

"Well, don't try to rush it. You and your family have been through a lot. It's going to be a while before you all are back to normal – whatever that is", raising the glass of Chardonnay to her lips. "You look wonderful by the way", scanning the dining room for their waiter.

"Thank you", Olivia says, sliding the black linen napkin from the table. "So much has happened since the last time we were here."

"How are you feeling, Olivia? You had a very serious concussion."

"I'm fine. I had my follow-up appointment with Dr. Nagler this morning and he gave me a clean bill of health."

"That's terrific. A concussion is a serious matter. You have to take it easy – don't overexert yourself."

"There's no chance of me doing that. Mom and dad will hardly let me do a thing."

"Well that's good. Take advantage of their help while you can."

"What can I get you, ma'am?" The waiter asks Olivia with his ink pen poised to take her order.

"I'll have an unsweetened iced tea, please."

"Of course. And ma'am, would you like another glass of wine?"

"Sure - why not?" Marion says, downing the last drops of the liquid from the glass.

"Terrific. I'll be back shortly with your drinks, ladies."

When the waiter walks away, Olivia slides her hands across the smooth wooden table, taking Marion's hand into hers. And Marion looks at her curiously.

"Marion, I don't know how I will ever thank you", tears welling in her eyes again. "You saved my husband's life – the lives of my entire family. If you hadn't come along ..." Each time she thinks about how close she came to losing everything that is precious to her she starts to cry.

"Olivia – "

"There just aren't sufficient words I can use to thank you. I owe you everything, Marion. I owe you my life."

"Olivia, while I appreciate your gratitude, remember I am a doctor. That is what I do - or used to do."

"Don't minimize what you did, Marion. I don't know what I would ever do without Fitz. And you took such good care of my babies. I – we are forever indebted to you."

"Now you're embarrassing me, Olivia", leaning back against the booth as the waiter sets their drinks onto the table.

"Well you are just going to have to be embarrassed. Fitz and I will never forget what you did for our family."

"How is Fitz doing by the way?" Shifting the conversation away from her.

"He's improving slowly. He still tires easily and is experiencing some pain. He hasn't gone for his follow-up check-up yet."

"He hasn't?" Marion arches an eyebrow in surprise because she knows the injuries Fitz suffered should be checked by a physician within a few weeks of him being discharged from the hospital.

"Marion, Fitz seems to have changed since the accident."

"What do you mean?"

"There is a sadness about him, and he has become so protective of Cena - more so than usual."

"Well, I think that's to be expected, Olivia. He and Cena suffered the most injuries in that accident. But the sadness, well you might want to keep an eye on that. People whose lives have been changed by a traumatic event can sometimes experience depression."

"Depression?"

"I'm not saying Fitz is clincally depressed, I'm just saying it's something you should watch out for. It's not uncommon for victims of a traumatic event to relive the event over and over in their heads, trying to change the outcome. This can lead to depression."

Olivia nods with a worried look on her face.

"Cena's afraid to get into another car", Olivia says sadly.

"So what is her therapist saying?"

"She hasn't started her sessions yet and she hasn't gone back to school either. Fitz won't allow it."

"I would give him – them - a little more time to work through this, Olivia. It's only been a few weeks since they've been back home.

"I just want my family to get better, Marion. I don't know if I can take much more", she confesses.

"Things are going to get better, Olivia. You can't overthink this."

Olivia nods as she nervously strokes her chin.

"What does Fitz' brother have to say about all of this?"

" _Who, John?"_ Olivia asks somewhat confused.

"No, I mean Dr. Grant", Marion says slyly.

"Well I haven't talked to Ben about any of this. In fact, I haven't seen him since Fitz and Cena were discharged. Maura says he's been really busy at the hospital and he calls to talk to my parents."

"I see. So how is Jolie? She's a real dynamo you know. When is the cast scheduled to be removed?"

"She sees the pediatrician in two weeks."

"She is so precious, Olivia. Both of your girls are beautiful."

"They are and I love them with all my heart", eyes welling with tears again and this time Marion slides her hands across the table and gives Olivia's hand an encouraging squeeze.

"When things get back to normal Fitz and I want to have you over for dinner. He wants to personally thank you."

"As I said, no thanks is needed, Olivia. But I will take you up on that dinner."

"And you can bring a date if you like", giving Marion a genuine smile.

 **XXX**

With legs crossed, Fitz sits in his chair in the family room reading another article on hysterical paralysis in children as his mother-in-law wraps up Cena's lesson for the day. While he knows what has caused his daughter's condition, he needs to learn more about what modalities have proved to be successful in treating the condition. Each article he reads all say the same thing, the child must feel safe and loved if they are to overcome the belief that they cannot walk. He knows he has to rebuild her trust in him, something that has always been a given. He knows he has to continually reassure her that he is still her protector and she is safe with him. He has to help her to want to walk again.

"Daddy, Nana says I'm smart", smiling brightly as she sits at the little desk across the room.

"Nana is right, you are very smart", smiling at his daughter encouragingly.

"Fitzgerald, my husband and I will be heading over to Triumph after Cena's lesson, will you be okay alone with the children? Livvia said she would be back after lunch."

"Of course, Gwendolyn. You don't need to hang around here all day, we'll be fine. Right, Cena?" Setting his tablet onto the table next to his chair and looking over at his daughter who is playing happily with her tablet.

"Right, daddy", swiping her finger across the screen.

"Jolie is napping and should be asleep for a few more hours", Gwendolyn says as she clears the room of the educational paraphernalia.

"Thank you, Gwendolyn. Hildie can help us if necessary. Tell Rev. Walker I said hello."

"Will do", Gwendolyn says as she carries all of the educational supplies to the study.

"Princess, how would you like to go swimming with daddy today?"

Cena panics immediately and tears well in her eyes as she contemplates having to use her legs.

"You can hold onto daddy the whole time", trying to sound upbeat. "I won't let you go - I promise."

She nods her head timidly in consent, not wanting to disappoint her father.

"Let's go put on our bathing suits", clapping his hands together as he stands from his chair.

Fifteen minutes later, dressed in swimwear and holding large beach towels, Fitz carries his daughter into the kitchen.

"Hildie, Cena and I are going for a swim."

 _"A swim?"_ Hildie exclaims, before she thinks to check the appropriateness of her response as she usually does.

"Please listen for Jolie, she is still napping."

"Of course, sir", looking curiously at the father and daughter.

 **XXX**

Fitz carries Cena out back, down the deck stairs, and across the yard to the pool. As he sets their towels onto one of the lounge chairs, he looks up at the sky, grateful for the unseasonably warm weather. He then sets Cena onto the ledge of the pool, letting her feet dangle in the water. He climbs into the water and stands in front of her, giving her a reassuring smile.

"Are you ready, Princess?" He asks, and she shakes her head from side to side. "Okay, you tell daddy when you're ready."

After a few minutes, Cena stretches out her arms and Fitz lifts her from the ledge and begins to tread slowly through the shallow end of the pool.

 _"Don't drop me, daddy"_ , she says in panic, tightening her arm around his neck.

"I won't drop you, sweetheart", holding her close to his chest.

With each step he takes, Cena's body grows tenser, tightening her arm around her father's neck. For the next 30 minutes Fitz slowly carries his daughter around the pool, allowing her to get reacclimated to the water.

"Are you ready to get out?"

Cena opens her eyes and nods her head up and down vigorously. Fitz walks the frightened little girl back to the ledge and gives her a big kiss on the cheek.

"You did well, Princess", and she gives him a slight smile. "I'm going to get our towels now, okay? Can you sit her by yourself for a minute?"

Cena nods, watching her father climb from the pool and walk over to the lounge chairs. He dries off quickly and slips on his button down shirt before grabbing Cena's terry cloth robe.

"Put this on, Cee", sliding the robe over her arms. "Let's go inside so we can wash off some of this chlorine." Cena reaches for her father and he picks her up and heads toward the house.

"My flip-flops, daddy", turning in his arms and pointing to her rubber shoes still by the pool.

"We can't forget those", walking back over to the pool and wincing as he bends to pick up the shoes. He slides the flip-flops onto her feet and carries her into the house.

"Hildie, I'm going to give Cena a bath. Is Jolie still asleep?"

"Yes she is, sir", looking at Mr. Grant strangely.

 **XXX**

For the past week Fitz and Cena have begun to swim daily, well he is still carrying her around the pool but she is definitely more relaxed than she was when they began the activity. And to the chagrin of Gwendolyn Pope, father and daughter swim every morning after Cena completes her lessons. Gwendolyn does not like her son-in-law's strange behavior and she plans to make her sentiments known to her daughter, which is so out of character for her because she does not believe in interfering in anyone's life, especially her daughter's life. She has always believed individuals should have the freedom to make decisions about the myriad of choices that life presents to them, although her mother did not subscribe to that belief. But she and her husband raised Livvia with those same values. But Cena is a mere child, and children do not get to make adult decisions. Children rely on their parents to always do what is in their best interest. And in Gwendolyn's opinion, what Fitzgerald is doing is in not in the best interest of her grandbaby. So, after putting Jolie down for her morning nap, she walks through the large house in search of her daughter.

"Hildie, have you seen my daughter?" Gwendolyn asks when she sees Hildie dusting the coffee table in the family room.

"Mrs. Grant is in the kitchen, ma'am", looking up from the table with the feather duster poised midair.

"Thank you, Hildie", Gwendolyn says, her traditional dress flowing like a ship's sail as she walks toward the kitchen.

"Hi, mom", Olivia says, looking up from pouring the homemade baby food into the small glass jars.

"Where's Fitzgerald this morning?" Gwendolyn asks, taking a seat at the island.

"Mom, please", Olivia says, carrying the empty blender jar over to the copper farmhouse sink.

"Livvia, you know I don't like to interfere, but what Fitzgerald is doing isn't good – for anyone."

Olivia sets the blender in the sink, fills it with cold water, and closes her eyes.

"He needs to –"

"I know what my husband needs, moms", she snaps.

"Then you better give it to him. You are the heart of this family, Livvia. As the wife and as the mother, everything operates around you. You have the power to fix this."

"I'm handling it, mom."

"How are you handling it? Your family is falling apart and you're walking around here pretending like you don't see what's going on."

"I see everything that's going on in _my_ house, mother." She says forcefully.

Gwendolyn folds her arms across her chest, leans back against the stool, and stares at her daughter. And Olivia begins to wither under her mother's hard stare. She feels like the little girl of long ago, the little girl who always shriveled under the look her mother is now giving her.

"I have to go, mom", hurrying out back to the deck. Gwendolyn closes her eyes and sends up another prayer to her creator and follows her daughter outside.

"Livvia, I understand you're afraid, baby. You almost lost your husband, and everyone knows how much you love that man. Hell, you even breathe in sync. But baby, what's going on around here - what Fitzgerald is doing – it just isn't good for any of you. You have to stop it."

Olivia remains silent, looking straight ahead from behind her large sunglasses as Fitz and Cena play in the pool. She thinks about the wonderful times she, Fitz, and Cena have had in the pool over the years. She remembers how scared Cena was to put her face into the water when Fitz was teaching her how to swim, but she did it anyway because she trusted her daddy and wanted to please him.

"Take back your family, Livvia", patting her daughter on the shoulder before walking back into the house where she sees her husband lifting a mug to his lips. "You need to talk to your daughter – get her to put an end to the madness that's going on around here. After all, she has always been a daddy's girl."

 **XXX**

The drive today over to Triumph Tabernacle is unusually quiet because Gwendolyn Pope is still upset about Fitzgerald's behavior and her daughter's seemingly unwillingness to do anything about it. Calvin remains silent because after 40 years of marriage he has become an expert in knowing when to give his wife her space to sort through whatever is bothering her before she is ready to talk.

"Fitzgerald entertaining Cena's fears just isn't healthy Calvin. She will never walk again – get over her fears - if he does not require it. And Livvia isn't saying a word."

"You have to give him time, Gwennie. Fitzgerald is a smart man, he won't allow this to go on much longer."

"Smart people sometimes do things that are not so smart. I'm telling you, Calvin, I won't stand by much longer and allow my granddaughter to remain a cripple. The doctors say there is no physical reason why she isn't walking – it's psychological. She needs professional help to get her through this. Cena needs to be in counseling so she can learn how to articulate her feelings rather than hide from them. Fitzgerald cannot just _love_ her through this."

Calvin Pope knows not challenge his wife once she has gotten herself worked up, so he remains silent as he pulls the compact rental car into the parking lot of the church.

"Let's see if we can talk to Richard about it before we start our work with the children", he says. "That is, if he has time today. Would you like that, Gwennie?" Calvin smiles at his wife lovingly.

"At this point I'm willing to talk to anyone", she says, climbing from the car and stomping toward the double red doors of Triumph.

 **XXX**

When Calvin and Gwendolyn enter the church they see Rev. Walker standing in the hall talking to a member of the Deacons Board.

"Maybe we should wait until after class", Calvin suggests.

"We'll wait here until he's finished", Gwendolyn shoots back.

"We don't know how long he is going to be", Calvin replies.

"Well it looks like he is almost finished."

"And how do you know that?" Calvin says in frustration.

When Rev. Walker hears the battle going on between Calvin and Gwendolyn Pope, he excuses himself from the deacon and walks over to the couple.

"Calvin – Gwendolyn—it is so good to see you. You're here a little earlier than usual aren't you?"

"Richard, we we're hoping to have a few words with you before we start the children's classes", Gwendolyn says anxiously.

"Of course – of course. Come to my office", leading the way down the hall.

"May I get you something to drink Gwendolyn—Calvin?" He asks as the Popes sit in the two chairs in front of the desk.

"No – no. We're fine – I'm fine", Calvin says.

Rev. Walker takes his seat and leans forward, causing the old chair to squeak, and Gwendolyn smiles inwardly because Rev. Walker apparently has not oiled the chair while they have been in Senegal.

"I cannot believe this weather we're having", Rev. Walker says, trying reduce the tension in the room before getting to what is going on.

"It is a fine day, Richard. I don't think I've ever experienced weather like this in December in all of the years we lived in Church Falls. I guess we can blame it on global warming", Calvin says with a chuckle.

"Perhaps", Rev. Walker says, sliding the handkerchief from his inside jacket pocket to clean his eyeglasses. "While I appreciate all of the fine work you've been doing to open our new school in Senegal, I must admit I do miss the two of you at Triumph."

"It's good to be back home, even under the most unfortunate of circumstances", Calvin says.

"Yes, yes", Rev. Walker says, nodding in agreement. "How are Olivia and her family doing these days? Our Triumph prayer warriors prayed hard for them."

"We – well _I'm_ concerned about Olivia and Fitzgerald", Gwendolyn blurts out.

"Concerned?" Rev. Walker says, furrowing his brow. "I thought they were doing better – recovering from the accident nicely. A few of the Red Hats told me they saw Olivia at lunch a week or so ago. They said she was looking as lovely as ever. They were very lucky, praise God."

"There were indeed", Calvin says.

"Richard, I don't like what I'm seeing", Gwendolyn interjects quickly and Rev Walker looks at the woman strangely.

"Maybe it would be helpful Gwendolyn if you told me what is going on."

"Well, I don't like what's going on around Olivia's home."

"And what exactly is going on?" Rev. Walker asks, picking up the letter opener on his desk.

"It's Fitzgerald - he won't allow Cena to go to therapy", she blurts out again and Rev. Walker frowns because what she said does not make sense.

"It's not that he _won't_ let her go", Calvin says carefully, not wanting to further upset his wife.

"Well he's playing into her fears", giving her husband a look that says you're supposed to be on my side.

"Perhaps if you two gave me a little more detail I can understand what _exactly_ is going on", Rev. Walker says calmly and with a smile.

"Richard", Calvin continues in his usual even tone. "Two weeks ago Cena was scheduled for her first visit with the physical therapist and psychologist. And, when it was time to go she had a meltdown of sorts. The poor child is afraid to get into another car and she pleaded with her father not to make her."

"And that is unacceptable", Gwendolyn interrupts again.

"I see", Rev. Walker says. "And what does Olivia have to say about all of this?"

"That's just it, Richard, she hasn't said a word. It's as if she is condoning Fitzgerald's behavior."

"Gwennie", Calvin says, trying to calm his wife.

Rev. Walker leans back and the annoying chair squeaks again. He tosses his eyeglasses onto the desk and thinks about the pre-marital counseling he provided Olivia and Fitz. He thinks about the crisis in their marriage that prompted Olivia to leave home and check into Mirage. He thinks about the couple who sat in his office with Hiram and Jeanette after little Deon upset Cena. He has no idea how much of this Olivia has shared with her parents and he does not plan to break the couple's confidence.

Fitz and Olivia have experienced a lot of challenges that have tested their marriage over the past year, but they have managed to work through them together and seemingly becoming a stronger couple as a result. But this latest tragedy is the most devastating of all, and they are going to need a lot of time and support to get through this if they are going to survive as a family. Silently praying for the proper words to assuage Gwendolyn's concerns, once again Rev. Walker leans forward and prepares to provide Gwendolyn and Calvin his counsel.

"Gwendolyn – Calvin", Rev. Walker begins slowly. "As you know life can sometimes throw us all kinds of challenges, and frankly we never know how we are going to respond to those challenges until we are actually faced with them."

"Amen", Gwendolyn and Calvin say in unison.

"And while most of us have become somewhat adept at handling the simple challenges of life – the loss of a job, the breakup of a relationship – it is quite a different story when it comes to dealing with the kind of life-changing tragedy Olivia and Fitz have faced."

Gwendolyn and Calvin nod in agreement.

"When one realizes the lives of their entire family was within inches of being snatched away forever, it changes a person. Your daughter's family has been changed forever, Gwendolyn, and they know it better than anyone. And right now they are all doing the best they can – coping the best way they know how under the circumstances."

"But that's why they need professional help, Richard."

"That might very well be true, Gwendolyn, but what they all need first and foremost is time – time to heal physically and emotionally. And they also need your love, support, and understanding."

Calvin nods.

"I understand that, Richard", Gwendolyn says, leaning forward and setting a hand onto the desk, which causes the brass charm bracelet to jingle. "But –." Rev. Walker holds up a hand to stop Gwendolyn from continuing her statement.

"When you say _but_ , Gwendolyn, you discount everything you said before that little word. If you truly understand, then give Fitz and Olivia more time to work through this and trust they will do what is best for Cena and their family."

Gwendolyn slowly reclines in the chair and crosses her hands in her lap. While she understands what Rev. Walker is saying, and agrees with him for the most part, she still does not condone what is happening and plans to keep a watchful eye on her daughter and Fitzgerald.

 **XXX**

Bare feet and in desperate need of a haircut and shave, Fitz drags his tired body into the kitchen, passing by Jolie who is playing with something on her high chair tray. Olivia sits at the island and watches her husband walk by Jolie. There is no morning greeting or kiss. A shift has occurred in their marriage in the past month.

"You missed your follow-up appointment", she says flatly.

"I'll reschedule", making his way over to the coffee maker for his first of many cups of the day.

"This is the second appointment you have missed. You need to be checked. You had a collapsed lung and -"

"Olivia, please."

"You're ignoring Jolie and she knows it", and he pinches the bridge of his nose because he feels another headache coming on and it is not yet eight o' clock.

"You can't keep doing this", regulating her tone as she glances over at a smiling Jolie. "You have two children around here in case you have forgotten."

He keeps his back turned to her and shuts his eyes tight, bracing himself for the daily tongue-lashing.

"Not today, Olivia", he says tiredly as Jolie clicks her tongue over and over.

"JoJo has a doctor's appointment today. She might get the cast removed if the x-rays show her wrist is healed."

"That's good", he says, sipping the coffee.

"Will you be coming with us this time?"

"I can't today. I'm sure your mom or dad are willing to go with you."

"Why not? Your baby daughter's cast might be removed today and you can't come?" She says with incredulity.

"I want to swim with Cena today."

"Can't you go swimming after JoJo's appointment?" Growing angry with him again.

" _I said no, Olivia",_ heshouts with finality.

"Is everything all right in here?" Calvin asks as he enters the kitchen, looking back and forth at his daughter and obviously upset son-in-law.

"Everything is fine, dad."

"Good morning, Calvin. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, I did - just fine, Fitzgerald", continuing to look at his daughter and her disheveled husband.

"Dad, how would you like to go to the pediatrician with me today? JoJo might be getting her cast off", rolling her eyes at her husband.

"I would love to. Jolie, you are going to be a real terror once you get that thing off your arm. Jolie bangs her cast on the high chair tray and gives her GranPop a big, toothless grin.

"Excuse me, I have to get Cena ready", Fitz says, setting his mug in the sink.

"Of course you do", Olivia says with derision.

On his way out the kitchen Fitz strokes Jolie's cheek with his long index finger and she gurgles and laughs from her father's touch.

 **XXX**

As Olivia drives Jolie and her father to Dr. Jordan's office, Calvin uses their drive time as an opportunity to offer his daughter some sage, but unsolicited advice.

"Livvia, you know your mother and I have always given you the freedom to make your own decisions and learn from your mistakes."

"Not you too, dad", she groans while focusing on the traffic.

"Livvia, most of us men have been raised to protect the women in our lives - our sisters, our daughters, our wives, and our mothers. It's not wrong, it's not bad, and it's not even sexist. It just is."

"Dad, that thinking is so outdated."

"Maybe it is and maybe it's not. Although your mother and I raised you to be independent, we always wanted you to choose, if you so desired, someone who is a good provider and protector. And Fitzgerald fits the bill. I could not have picked a better husband for you if I tried."

"I know Fitz is a good man, dad", resting her head on her hand as she waits for the traffic light to turn green.

"Your husband is suffering right now, Livvia."

"I know Fitz feels guilty about the accident."

"I didn't say guilty - of course he feels guilty – who wouldn't? I said he is suffering. He is in such mental distress and it is causing him to behave in unusual ways."

"The accident wasn't his fault, dad. Chief Schuller says—"

"It doesn't matter what anyone says, Livvia. He was driving and his whole family almost died. And his precious Cena is still hurting –emotionally and physically. The man is trying to do everything within his power to make her feel safe again - to make things right."

"I get that dad, but he needs to let me help and stop shutting me out."

"No, you need to let him do this on his own - at least for a while. You need to give Fitzgerald time Livvia - but not too much time. He and Cena can get stuck in a codependent pattern, and that won't be good for either of them - for any of you."

She nods.

"Livvia, daughters give us men a reason to be gentle and loving in a way no other relationship does. We men want our wives, our friends, and our sons to see us as being strong. But with our daughters, well we can be softer - it's a special kind of bond", he says, reaching across the console and caressing her hand.

"He's not as protective of JoJo. He has hardly interacted with her since we got home."

"JoJo doesn't need him right now, Livvia. Cena does."

"Well I don't like it."

"You don't have to like it, you just have to understand it."

They drive in silence for a few blocks until Olivia expresses her final thought.

"I won't let this become my daughter's new normal dad – no matter how much Fitz is suffering."

"Then you will address it with your husband when you need to, and not one minute sooner."

Olivia nods as she pulls into the garage of the Medical Arts Building.

 **XXX**

Bennie performed three surgical procedures today and he is bone tired as he settles into the chair in his small office at Mercy Hospital. He has finally caught up on all of the elective surgeries he rescheduled while he was supporting his family following the accident. As he reclines in the chair, he runs his hands through his hair and decides on the spot to forego working out tonight. His achy muscles yearn for a much needed rest and he is going to give it to them tonight. Expelling a heavy sigh, he makes a mental note to visit Fitz and Olivia because he has not seen them since they were discharged from the hospital. His mother and the Popes have been keeping him posted on their recovery.

Bennie pulls the phone from his pants pocket and stares at the screen, trying to decide if he should do what he has been wanting to do for the past few weeks. He smiles when he thinks about the image of Dr. Harris dressed in green scrubs and wearing high-heeled sandals that displayed her brightly painted toes. He chuckles out loud at the dichotomy. Dr. Harris certainly does look like the type of woman who wears scrubs too often. Whatever type she is, he was immediately attracted to the woman who saved his brother's life. However, the circumstances did not allow him to pursue his interest. Also, old insecurities die hard, no matter how self-aware one has become.

He presses the green phone icon to display his list of contacts, scrolling until he finds the number he has been debating with himself about whether he should call. He taps Dr. Harris' name and inhales deeply before pressing the phone number, and she answers on the second ring.

"Dr. Harris?" For some reason he is surprised she answered. Maybe he was hoping she would not answer.

"Yes? This is she", she responds somewhat cautiously because she does not recognize the phone number displaying on her screen.

"This is Dr. Grant - Olivia's brother-in-law", he says quickly.

"Oh—hello, Dr. Grant, I didn't recognize the number."

"I'm sorry to disturb you during business hours. Do you have a minute to talk?"

"Yes, I do", furrowing her brow.

"I've been wanting - meaning to call and thank you for everything you did for my family. I'm sorry it has taken me so long but I've been quite busy lately", he says, fiddling nervously with the ink pen in his hand.

"That's quite all right, Dr. Grant. And as you know, no thanks is needed. I only did what we as doctors are trained to do."

"Well, that might be true, but you did it for my family and that makes all the difference."

"I'm just glad I was able to help. Olivia and I are friends and I'm glad I was there for her family."

There is a long pause because he does not know what to say next, so Marion takes the lead to end the call.

"Well, Dr. Grant, if that is all –"

"Actually - I wondering …"

"Wondering?" Furrowing her brow again.

Bennie clears his throat and closes his eyes before continuing.

"Yes - I was wondering – hoping – you would join me for dinner – so I could thank you properly", he adds quickly.

"You don't have to buy me dinner to thank me, Dr. Grant. Your call was more than sufficient", she says in disappointment. When she realized who was calling her, she actually thought he might ask her out on a date.

He screams at himself internally because his strategy is not working. Although he is grateful for everything Dr. Harris has done for his family, he has been trying to figure out a reason to call her so he could ask her out on a date.

"Then will you join me for dinner anyway?" Nervously pressing his thumb on the edge of the desk. He has no idea if she is in a relationship, but he takes the leap anyway.

"Are you asking me out on a date, Dr. Grant?" Smiling as she twirls the ink pen.

"Yes - I guess I am", he says uncomfortably.

"When?"

"When? How about Sunday night – this Sunday - if you're not busy", he stumbles out awkwardly.

"Sunday will be fine. I'll text you my address."

"Good. I'll see you on Sunday, Dr. Harris."

"Good-bye, Dr. Grant."

When Marion disconnects the call, she leans back in the chair and smiles. She has been thinking about Dr. Grant but she did not want to press Olivia about him when they had lunch. It would have been inappropriate under the circumstances. Realizing Sunday is just four days away, she she grabs her phone from the desk to schedule an appointment at the spa to get the full treatment. She wonders what she should wear. She wonders where he is going to take her. She wonders what Mayor Wilson would say if he knew she was going on a date with the brother of Fitzgerald Grant.

 **XXX**

As the days turned into weeks Gwendolyn has become increasingly frustrated because her granddaughter is not getting the professional help she needs. Fitz and Cena continue to swim daily and her daughter still seems unwilling to address the matter. So she decides to take matters into her own hands and contacts Maura to share her concerns. She suggests the family come to the house for a Sunday afternoon lunch so they can see for themselves what is actually going on.

While Calvin, Gerry, and John sit in the family room watching a football game, all of the Mrs. Grants and Gwendolyn stand in the kitchen catching up, and Olivia is somewhat annoyed because she knows why her mother has orchestrated this little family gathering.

"Where's Ben?" Calvin asks.

"He was unable to come today. He said something about having other plans", John says, not taking his eyes of the television screen.

 **XXX**

From the kitchen all the women have a clear view of the backyard where Fitz and Cena are playing in the pool, and they are not liking what they are seeing.

"How long is this going to go on, Olivia?" Abby asks as she looks out the French doors that lead to the rear of the house.

"I'm trying to give him some – give them some time." Olivia says in exasperation as she unbuttons her blouse to feed a restless Jolie. Gwendolyn watches her daughter nurse Jolie and Olivia closes her eyes tightly. She is tired of everyone giving her unsolicited advice – judging her.

"This is not good for Cena", Abby continues. "He's teaching her to be helpless."

"It's not good for either of them", Maura says, looking at her son wade across the pool with her granddaughter sitting around his neck.

"He's the adult – her father for god's sake - he should know better", Abby says in disgust, rolling her eyes as she watches Fitzgerald duck under water with a laughing Cena.

"Can we not talk about this any longer?" Olivia says in frustration.

"So Gwendolyn, are you and Calvin planning to return to your missionary work in Senegal?" Maura asks, trying to break the tension in the room.

"Most definitely, Maura. It's our life's calling", and Olivia twitches her lip and leans away from her mother. "There are so many people who need us over there - so much to be done. It's rewarding to help people who really need you - they have so little."

"Well, I certainly admire your dedication", Maura says.

Olivia strokes her fingers up and down her décolleté, listening to the conversation somewhat surprised because her mother has not mentioned anything to her about returning to Senegal.

"So have you set a return date yet?"

"No, but Calvin and I want to return as soon as possible. We were in the midst of building a new school when - well there's no need to repeat that sordid saga", and Maura nods. "Maura, would you believe the people who live in the village of rural Senegal only have a one-room school? Children of all ages are in the same classroom - which makes it difficult to attend to the needs of the different age groups. But our new school will have multiple classrooms for various grades", Gwendolyn relays proudly.

"That's so wonderful, Gwendolyn."

Abby continues to watch Fitzgerald and Cena play in the water, and she smiles when she sees Gerry walk toward the pool.

 **XXX**

Gerry walks out onto the deck, sits on one of the lounge chairs, and watches his son swim back and forth across the pool with Cena. Now he sees firsthand what has Gwendolyn concerned, and he does not like it either. He plans to put an end to the nonsense. When Fitz climbs from the pool with a laughing Cena, Gerry stands and walks over to the pool's ledge.

"Fitzgerald -"

"Dad", Fitz says, drying off with the plush white towel.

"Gramps, I swim with daddy", she says with the biggest smile.

"I see that. You were always such a good swimmer, Cena", smiling down at his granddaughter. "Fitzgerald, take Cena into the house, I would like to talk to you."

"Is there something wrong, dad?" Looking at his father curiously.

"Take Cena into the house", Gerry repeats with a sour face, and Fitz nods because he has seen that look on his father's face many times over the course of his life.

Fitz wraps Cena in the large towel and carries her into the kitchen where he sees the women standing around chatting. They all stop talking immediately and give him a disapproving look.

"Liv, can you get Cena dressed? I need to talk to my father."

"Oh- okay", placing Jolie in Maura's arms and wondering what is going on. "Come on Cee, let's go upstairs and get you into some warm clothes."

When Fitz walks back onto the deck he sees his father is still standing at the ledge of the pool, staring down at the water. Fitz carefully slides on his button down shirt and walks over to his father.

"Dad?" And Gerry continues to stare at the rippling water for a while before turning and facing his son.

"What the hell is going on around here, Fitzgerald?"

"Excuse me?" Taken aback by the unexpected question and his father's tone.

"It's December for god's sake and you have your daughter out here swimming", waving his hand toward the pool.

"And it's warm -"

 _"Don't talk to me about the goddamn temperature",_ glaring at his son. _"You're out here frolicking in the water when your daughter should be in therapy. The doctors say she needs therapy and I understand you won't let her go."_

 _"She's not ready to go"_ , Fitz snaps, immediately becoming defensive.

"You listen to me, Fitzgerald", Gerry says, taking a step toward his son and invading his space. "Whatever the hell you think you're doing around here all stops now. You obviously need help and so does that little girl of yours – my granddaughter. Shut this down now or I will", Gerry says before stomping back into the house.

 **XXX**

Another week has passed and Olivia watches her husband wince in pain as he attempts to pull the tee shirt over his head. Six weeks have passed and his ribs should be healed by now, but he is unable to heal properly because he continues to carry Cena everywhere. He has set aside his own healthcare needs to focus on Cena's needs, and she is more than frustrated. She has reached her breaking point

"You need to go for your follow-up exam. Your ribs don't seem to be healing."

"I'm fine."

"You're not fine. You're in pain and carrying Cena everywhere is not helping."

He glares at her as he pulls on his sweat pants.

"Let me call Dr. Cooper so she can take more x-rays. You should have seen her last month."

" _I said I'm fine Olivia, now let it go."_

" _Do I not say anything? Do I continue to stand idly by and let you kill yourself – let you keep Cena a cripple? Is that how I should let it go? Well I've been doing that for weeks – giving you space – but nothing is changing. You're not getting better and neither is Cena. If you want to destroy yourself then fine, but I won't let you make Cena a cripple."_

" _You won't let me?"_ Yanking the drawstrings on his sweatpants. _"What the hell do you mean you won't let me?"_

" _I'll call John and your father. Maybe they can talk some sense into you."_

" _Don't. You. Dare. This is my house and I will do whatever I damn well please"_ , taking a step toward her.

Realizing the discussion is not going the way she planned, Olivia inhales deeply to calm her anger and tries another approach.

"Let me in, babe. Let me help you", she says softly, and for a brief moment she sees a glimmer of her husband in his eyes, but the glimmer fades quickly.

"I'm sleeping in Cena's room tonight."

"She hasn't even called for you. You have to stop coddling her."

" _Coddling her?"_ He says with indignation.

"She will never get better – gain the confidence to walk again if you don't stop playing into her fears – if you don't stop carrying her everywhere."

" _My daughter needs me. She's afraid and cannot walk right and I will carry her whenever and wherever—for however long it takes."_

 _"The doctors said she should have started therapy by now. Her appointment was over three weeks ago."_

" _She's not ready, Olivia"_ , he says through clenched teeth.

"She has to get better – go to physical therapy, Fitz. She has to go back to school. My mother can't continue –"

"If your mother no longer wants to teach Cena then I'll teach her what she needs to know." He is physically an emotionally drained and is obviously no longer thinking clearly.

" _What? Have you gone insane? You're not an educator."_

"I'm her father and I can give her whatever she needs."

" _So now you're a therapist and an educator, too?"_

He glares at her with chest heaving and nostrils flaring.

"You know Cena needs to be with her class. Her teacher has been successful in getting –"

"Then I'll hire a tutor", getting angry because she will not let up on the matter.

" _A tutor?_ Cena needs to be around other children so she can continue developing social skills. You know –"

" _Will you stop telling me what my daughter needs? She saw her family almost die before her eyes. She almost died, too, Olivia. Do you realize how traumatized she is?"_

" _That's why I want her to get back to her normal routine as soon as possible. The therapist said –"_

" _I don't give a damn what any therapist says. She's my daughter and I know what's best for her. She's not going back to school right now. She can't even walk."_

" _And I am her mother and I know what's best for my daughter. She'll never regain the confidence to walk again if you won't let her go to_ _ **t**_ _herapy."_

" _You saw how distraught she was when it was time to go. She's not ready."_

" _Is she not ready or are you not ready?"_

" _And what the hell is that supposed to mean?"_

 _"It means you're trying to protect Cena from further pain, but what you're really doing is harming her. You're giving her permission not to face her fears. You're making her an invalid."_

"I'm not talking about this any longer."

" _You will talk about this – we will talk about this"_ , taking a few step toward him. "Babe, you can't keep Cena locked up in this house forever. You can't protect her from everything. You have to let her go -"

 _"No."_

"Fitz, we have to -"

Red-faced, he glares at her with chest heaving and steps toward her and spits out his final edict.

 _"No_ _is a complete sentence, Olivia. Cena isn't going anywhere."_

His pupils are wide and she sees the light is leaving him, so she takes a step closer, caressing his face with one hand and holding onto his waist with the other.

"Liv …"

"Shhh", drawing him in as they breathe in sync.

He inhales her scent and feels his body begin to relax and, for a moment, he allows the mask to slip away. He allows her to see him, too see his pain, his shame, his weariness. He places a hand on her hip and his fingers caress the soft flesh he has missed over the past month, and he closes his eyes because he feels at home again.

"Daddy", the voice calls through the monitor, snapping him from her spell.

"Don't – babe. Let's talk about this. We haven't talked about it since we got home."

"I have to go."

"You feel guilty about the accident", she says quickly, desperately trying to get his attention. "Don't deny it – not any longer", halting his protest.

"You don't know every damn thing, Olivia", staring at her with darkening eyes.

"You're right, I don't know everything. But what I do know is you feel responsible for what happened."

This is a conversation he does not want to have so he walks across the room toward the door.

" _Stop. Walking."_ She yells and he halts his movements but does not turn around.

"You have nothing to feel guilty about. Chief Schuller said –"

" _Do you think I give a damn about what Schuller said? Do you?"_ He snaps, turning around with anger etched in his face. _"I almost lost my whole family in that damn tunnel because I didn't keep my eyes on that asshole."_

" _It's not your fault"_ , she yells again with tears streaming down her face. _"Charlie –"_

" _Don't ever mention that man's name in my house again. Do you understand?"_

 _"It's not your fault"_ , taking another step toward him.

" _It is my fault and stop saying it's not. Stop trying to make me feel better because you can't."_

" _I'm not trying to make you feel better. I'm trying to stop you from destroying our family."_

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"You not allowing Cena to walk –insisting on carrying her everywhere - it's all bordering on abuse."

He glares at her.

"And you're rejecting JoJo. You haven't picked up your other daughter since we came home. You're ignoring her, Fitz, and that's not fair. And you and I – well we barely talk any more – unless it's to fight. Our family is falling apart – we're falling apart. Please –"

"Daddy", Cena's voice flows through the monitor again.

"I have to check on Cena."

She grabs a fistful of his tee shirt at the hem, holding on to him tighter, trying to pull him back to them, but he pulls back and steps away from her.

"Fitz – " Looking at him pleadingly.

"My daughter needs me, Olivia", he says firmly before dashing from the room and down the hall.

 **XXX**

When Fitz enters his daughter's dimly lit bedroom, he sees she has fallen back to sleep with the thumb in her mouth. He smiles at his beautiful daughter, pulls the covers over her shoulders, and kisses her on the cheek. He sits in the tall wingback chair, crosses his legs, and sighs heavily as he watches her sleep. He picks up _Good Night Moon_ from the table and smiles, although he is physically and mentally tired. He does not know how much longer he can continue at this pace and his eyes begin to drift close as his body slowly relinquishes to sleep. The book in his hand drops to the floor and he begins to snore lightly.

An hour or so later, Cena is awakened by the whimpers of her sister that soon turn into cries, and she looks over at her sleeping father.

"Daddy, wake up, daddy. JoJo is crying", but her father continues to sleep.

Cena pulls herself up to a sitting position the way her father taught her and calls to her him again, but he does not respond. She looks around the dimly lit room waiting for her mother, GranPop, or Nana to get Jolie. But after a long while Jolie continues to cry and she does not know what to do because she cannot walk, so she begins to cry too.

"Daddy, I can't walk", wiping away her own tears. "JoJo needs you, daddy."

She listens to her father snore and knows he will not be waking anytime soon, so with great trepidation she scoots her butt to the side of the bed, letting her feet dangle above the floor. She does not know if she can do it, but Jolie's cries are getting louder. So she slides her bottom from the edge of the bed until her toes barely touch the pink shag throw rug at the side of her bed, and the feel of the soft carpet fibers on her toes makes her smile. She turns and looks at her sleeping father again before making the decision to try to stand. She carefully stands on the pink shag rug and looks down at her feet in awe. She wiggles her toes again and smiles. She looks over at her father, wanting to tell him that she can walk again, but she hears her sister crying again. She carefully slides her feet into the furry red slippers and slowly walks from the room and down the hall to the nursery. She flicks on the light and walks over to the crib where she sees the pink and white fringed blanket is wrapped around her sister's face.


	34. Chapter 34 Amazing Grace

**A/N:** **Sweetolitz,** you're right, Fitz always reverts to his take-charge/controlling behavior when there is a problem in the marriage/family, although it comes from a good place. They both try to solve their problems individually rather than working together. Do they need a visit from Avril? **Fifi,** you're right, Fitz' behavior might seem strange to others but this is his way of trying to help his frightened daughter. He's been reading a lot about hysterical paralysis lately. As Calvin said, fathers have a special bond with their daughters. Fitz and Cena have a special bond. Yup, sometimes it takes the men in our lives to help us see things differently. Calvin helped Olivia and Gerry helped Fitz. **Mm2009,** did these two forget everything Avril taught them about managing conflict and communicating better? Maybe it's hard to apply those lessons when you're in the midst of a crisis. They will have to learn how to communicate and to work together on the critical issues or they will have more problems in the future. Each has to stop making independent decisions about critical marriage/family matters. **Didi46** , glad you're enjoying the story and thank you for the kind words. "Breathless" sounds like a good chapter or story title. 😉 **Monica** , you aptly dissected and analyzed the characters and their relationships. Glad you care about the characters because it's a testament to your personal investment in this story. I also have to care about characters depicted in any medium if I am to spend time with them. **Guest** , for clarification, the mayor did not admit to Marion any involvement in the crash, so she couldn't tell Olivia anything. Wilson just wants everyone in his administration to hate Fitz because he hates Fitz. Remember, Fitz is still a threat to him. **Tamarral** , it takes a lot of time/effort to overcome when someone has tried to murder your entire family. **Kandyse4olitz** , Fitz isn't necessarily suffering from PTSD, his suffering comes from guilt, which comes from shame. He feels he did not protect his family. Remember his big speech to Liv about being a man and wanting to protect her in an earlier. Also, remember Calvin told Liv that Jolie doesn't need her father right now, Cena does. Let's wait to read what Fitz says about this. Maybe Cena would have walked, maybe not. Swimming was Fitz' strategy for rebuilding her confidence to walk again and her trust in him. I guess we will now get some cold weather in Washington State. **LaJoyMechell** , the best chapter you ever read, that's saying a lot. Remember, Fitz is still sleeping and does not know his baby daughter is suffocating/smothering. The Popes have been helpful, but as Olivia discovered when she allowed Maura and Nora into her home, moving in family members can cause problems. **Cleo** , Marion is not older than Bennie. She, Bennie, and Olivia are all 30-somethings.

 **Chapter 34. Amazing Grace**

Cena stands onto the small wooden step stool and pulls back the soft blanket from her sister's face and Jolie's gasp for air is instantly followed by blood-curdling screams. Lowering the front rail, the way she has watched her mother do so many times, Cena lifts her sister from the crib. She holds Jolie close to her chest and cradles her head, just like mommy does. Shaken from her sleep by her daughter's ear-piercing screams, Olivia rushes down the hall to the nursery; something is wrong with Jolie. With heart pounding, Olivia stops abruptly in the doorway when she sees Cena standing on the step stool in the dimly lit room holding Jolie in her arms.

"Don't cry, JoJo. Mommy and daddy are sleepy", carefully holding the back of her sister's head.

"My God", Olivia gasps, bringing a hand to her lips. Cena turns around when she hears her mother's voice.

"The blanket was on JoJo's face mommy. She was crying."

Immediately understanding what her daughter has said, Olivia flicks the light switch and rushes into the room. She carefully lifts the crying baby from Cena's arms and holds Jolie close to her chest.

"Oh, JoJo", Olivia cries, swaying side to side trying to calm her baby. "Is my baby all right?" Inspecting the infant's reddened face.

"Daddy is sleepy, mommy. He's tired."

"You're standing, Cena. You're walking", Olivia says in astonishment. Tears stream down her face as she wraps her arm around Cena's shoulders, holding both of her daughters tighter than ever. And Cena looks up at her mother with the widest smile.

"Mother of God", Calvin mutters as he stands shoulder-to-shoulder with his wife in the doorway.

"Praise God - praise God", Gwendolyn utters in exhalation as she lifts her folded hands skyward.

Startled awake by the commotion coming from down the hall, Fitz looks over at his daughter's empty bed and dashes from the room toward the sounds. Something has happened to Cena. Stopping abruptly in the hall behind his in-laws, he sees Cena standing on the wooden step stool and the tears well in his eyes.

"Cena", he says softly, in disbelief.

"Daddy, JoJo was crying and you were sleepy", she says innocently.

Fitz pushes pass his in-laws and lifts Cena from the step stool and covers her face with kisses.

"Your face tickles, daddy", giggling and squirming in her father's arms. He kisses her again and allows the pent-up tears to fall as he squeezes his daughter tightly.

"Why are you crying, daddy?" Cena asks with a look of confusion in her eyes.

"Because I'm happy, Princess. I am so very happy."

"JoJo was smothering, Fitz", Olivia blurts out, letting him in on what has happened. "The blanket was over her face and Cena removed the blanket from Jolie's face."

Fitz' eyes widen as he looks into his wife's panic-stricken face, then quickly looks down at his crying baby. He sets Cena back onto the small wooden step stool and carefully takes the crying baby from his wife's arms. Olivia drapes her arm over Cena's tiny shoulders and pulls the little girl close to her side.

"Should we call Dr. Jordan? Should we take her to the hospital?" Olivia asks with panic filling her voice.

"Shhh – shhh", Fitz says softly, cradling Jolie in his arms and rocking her gently as he paces around the room. Within a few minutes Jolie's cries diminish to whimpers.

"She's going to be all right", Fitz says, his thumb brushing away the tears from the baby's red face. "She's going to be all right", he repeats as he sits into the rocking chair holding Jolie close to his chest. "Right, Angel? You're going to be fine. You're going to be fine." Jolie's whimpers cease completely when she feels the rumble in her father's chest against her chest.

"Liv, put Cena back to bed", he says, looking down at his baby who is staring at him in wonder.

"Are you sure?" She asks tearfully, bringing a hand to her mouth.

"Yes", he says almost under breath as he strokes Jolie's cheek. "Kiss daddy good night, Cena."

Cena walks over to her father, places her hands on the arm of the rocker, and raises on her tip-toes to peck her father on the cheek.

"Night – night, daddy."

"Good night, Princess", caressing the side of her face his large hand. Calvin wraps an arm around his daughter's shoulder and ushers her from the room.

"Come, Livvia, let's put Cena back to bed."

Olivia nods, takes Cena by the hand, and they all walk from the nursery leaving Fitz alone with Jolie.

 **XXX**

With Cena tucked safely back into bed, Olivia walks down the long hall to their bedroom and slowly crawls into bed. She silently thanks God for choosing to shine His favor on her family once again. Her baby almost died tonight and she feels like she is living in a perpetual bad dream. She wonders when it will end. She wonders when the dark cloud will finally pass from over her family. She is emotionally and physically exhausted and unsure of how much more of she can take.

For the next few hours Fitz sits in the nursery cradling and rocking his baby daughter, watching her to make sure she is all right. He smiles as Jolie smiles in her sleep and her tiny hand squeezes his finger. He feels like life is playing a cruel joke on him. While he was desperately trying to save one daughter, he almost lost his other daughter. He brings Jolie's balled fist to his lips and vows to be a better father. Carefully standing from the rocker, gently lay Jolie into her crib. He pulls up the rail, shaking it slightly to ensure it is locked in place. He removes the stuffed toys and sets them onto the dresser, then folds the pink and white fringed blanket and stores it into the bottom drawer of the dresser.

With shoulders slumped he walks into their bedroom he looks over at his wife who is curled into a ball. She looks so tiny and fragile in the large king-size bed. He knows she is not asleep and he exhales softly, running a hand through his hair.

"JoJo is fine. She's sleeping now. I removed all over the covers and toys from the crib." Olivia simply nods her head slowly and repeatedly. Jolie almost died tonight and she will no longer suffer his behavior.

"The madness ends tonight, Fitz. Cena will be going to counseling and she will return to school", she says flatly, not bothering to turn around because the matter is no longer up for discussion. She is taking back her family.

"She was afraid to get into another car Liv, and I wasn't going to force her. I couldn't."

"She needed therapy, Fitz."

"I know that. Don't you think I know that?" Walking around the bed to look into her eyes. "That's why I would swim with her every day. Swimming was her physical therapy. Sure, I might have indulged her in some ways, but the swimming was all about getting her the exercise she needed to strengthen her confidence - to strengthen her legs."

"You shut me out, Fitz", she says tiredly, sliding up in the bed and leaning against the headboard.

"I had to do it my way, Liv. I had to get my daughter to trust me again. I had to get her to believe in herself again."

"She's my daughter too, Fitz", she says tiredly, running her fingers through her hair.

"I just needed to do what I thought was best, Liv. Cena didn't ask for any of this – none of us did."

"But your way was tearing our family apart."

"Do you think I could ever face you and Cena if she never walked again? I saw the look of disappointment in your eyes", and she looks at him in surprise because she did not know she ever looked at him that way. "Cena needed to know that her father was there for her, carrying her when she was too afraid to walk for herself. She needed to know that her father loved her and supported her when she was scared – when she was frightened from her sleep by another nightmare. She needed to know that her father was right there for her - that I didn't abandon her when she needed me the most. She needed that Liv, and yes, I needed it too."

"You abandoned JoJo", she says tiredly.

"I didn't abandon JoJo. Cena needed a father and Jolie needed a mother", sitting onto the bed desperately trying to make her understand.

" _And you decided all of this on your own?"_ She shouts.

" _Yes, I did"_ , he shouts as adamantly, and they glare at each other with chests heaving, neither having the energy for another fight. "Charlie was a miserable son-of-a-bitch, Liv. Schuller said he wrote in that damn diary about being emotionally abandoned by his mother, and as a result, could never find happiness of any sort in life. I didn't want that for our daughter, Liv. Cena needed to know that her father would always be there for her – no matter what."

Her eyes widen, fighting back the tears as she wonders if Cena felt abandoned when she stayed at Mirage for two months. She wonders if she is as horrible and selfish as Charlie's mother.

"It's late, let's go to bed", she says, completely drained of energy. "Let's get some sleep", reaching for his hand. Fitz crawls into bed behind his wife and pulls her close, kissing her shoulder.

"I've missed you", he says before they both fall asleep.

 **XXX**

When Bennie arrived at Marion's apartment to pick her up for their date, they were both impressed with each other's appearance. Well, he has always been impressed by her, but she definitely appreciated seeing a different side of the good doctor. Dressed impeccably in a navy blue suit, white shirt, and lavender tie, Dr. Grant looks quite debonair. Marion smiles as she grabs her small purse off the hall table by the door thinking he is definitely something she can work with.

"This is a very popular restaurant, Ben. It's quite difficult to get a reservation here - the chef is internationally known", Marion says as she slides onto the booth seat.

"Well, I gave him a new heart, so he is now a much kinder man", he says, not trying to be braggadocious, just trying to break the tension of being on a first date. "He told me I could come to his restaurant anytime I wanted."

"Wow, I'm impressed."

Ben smiles, thinking how impressed he is with Marion. She is obviously smart and definitely beautiful, but she also has a seemingly easy quality about her that makes him feel relaxed, that makes him want to be around her. He hopes she does not think he is gawking at her like an idiot.

Several hours later, dinner and dessert have long been consumed but Bennie and Marion continue to sit in the restaurant talking and enjoying each other's company and lamenting about how family and friends often seek their medical advice.

"Ben, you know physicians are often asked for advice about medical matters by relatives and friends. The requests can range from wanting simple information to more substantial involvement - as your family did", lifting her second glass of wine to her lips.

He looks at her with a frown, still thinking about his father's obnoxious behavior at Mercy Hospital after Fitz and Cena were airlifted to the facility.

"For me the requests started as early as medical school. When I would return home for holidays my brother or high school friends would always ask me what a pain they were having meant or how to get rid of an annoying rash on their arm or somewhere else unspeakable." And they both laugh.

"And later, when I was a fully trained physician, family members and friends would ask me to help them navigate the complexities of the health care system or to interpret lab tests and other medical information."

With a slight smile Bennie gazes at Marion with adoration as he listens to her easily contextualize what has been bothering him for the past month or so. Observing a break in the couple's conversation, the waiter walks over to their table to check if they need anything else. He can tell this is a first date and has made a point of not interrupting them too often.

"Sir, madam, can I get either of you anything else?" He asks with a polite smile.

"Nothing for me, thank you. But give the lady whatever she wants." Bennie looks at Marion and she smiles.

"I think I'll have another glass of wine", she says, feeling relaxed and enjoying Dr. Grant's company.

"Of course. I'll be back shortly with your wine, madam."

"And it doesn't matter if the relationship between the relative or friend and us is close or distant", Marion continues. "The common thread is they are relying on us as professionals who have medical knowledge and familiarity with the medical system."

"I get that, but my family - my father -does not distinguish among physicians with regard to their medical expertise. He views all doctors as capable of addressing most, if not all, medical matters. He thought I should continue to be involved in Fitz and Cena's case after they were transferred to Mercy. He didn't - or wouldn't - understand that my involvement ended when the specialists took over."

"Your father is quite the character, Ben."

"That's putting it mildly."

"I'm sure he means well. He was in unfamiliar territory - scared."

"I get that - and I wanted to help - but it doesn't make it any less bothersome."

As the waiter sets the glass of Chardonnay on the paper cocktail napkin in front of Marion, she stares at Ben, remembering the intimate scene in the hospital room when he stroked Olivia's cheek lovingly while she was still unconscious.

"Thank you", Marion says, smiling at the waiter, who nods before walking away. Marion takes a sip of the cool drink before continuing. "I'm sure you were motivated to help by your love for Olivia."

Ben frowns and looks at her curiously and she quickly tries to deflect.

"What I _meant_ to say, your professional judgment might be in conflict with your emotional judgment. There could be a potential conflict between your roles as a relative or friend and as a physician. You might want to set expectations - boundaries - for your family moving forward, Ben. Maybe before another medical emergency occurs. Be clear up front about your role and level of involvement."

"Marion, I'm not sure my father cares anything about boundaries", he says as Marion finishes her wine.

"Well, I'm sure you can help him to understand."

"Perhaps", he says, looking at his watch. "I guess we should get going. I don't want to keep you out too late on our first date", standing and waiting for her to retrieve her purse from the seat.

Not really ready for the night to end Bennie takes the long route back to Marion's apartment. Driving slowly through the light downtown traffic, he thinks this is the best time he has had in a while. He likes Marion and decides to call her tomorrow and ask her out on another date. Marion glances over at his profile as he navigates the car through the downtown streets. The street lights cast a nice glow over his face. He is a handsome man who definitely comes from good stock. All of the Grant men are handsome, even old-ass Gerry, who was probably a real ladies' man in his day.

As Ben parks the blue Tesla Model S in front of her apartment building. Marion does not usually date doctors but she thinks she might make an exception for Dr. Grant. As they ride the elevator to her 17th floor apartment she decides to invite him in for a drink, she is not ready for the night to end.

"Would you like to come in for a drink?" Standing in front of her door and digging into the purse looking for her keys. "I think I might still have some of that craft beer you seem to like from when my brother visited back in August." He smiles to himself wondering why she cannot seem to find the keys in that tiny purse.

"Nothing else to drink for me. I have an early surgical procedure in the morning."

"Here it is", she exclaims, holding the keyring in the air. Now she is fumbling trying to insert the key into the lock.

"Let me do that", he says, taking the key from her hand and easily unlocking the door.

"You really are good with your hands, Dr. Grant", flashing him a smile as she flicks on the light switch. "Are you sure you won't at least come in for coffee? I have decaf", she says, looking over her shoulder and flashing him an inviting smile. He hesitates for a quick moment then consents to one cup of coffee.

"Okay, I'll have a cup", following her into the apartment and closing the door behind him.

He didn't get beyond the hall when he picked her up earlier, so he glances around the space thinking her place is everything he imagined, maybe not the specific furnishings, but the high-end décor for sure. The apartment is so Marion, so elegant.

"Sugar - cream?" She calls from the kitchen.

"Just a little cream."

Ben sits onto the plush sofa and admires the décor, thinking this place is much nicer than his apartment. She obviously likes color. He never bothered to decorate his place beyond the basics since he does not spend a lot of time there. He might have to up his game. Marion returns to the living room carrying a coffee mug and sets onto the coaster on the table. She kicks off her shoes and sits onto the sofa. Bennie reaches for the mug and smiles when he sees she has painted her toenails a different color.

"This coffee is really good", he says, licking his lips as he leans over and sets the mug back onto the coaster. When he leans back against the sofa cushion, Marion slides over and slowly runs her tongue over his lips.

"Mmmm", she says, gazing into his eyes. "I've always wondered what coffee tastes like with cream, and he looks at her curiously. "I'm lactose intolerant", pressing her lips against his, and he responds, deepening the kiss. She moans and begins to tug at his tie, but he pulls back, looking at her questioningly.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Checking for consent. Marion has had a few glasses of wine and he does not want her to have any regrets later.

"Yes", she responds eagerly, tossing his tie across the room and straddling him quickly. She kisses him with intensity, running her fingers through his hair. Ben runs his tongue over her lips and she opens her mouth, allowing him to explore with his warm tongue. She tugs at his shirt, pulling it from inside his pants and sliding it down his shoulders. Nice she thinks as she caresses his biceps. They stumble toward the bedroom and quickly discard their remaining clothing. He lowers her onto the plush bed, which is covered with jewel-toned pillows of all sizes.

"You have a lot of pillows", he says, swiping the mountains of pillows onto the floor and pinning her onto the bed.

"I like pillows", she says breathlessly, pulling him down and devouring his mouth. It's been too long and she is not in the mood for small talk.

"Slow. Down", he whispers in a commanding tone.

She shivers from the warmth of his breath and his assertive, take-charge demeanor. She stops her movements and gazes at him seductively, and with a slight, closed-mouth smile, she nods. He deftly slides his tongue into her mouth again and she slowly glides the tips of her fingers down his neck and between his shoulders, feeling the toned rhomboid and trapezius muscles. Tracing her fingers along his latissimus dorsi and down his sides, she smiles wider in satisfaction. Dr. Grant obviously spends a lot of time in the gym lifting weights.

He kisses her neck, down to her décolleté, and her nipples harden in anticipation. He does not disappoint, suckling with the appropriate level of intensity while gently massaging the other nipple. He trails wet kisses down her flat stomach and she trembles, subtly widening her legs with each brush of his mouth. Her body is afire as he lifts her leg and slowly and teasingly runs his tongue around her knee, and she moistens. He slides down the bed, onto the floor, and he licks his lips when he sees her curling the brightly colored toes. He runs his tongue over her foot and begins to suck each toe as if they were a precious treasure. Well this is new Marion thinks feeling a sensation she has not experienced. His wet mouth travels from toe to toe and he slides his hand between her legs. She squirms as his fingers thrusts in and out and his mouth moves to her right foot. The dual sensation is mind-blowing and Ben smiles as she floods his hand. Fully erect, he slides from the floor and up her body.

"Protection", she says.

"What?"

"Condom. Do you have any?"

Their eyes meet in the dark and he looks at her somewhat embarrassed. He has not had a need to carry a condom in his wallet in quite some time and he definitely was not expecting to need one tonight. Assessing the expression on his face, Marion gestures toward the nightstand.

"Nightstand."

Ben slides open the drawer and sees two gold foil packets and tries not to think about what this means. Quickly sheathing himself in the rubber, he crawls back on top of her.

"Am I too heavy?" Resting his forearms on either side of her head, ready to go to work.

She shakes her head no, and he eases in, filling her fully, and again she is pleasantly surprised. They ride each other slowly and the exchange is somewhat awkward at first. But after a few moments the two strangers adjust to each other and he rides her with all deliberate precision. She presses her hands against his taut buttocks, pulling him in deeper, and the sounds of lovers, strangers or not, fill the air. She takes her time riding his hardness, bending her knees encouraging him to go deeper, and he does. She feels as if she is melting into the bed.

"Oh god", letting out a pained sound and her body quivers when he touches the magical spot. She is vibrating inside, all over actually, and her laughter fills the room.

Bennie rests his head in the crook of her neck and strokes her with intensity, but taking his time and savoring her tightness clenched around him. Quickening the pace, he pumps and thrusts harder, and she returns his every stroke. His breathing is more exaggerated and he pumps harder, trying to reach the sacred place. And in a moment, his body jerks a few times and the rubber sac fills with his seed. He  
collapses on top of her thinking how much he needed this. And after a few moments he regains enough energy to kiss her on the lips and forehead before rolling onto his side. He discards the protection and Marion curls her body into his side.

"Well done, Dr. Grant. Well done", she says and they both smile before falling fast asleep.

 **XXX**

A few hours later Bennie awakens from a satisfying sleep wrapped around Marion's body. He has a 7:15 surgery this morning and needs to go home, shower, and change before going to the hospital. He looks at her wild hair and kisses the side of the neck and shoulder before quietly sliding out of bed. Not wanting to waken her, he feels around the floor in the dark with his foot for his clothes. He knows they are somewhere in the room but he does not want to turn on the light and disturb her. He slides his phone off the nightstand and presses the button to light the screen. Shining the light around the floor he finds his clothes intermingled with hers and snatches up their clothes and carries them into the living room. He dresses quickly and folds her clothes neatly on the sofa. He takes his coffee mug into the kitchen and pours the coffee he did not drink last night down the drain. He washes the mug and sets it onto the dish rack. He lives about an hour away from Marion and he needs to get moving, so he quickly types a text as he walks into the living room, grabs his tie from the floor, and quietly closes the door behind him.

 **XXX**

Marion begins to stir when she hears the birds chirping outside of her bedroom window. Slowly awakening from her slumber, she stretches a leg down the smooth, crisp sheet and curls her toes. When she stretches her arms above her head the covers slide down her torso, revealing her firm breasts and she smiles, feeling deliciously achy all over. Remembering the events from last night Marion rolls onto her side to greet him good morning and her stomach sinks immediately. Did he leave without saying good-bye? Perhaps he is in the bathroom, so she waits a few minutes, running a foot up and down her leg. After a few minutes, she reaches for her robe hanging on the arm of the chair and walks into the bathroom.

"Ben?"

No answer, so she pads down the hall toward the kitchen and smiles when she smells coffee brewing.

"Do you always get up so ..." Her voice trails off when she sees he is not in the kitchen.

At least he had the decency to wash his mug and make coffee. One-night stands do not make coffee, they just slither away in the middle of the night. So be it, she thinks as she fills her mug and sits down at the table. She chuckles because he obviously set the timer on the coffee maker, something she has not done since she bought the overpriced appliance. She bends her knee, setting her foot onto the textured fabric of the seat cushion and smiles when she looks down at her toes. Dr. Grant is indeed a man of many talents she thinks as she leans back in the chair sipping the hot coffee and savoring the memories from last night. The clock on the microwave catches her attention and she realizes she needs to check her schedule for the day.

Carrying the mug back to the bedroom to find her phone, Marion sees her clothes folded neatly onto the sofa and wonders if Dr. Grant is some sort of neat freak. Turning around and scanning the bedroom, she tries to remember where she put her phone last night. She sets the mug onto the nightstand, crawls onto the bed, and searches through the crumpled bed covers for her phone. She smiles when she smells his scent lingering on the sheets. Last night was a really good night.

No luck finding the phone on the bed, Marion gets down on all four and tosses around the pillows on the floor. _Voila!_ The phone is tucked in the mound of sits cross-legged on the pillows and taps the Home button and sees she has a few text messages. She taps the text icon and smiles.

 _ **May I call you later?**_

She smiles, staring at the screen for a few minutes before quickly typing _**Yes**_.

 **XXX**

Jolie almost smothering to death was jarring for Olivia and Fitz - a wake-up call for both of them. Olivia needed to take control of her family and Fitz needed to allow her to help him to make Cena whole again. Although she is walking, Olivia wants her to attend counseling so she can learn how to articulate the fears she has bottled up since the crash.

They both take to their daughter to counseling sessions every Tuesday and Thursday. They always sit in the waiting room while Cena meets with Dr. Boyd, the child psychologist Dr. Brennan recommended. Cena seems to be responding well to counseling and has begun to open up more about the crash and express her fears.

"What do you mean everything is gone? What's gone, Cena?" Dr. Boyd asks in a kind voice.

Cena looks down at her lap, nervously twisting her fingers.

"Take your time, Cena. You can tell me when you're ready."

And after a few minutes of trying to find the words for what she wants to say, Cena looks up at the doctor with tears in her eyes.

"Everything my daddy gave me is gone", she says softly.

"And what is that, Cena?"

"Biker Princess", she says, eyes filling with tears.

"And who is Biker Princess, Cena?"

"She rides a red bike just like me", she says through the sniffles. "My daddy buy her and now she's gone."

"And what else is gone, Cena?"

"My sunglasses - just like daddy's. My daddy buy them for me", and Dr. Boyd scribbles notes onto the yellow legal pad.

"And my tiara daddy buy me is gone. Is my daddy going away too?" She asks innocently and the tears begin to stream down her face.

"No - no, your daddy isn't going away", Dr. Boyd says, trying to comfort the little girl.

"He's not?" Cena says in amazement. The thought of her father not going away never occurred to her.

"No, he's not. Would you like to see your daddy now?" Cena shakes her head up and down as the tears continue to flow. Dr. Boyd stands from the small table, opens the door, and asks Fitz and Olivia to come into the office.

"Mr. – Mrs. Grant. Will you join Cena and me in here, please?"

Fitz and Olivia look at each other with concern because the doctor has never asked them to join Cena in any of her sessions.

"Is there something wrong, doctor?" Fitz asks with panic on his face and Olivia squeezes his hand.

"Everything is fine. Cena had a breakthrough today and she is a little upset." They rush into the office where Cena is sitting at the small table still fidgeting with her fingers.

"Biker Princess, are you all right?" Fitz asks anxiously as he swoops her up into his arms.

"I'm not Biker Princess anymore, daddy. Biker Princess is gone." Fitz looks at Cena in shock then at the doctor, wondering what has happened.

"Have a seat, please, Mr. and Mrs. Grant", Dr. Boyd gestures a hand toward the chairs in front of her desk. Olivia looks at her husband worriedly before they both sit down.

"Cena has opened up today to talk about her fears", and Fitz looks at his daughter sitting on his lap and holds her tighter.

"Cena experienced a great deal of loss as a result of the accident. In addition to almost losing her family, she lost many things that were dear to her." Olivia and Fitz look curiously at Dr. Boyd as the doctor picks up the yellow legal pad and recounts what Cena told her.

"She lost Biker Princess, which you gave her, Mr. Grant." Olivia and Fitz look at each other wide-eyed because they never thought about Cena's losses. They were so concerned about her not walking they never thought she might be mourning as well.

"She also lost her sunglasses, Mr. Grant, which apparently were just like yours."

"Do you want daddy to buy you another pair of sunglasses, sweetheart?" And Cena shakes her ahead no.

"Cena also lost the tiara you bought her, Mr. Grant. All of these things are symbols of you – her father. Since the crash she has been afraid that she was going to lose you the way she lost all of the things you gave her. And in the mind of a child she believes if those things can go away then so can the person who gave them to her."

"Aww, sweetheart. I don't want you to worry about daddy. I'm not going anywhere", he says, kissing her on the top of her curly head.

"You're not?" She asks happily.

"I'm not."

"And mommy and JoJo, too?"

"We're not going anywhere, Cee", Olivia says with tears in her eyes, reaching across Fitz to give her daughter's little hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, Princess", he replies, smiling down at his daughter.

"May I have ice cream?" And all the adults chuckle.

"You can have whatever you want, sweetheart."

"With sprinkles, too?" Her eyes brightening.

"With sprinkles, too", he says, pecking her on the head again.

"I think Cena is going to be fine", Dr. Boyd says, smiling at the parents.

"Thank you, Dr. Boyd", Olivia says. "Thank you so much."

"Cena, why don't you go play with the toys in the next room while I talk to your mommy and daddy? Will that be all tight with you?" Cena looks at her mother then father.

"We'll be out shortly, sweetheart. Okay?" Cena nods at her father, climbs down from his lap, and skips out the room.

"Is something wrong, Dr. Boyd?" Olivia asks with brow furrowed.

"No – no. I believe Cena is going to be fine", and Olivia relaxes in relief. "But I do want to talk about ongoing support for Cena." Fitz reaches over and squeezes Olivia's hand.

"Mrs. – Mr. Grant, while I believe Cena no longer requires counseling, I want to give you some gestures you can use daily to help her to continue to feel safe." Fitz and Olivia nod, willing to do anything to ensure their daughter feels safe.

"Continue to comfort Cena as you obviously having been doing since the crash." Dr. Boyd watches as Fitz blanches at her articulation of what actually happened. "Creating a safe environment is one of the most valuable ways to help Cena to re-establish a sense of security and stability."

They both nod.

"Listening is another way to help Cena. Listening attentively to what she has to say will show her you care that her thoughts matter. Whether she shares happiness, sadness, anger, or fear, having someone truly listen to her matters."

They listen attentively and nod.

"You should also find ways to motivate and encourage Cena. This is a way you can help her to recognize her potential and believe in possibilities in her life and the future. Children who have experienced traumatic stress aren't always inspired in the same way. They can become negative, often have a low sense of self-worth, expect to be unsuccessful, and fail to foresee a positive future."

"And finally, celebrate. Celebrating is a small everyday gesture that can make a world of difference in a child's life. When we acknowledge birthdays, graduations, or everyday accomplishments like completing homework, meeting new friends or doing chores, we help children to build positive self-esteem."

Olivia and Fitz nod, each processing what the doctor has said.

"I will send all over this information to your email address that's on file", Dr. Boyd says before giving them a few parting words.

"Remember, Mr. and Mrs. Grant, no one is immune to the effects of psychological trauma. A one-time traumatic event can cause severe emotional damage to children as well as adults", eyeing the couple closely.

"Thank you, Dr. Boyd", Fitz says, standing from his seat and shaking the woman's hand.

"Yes, thank you for everything you've done for our daughter, Dr. Boyd", Olivia says, quickly standing and shaking the doctor's hand as well.

"Who wants ice cream?" Fitz calls out to Cena as he walks into the waiting room.

"I do. I do, daddy", running over to her father and wrapping her arms around his legs.

 **XXX**

Charlie's attempt to murder them has changed the course of their lives forever and the Grants are working hard trying to regain some semblance of normalcy in their lives. For almost two months their world has been turned upside down, everything has been topsy-turvy, and their survival as a family was not a given. But they have seemingly made it through it all. While they could not control what happened on that mountain, they can control how they choose to deal with the effects moving forward. And for now they have chosen to celebrate.

Olivia and Fitz have decided to host Christmas dinner this year. They want this holiday to be extra special for their family, especially for Cena. They want their daughter to have two distinct celebrations - one for birthday and one for Christmas. Cena was cheated out of the opportunity of celebrating turning six years old last month and they plan to make it up to her in a big way. They decided to decorate half of the downstairs rooms in the traditional holiday theme to honor the birth of Jesus and the other half in a princess theme to honor Cena. Everyone invited to celebrate with them at their vacation home last month has been re-invited to the celebrations.

Christmas is only three days away and there is so much that needs to be done. Everyone in the Grant-Pope families is pitching in to make this a joyous occasion. Maura, Abby, and Gwendolyn have planned all kinds of games for the children to play before the birthday and Christmas gifts are opened. Olivia and Hildie have planned the menu. The cake has been ordered, although Hildie wanted to bake it. Fitz has paid a small fortune to have two ponies delivered on Christmas Day for the children. The bounce castle that Cena loves so much will be delivered and installed in the backyard tomorrow. The only thing left to do is to get the tree, which Fitz and Calvin have been tasked with doing.

Needing someone younger and healthy to chop down the tree and haul it home, Fitz and Calvin enlisted the help of Bennie. So Bennie arose at six o' clock a.m. to meet Fitz and Calvin at the farm by seven.

"Boundaries", Marion says, as he sits on the side of the bed pulling on his boots.

"They're family and I don't mind doing it. Besides, the party is this weekend and they need to decorate the tree."

"Okay", she says, rolling onto her side and promptly falling back to sleep.

 **XXX**

It is Christmas Day and the house is abuzz with activity as holiday music plays softly in the background. The parents and their children are all in the backyard riding the ponies. John is supervising the activity as he holds Ethan. Calvin and Olivia watch as Fitz holds Jolie and pretends to let her place her first bulb onto the tree. Maura, Abby, Gwendolyn, and Hildie are all in the kitchen checking that the food is ready for the children after they have finished playing.

"I'll do it Mrs. Grant", Hildie says tightly, giving Maura Grant a cold stare.

"That's quite all right Hildie, I'll do it", pulling the small box away from Hildie's hand.

"Hildie, you won't have to worry about me getting in your way", Abby says with smirk as she watches the two women battle to put the six candles onto the cake.

"Me either", Gwendolyn says. "I've certainly learned my lesson when it comes to trying to displace Hildie in her kitchen.

 **XXX**

As Olivia snap another picture of Fitz holding Jolie in front of the tree, the doorbell rings. Everyone one has arrived except Marion. Maura said Bennie has to work today.

"I'll get it babe", Olivia says, sliding the phone into her pocket as she walks down the hall. Her eyes widen when she opens the door, looking back and forth between the two people standing on her front steps, each holding gifts. She does not know if the two just happened to arrive at the same time or if they came together.

"Hello Olivia", Marion says with a big smile. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Liv", Bennie says, kissing Olivia on the cheek. "Can we come in or do we have to stand out here all day?"

"Oh - sure. I'm sorry. Come in - please", she stutters. "Let me take your coats."

"I'll hang up our coats, Liv. I know where the closet is", Bennie smiles.

"Sure - certainly", still in shock at seeing Bennie and Marion together. "I'm glad you could make it, Marion. And Merry Christmas to you as well", opening her arms to embrace the woman.

"Thank you for inviting me, Olivia. We have a few things for Cena's birthday and something for both girls and you and Fitz for Christmas."

"Oh - okay", quickly glancing between the two. "Let's put them in the living room with the other presents." Olivia stares as Bennie wraps his arm around Marion's waist and guides her down the hall to the living room.

"Wow, that tree is a huge", Marion says as they now enter the family room where Fitz, Gerry, Maura, Abby, and Calvin are sitting.

"That's why they needed my help", Bennie says, pretending to make a muscle with his arm.

Everyone in the room stops talking and looks over at Bennie and Marion. Fitz gives Olivia a puzzled look from across the room and she shrugs her shoulders as she stands in the doorway behind the newly arrived couple. Abby looks over at Olivia and she shrugs her shoulders again.

"Marion, let me introduce you to everyone", Olivia says, walking into the room.

"I'll do that Liv", Bennie says, holding Marion's hand.

"Oh – okay", Olivia stutters. Never to let anything escape her, Abigail smirks.

"Marion, these are my parents Gerry and Maura Grant, my sister-in-law, Abigail, who is married to my brother. And this is Mr. Pope, Olivia's father."

"Hello, everyone", Marion says, glancing around at all of the smiling faces. "I think I remember all of the faces."

"Marion and I have been seeing each other since - well for a few weeks now." Heads nod up and down and lips smile at Bennie's announcement. Abby's eyes quickly dart between Olivia, Fitzgerald, and Benjamin.

"Oh, Bennie, that's so nice", his mother says.

"Welcome to our home, Marion", Fitz says, giving the woman a hug. "And we will talk later", whispering into her ear. "May I get you something to drink?"

"Thank you, Fitz. I'll have a club soda, please."

"Club soda it is", Fitz says before walking to the kitchen.

"So, Marion, I understand you're the Director of the city's health department", Gerry booms.

"I am, Mr. Grant."

"You mean you went to school all of those years just to become an administrator?" Gerry says without an ounce of tact.

"Dad ..." Bennie says.

"That's all right, Ben. Mr. Grant -"

"Gerry - please call me Gerry."

"Gerry, I stopped practicing medicine because – well frankly, it became too stressful."

"I see", Gerry says, leaning back in his seat.

"Those kids are driving me crazy", John says as he bursts into the room carrying Ethan in his arms. "I'm glad their parents are out there to put them onto those ponies. Hiram is now the official supervisor. I delegated the job to him."

John stops talking when he sees the latest guests that have arrived.

"Bennie", walking over to his brother and giving him a hug.

"You smell like horse, brother", Bennie says with a chuckle.

"He always does", Abby smirks and her husband sticks out his tongue at her.

"Take your son. He smells like something, too", handing Ethan to his wife.

"You remember Marion, right?" Bennie asks.

"Olivia, I'm going to take Ethan upstairs and change him", Abby says.

"You'll find everything you need in JoJo's nursery."

"From the hospital?" John asks, still trying to make the connection between his brother and the doctor.

"Yes", Marion says.

"So you two are a thing? I didn't know you were seeing each other. You sly dog", slapping his brother on the back.

"I'm going to see what is taking Fitz so long with that club soda", Olivia says as she quickly exits the room.

"Bennie whatever cologne you're wearing maybe you can give some of it to John to take away the smell of those horses", Gerry chuckles. "What the hell are you wearing anyway, Bennie? You smell like one of those …. "

Flushed with embarrassment, Bennie silently wishes he had showered away the oils Marion kneaded into his tired muscles. He loves when she massages the warm oils onto his body, kneading his achy muscles after a long day in the surgical theater. And today like the other times she has massaged him, he was fast asleep within minutes of her starting. He has no idea what kinds of oils Marion uses and nor does he care, not until now. So he shifts uncomfortably in his seat as his father, John, and Mr. Pope all stare at him, seemingly waiting for an explanation. Marion chuckles to herself as she listens to Gerry while continuing to talk to Maura.

"It's nothing, dad."

"Nothing? Well it certainly smells like –"

"Ylang-Ylang, helicrysum, peppermint, turmeric, and cayenne – with a touch of something special, just for Ben", Marion says, turning and looking Gerry squarely in his eyes. "Mr. Grant – Gerry – your son works very hard. Some of his surgical procedures can last for hours, and sometimes he performs two or three a day. Standing on his feet for an extensive amount of time takes a toll on his body so I made a special muscle rub – _just. for. him_ ", sliding her hand onto Bennie's thigh and giving him a devious.

"After a long day in the surgical theater, I slather Ben's special muscle rub all over his body, slowly massaging it into his tired, achy muscles and –"

"I think we all get it, Marion", Gerry says, clearing his throat as he holds up a hand for her to cease the graphic – bordering on pornographic explanation.

"I call it Ben and Gerry's Muscle Rub", Marion continues, and everybody bursts out laughing as Gerry's face is a now a deeper shade of red than his son's.

"She really got you good, Gerry", Calvin says through his laughter. John nods, thinking Marion is going to fit in quite nicely with the family.

 **XXX**

"Did you know they were an item?" Fitz whispers to his wife as he unscrews the top from the bottle of club soda.

"I knew nothing. I was just as surprised as everyone else when I opened the door and saw them standing there. I didn't know what to think. I didn't know if they had come together or if they just happened to arrive at the same time", Olivia whispers as well. "Ben looks happy, don't you think?"

"I guess", reaching in the cabinet for a glass. "He was just with your father and me at the tree farm - he didn't say a word. I wonder why he kept it a secret?" Filling the glass with club soda. "Should I put ice in this?" Fitz asks, still whispering.

"No, you just got it out of the frig. Just because we didn't know doesn't mean he was keeping it a secret."

"Well it doesn't seem like anyone knew."

"Maybe they were waiting to see if things worked out", Olivia whispers and he nods. "Babe, we can't stay in here all day gossiping. Take Marion her club soda."

With her friends hot on her heels, Cena runs into the kitchen nearly out of breath, stopping in front of her mother and wheezing as she tries to speak.

"Slow down, Princess", Fitz says as he picks up Marion's club soda from the granite island top.

"Mommy, mommy" patting Olivia on the hip. "Can we go into the bounce castle now?" Cena asks excitedly as the other children look on in anticipation.

"Okay, but -" The children take off running from the kitchen when they hear the one-word permission. "And no kicking - just bouncing and jumping", Olivia yells after the children who are already making their way toward the French doors that lead to the backyard.

"You supervise them this time, Bennie. I'm sure Hiram is worn out by now", John says, slouched onto the sofa.

"I'll assist you, Ben", Marion says with a big smile.

 **XXX**

Bennie and Marion watch Cena and her friends laugh hysterically as they jump up and down in the bounce castle filled with balls.

"Olivia and Fitz really went all out for this party", Marion says as she smiles at the children springing in the air. "I can't believe they even hired ponies for the children to ride."

"They've all been through a lot. I guess Liv and Fitz wanted to make up for everything Cee missed out on over the past month. The accident happened the day before her birthday."

"I can certainly understand. If I had a child who has gone through everything that Cena has gone through, I would want to give her the world", smiling at the children falling in the pile of balls.

"So, do you want children one day?"

"Yes", she says, with eyes are fixed on the rollicking children.

Bennie smiles and intertwines his hand with hers.

 **XXX**

The children have worked up an appetite after jumping up and down in the bounce castle for the past hour and are ready to get out and eat cake and ice cream. Bennie and Marion help the children out of the cast and they dash into the house.

"Mommy, mommy, is it time for my birthday cake?" Cena yells as she runs into the room followed by her friends.

"Are you children ready for cake and ice cream?" Olivia asks the other four eager faces.

Timmy, Asha, Deon, and Janae all shake their heads up and down vigorously.

"Okay, follow me so you can all wash your hands."

"Can I help you Olivia?" Timmy's mother, Becky asks.

"Sure, I'll wash and you can dry."

"Mommy, the horse was fun. Deon was scared to ride at first but I told him not to be scared", Cena reports as the children follow Olivia and Becky down the hall to the powder room.

"I wasn't scared. I ride horses all the time", Asha says.

"Me too", Timmy says, and his mother smiles at Olivia and shakes her head from side to side, letting her know Timmy is telling a tall tale.

 **XXX**

After all of the little hands are scrubbed clean, everyone gathers in the dining room, which is decorated in a princess theme. The room is tastefully adorned in pink, white, and green sheer organza, ribbons, and balloons. All of the children sit at the dining room table wearing birthday hats and Cena sits at the head of the table wearing the special birthday hat Abby made for her. The adults stand, filling in the space and smiling brightly as the children's eyes grow wide at the sight of the cake.

"It's so pretty", Asha says in awe, her big brown eyes wide with wonder.

"And big", Timmy says.

"Are we ready to sing happy birthday?" Olivia asks and the children and adults shake their heads up and down. "Light the candles, babe."

When Fitz finishes lighting the six candles, Cena brings her hands to the sides of her face as everyone begins to sing happy birthday. Fitz captures the moment knowing he is going to put that picture in his new office.

"Make a wish and blow out the candles, Princess", Fitz says, still videotaping the scene.

Cena closes her eyes for what seems like forever as she silently makes her wish. Then she opens her eyes and tries to blow out the candles from her seat, but they only flicker.

"Let me help you, Cee-Cee", John says, lifting his niece and bringing her closer to the cake so she can blow out the candles. "Now blow", John says. Cena blows out the candles and everybody claps at her achievement.

"I'll get the ice cream", Maura says.

"And I'll help you" Jeanette, Deon's mother, says.

"Those kids are going to be bouncing off the walls tonight", Gerry whispers to Calvin.

"Not our problem, Gerry." Calvin smiles as he watches the children devour the cake and ice cream. "We've raised our children."

After cake and ice cream is eaten, the children charge down the hall to the living room and sit on the chairs anxiously waiting for Cena to open all of her presents.

"Sit here, Cee", Olivia says, steering her daughter to the birthday chair she and Abby decorated with pink, yellow, and white balloons and streamers. Cena sits onto her throne swinging her legs excitedly and waiting to open her presents.

"Are you ready to open your presents, Princess?" Fitz asks, grinning goofily as Abby snaps pictures.

"Yes, yes, yes", Cena says, bouncing in the chair.

"Open this one first, Princess", Fitz says, setting the box onto his daughter's lap.

"Slow down, Cee", Olivia says, smiling as her excited daughter rips the wrapping paper someone obviously took a lot of time and care to wrap. With wrapping paper tossed onto the floor, Cena lifts the lid off the box and her eyes widen and her mouth drops in surprise.

"It's so pretty, daddy. I love it", staring in wonder at the gold tiara covered with gemstones. Fitz places the tiara onto his daughter's head and tears fill his eyes.

"She looks like a real princess", Asha says in awe. Her mother pulls her close and rubs a hand up and down her daughter's arm.

Gift wrapping paper litter the floor as Cena opens gift after gift. Olivia has tried to clear the paper from the floor, but her daughter is ripping open the presents faster than she can remove the paper from the floor. After about 40 minutes, Cena has opened all of her presents and the room looks like a tornado has hit it. The children are all gathered around Cena's chair looking at her gifts when the doorbell rings.

"I wonder who that could be?" Olivia asks, looking over at her husband.

"I'll get it", handing the camera to Bennie. "Don't miss this moment", he whispers to his brother.

"So do you like your gifts, Cee?"

"It's the best birthday-Christmas ever, mommy", and everyone laughs out loud.

"Princess", Fitz calls to his daughter in a sing-song voice, standing in the doorway of the living room. "Someone is here to see you", he smiles brightly. Olivia looks at her husband with an arched eyebrow, wondering what is going on. "Happy birthday, Princess", Fitz yells and Olivia's mouth drops open in shock.

Cena looks over at her father and the biggest smile spread across her face when a clown walks over to her chair and presents her a puppy with a big red bow tied around its neck. Ignoring his wife's stares, Fitz looks over at Bennie to make sure he is capturing the moment. The look on his daughter's face is priceless as she hugs her new pet.

"I just love him daddy. I wanted a dog forever", squeezing the animal tighter.

"Not too tight, Cena", Gerry says.

"I'm so happy, daddy", hugging the dog with the biggest smile on her face.

"He's beautiful, Fitzgerald. What kind of dog is he?" Gwendolyn asks, stroking the dog's head as she holds Jolie who is bouncing up and down in her grandmother's arm.

"He's a bassett-begal mix", Fitz says proudly.

"A lazy breed", Gerry whispers to Calvin, who nods his head in agreement.

"They're happy dogs - great with kids - and calm", Fitz says, glancing at his wife, seemingly trying to convince her of his claim.

"His tail is wagging, mommy", Cena yells, watching in awe as the dog's tail wags.

"That means he likes you", Fitz says, beaming proudly.

"Fitzgerald doesn't know what he has gotten himself into", Calvin whispers to Gerry.

"Cena can't take care of a dog. He and Olivia are going to be stuck walking that thing and cleaning up behind it." Calvin nods in agreement as he frowns at the frightened puppy.

"GranPop, we can show him to Rufus tomorrow", Cena yells, and Calvin plasters on a fake smile for the sake of his granddaughter.

"So what are you going to call him?" Bennie asks, still recording the scene. Cena looks over at her mother who simply shrugs her shoulders.

"Can I call him Bowtie, daddy?" Looking at the large red bow tied around the puppy's neck.

"That sounds like a good name, Princess. Would you like to take him for a walk?"

"Can Asha come, too?" Fitz looks at Kelly, Asha's mother.

"Of course", Kelly says, waving her hand with approval.

"I wanna go", Deon yells.

"Me too", says Timmy.

"Me too", says Janae.

"Okay, everybody get their coats on and meet me at the front door", Fitz yells, and the children take off running from the living room in search of their coats. Abby sidles up to Olivia and whispers into her ear.

"I would kill Jonathan if he pulled a stunt like that."

"So you think my husband is going to survive the night?" She says with arms folded across her chest glaring at the timid little puppy.

 **XXX**

The Christmas-birthday celebration has been over for a few hours and all of the guests have gone home. The house is clean and everything is back in order. It has been a long day, and Fitz sits in the bed with his back against the headboard smiling as he stares down at his tablet. He has been posting pictures of the celebration on Instagram and his followers having been responding with excitement. He has been absent from social media for a long time and they are happy to see he and his family are doing well.

" _You bought her a dog, Fitz? A dog?"_ Olivia yells, flailing her arms as she paces around their bedroom.

"Bowtie is a puppy. You know Cena has wanted a dog for a long time."

"She wanted a goat too, so does that mean we're now going to have livestock around here?"

"I just want her to be happy, Liv. She's been through so much lately."

"Fitz, a dog is a lot of responsibility. You said that yourself. Cena can't take care of a dog, she thinks it's a toy for god's sake."

"I'll help take care of her." Olivia stops yanking open her dresser drawer and looks at him in disbelief.

"What?" Looking up from the tablet at the pictures he posted of Cena and the puppy on Instagram.

" _Help?_ What do you mean help? This is all on you. Don't think I'm going to get involved with taking care of a dog. I already have too much to do."

"Well, I'm sure Hildie –"

" _Hildie?_ Do you even know if Hildie likes dogs? Besides, she did not sign up to do dog sitting."

"Well your parents are here - they can help. I'm sure your father likes dogs. Your mother took to him right away."

"One", holding up an index finger. "My parents won't be here forever. They're going back to Senegal. Two, my father hates dogs. I told you I never had any kind of pet as a child - he wouldn't allow it. Did you even think any of this through before you ran off to the pet store?"

"Fine, Cena and I will take care of the dog", tossing the tablet onto the nightstand.

"Is he even potty trained?"

"Potty trained?" Looking at his agitated wife and smiling. "Did JoJo come potty trained?"

"So you now you're comparing your baby daughter to a dog?" Snatching back the bed covers and climbing into bed.

"Don't worry about it, Liv. I'll take care of Bowtie."

"You bet you will", flopping onto her side of the bed and turning off her lamp. "And I don't want that dog sleeping in bed with Cena."

"I bought a doggie bed, Liv", shaking his head, unable to understand her reaction to the puppy.

 **XXX**

A few days later Cena is sitting on the floor in the family room stroking Bowtie's back while he sleeps. The two have become inseparable. And Jolie, at seven months, who has been sitting up by herself for a while, is now testing her ability to crawl. Olivia smiles as she watches Jolie get on all fours and rock her chubby little body back and forth on the play mat. After a while Jolie realizes she can move her body by pushing her hands and legs backward, mastering the art of crawling, albeit backwards.

"Mommy, mommy, look at JoJo, she's going the wrong way", Cena yells from across the room, and Bowtie looks up from his nap. Olivia laughs and Fitz slides the phone from his pants pocket and starts to videotape his baby daughter's first attempt at crawling. Realizing she has become the center of attention, Jolie drops her head and begins to cry.

"Aww, don't cry Angel", Fitz says, bending down to pick up his daughter. "You'll get it together soon", placing Jolie on his shoulder as he sits back onto the sofa.

"Do you think you're ready to go back to work?"

"I have to be. The people elected me to do a job, Liv."

"The people will understand if you need more time, babe."

He nods, kissing Jolie on the cheek.

"Your father and I are going out to look at cars tomorrow."

"Have you decide what you want?"

"I don't know. I really liked my car."

"Well I'm sure you'll find something you like equally as well", looking at her watch. "Mom and I are leaving shortly to visit Marla. Mom wants to see her before they go back to Senegal."

"How is she doing?" Stroking Jolie's back as the baby dozes off to sleep.

"The doctors say she isn't progressing as well as they expected. She now has pneumonia."

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart", Fitz says, squeezing his wife's hand.

"We should be back in a few hours", she says, pecking Jolie on the forehead before walking from the room.

 **XXX**

Calvin walks into the family room carrying a mug of steaming hot Café Touba and frowns when he sees his granddaughter sitting on the floor between her father's legs and that beast lying on the floor next to her.

"What are you doing, Fitzgerald?" Calvin asks with a puzzled look on his face, as he watches his son-in-law stare at something on his tablet.

"Cena wants two braids. I'm trying to learn how to braid her hair", frowning as he looks at the tablet that is placed on the table next to the chair in which he is sitting

"So what are you looking at?" Calvin asks, walking over to the table where the tablet is placed.

"Queen B."

"Beyonce?" Calvin asks logically.

"No. Britne, the Queen of Braids. She calls herself Queen B. She has a lot of YouTube videos. She's very popular", still looking at the screen and trying to follow the Queen's instructions.

"Really? You mean she teaches you how to braid by watching a video?"

Fitz nods as he tries to braid his daughter's hair.

"Let me see that", Calvin says, picking up the tablet and looking at the screen as the video comes to an end.

"You might want to hit PLAY and start it from the beginning", Fitz says as he tries to untangle the mess he has made of Cena's hair.

Calvin watches the five-minute-long video, nodding his head as Queen B demonstrates her techniques on a woman sitting in a chair.

"Ahh, I see how it's done. It doesn't look difficult at all", Calvin says, setting his mug onto the table. Fitz frowns because he has been at it for an hour and Cena's hair looks nothing like Queen B's model at the end of the video.

"Fitzgerald, I think there are supposed to be three sections", Calvin says, looking at his granddaughter's hair.

"Are you sure? I don't remember her saying that."

"Well, I'll start the video from the beginning so you can see", Calvin says, balancing the tablet in one hand and tapping the video play button with his right index finger. They wait for the video to load, and finally the Queen of Braid smiling face appears on the screen and begins her spiel.

 _"Heeeey, my name is Britne, better known as Queen B, the Queen of Braids, not to be confused with the other Queen B",_ Britne chuckles.

"Can you fast forward it, please?" Fitz asks since he has already watched the video several times. Calvin slides the bar to fast-forward the video to where Queen B sections the model's hair.

"I think I've gone too far", Calvin says. "I'll start it from the beginning", and Fitz groans silently.

 _"Heeeey, my name is Britne, better known as Queen B, the Queen of Braids, not to be confused with the other Queen B."_

"Why must she say that each time? It's so annoying", Calvin says, scrunching his face as he watches the video.

"It's a video, Calvin", and Calvin rolls his eyes.

"Just let it play all the way through this time. We might learn something new", Fitz says.

Calvin nods as he looks down at a yakking Britne.

"Here it comes. Here's the part where _the Queen_ discusses how to section the hair", pushing the screen toward Fitz' face."

"Hit PAUSE, Calvin so I can look at it closely." Not wanting to have to start the video from the beginning again, Calvin slowly hits PAUSE.

"That's good. That's good", Fitz says, looking intently at the screen. "You're right, there are three sections. This is more complicated than what I'm used to doing. Can you play it in slow motion?"

Calvin presses the Slo-Mo button and they both watch as Britne's fingers intertwine the three sections of the model's hair.

"Stop it right there, Calvin", Fitz says excitedly, and Calvin hits PAUSE, freezing the video.

Cena sits on the floor stroking a sleeping Bowtie and waiting patiently for her father and grandfather to figure out how to give her two braids like the nurse did at the hospital.

"Perfect, Fitzgerald", Calvin smiles approvingly at his son-in-law's handiwork.

"Well it's not quite like the model's, but it's pretty close. Look, Cee", handing his daughter the mirror.

"Let's put some of those things on the ends like the model is wearing", Calvin suggests and Fitz nods.

"Well I don't have any ribbon, but maybe we can use some of Cena's string."

"Good idea. I go upstairs and get", Calvin says, dashing from the room and upstairs to Cena's room to find her string.

After a few minutes of rummaging through Cena's belongings trying to find the string, Calvin returns with Cena's craft yarn and ties it at the ends of the two braids. When Cena hears the alarm system chime she takes off running down the hall to show her mother and Nana her new hairstyle. Gwendolyn stumbles backward and Olivia's mouth falls open as they watch Cena model her new hair-do.

"Look, mommy. Daddy and GranPop braid my hair just like the nurse did", smiling proudly.

"Oh my god", Gwendolyn says, holding her chest trying to recover from the shock.

"Does that hurt, Cena? Did it hurt when daddy and GranPop did it?" Olivia asks, setting her purse onto the table in the foyer and gently touching her daughter's hair.

"No, they watched YouTube, mommy."

"They even put ribbons in her hair?"

"That's not ribbon, mom. That's Cena's craft yarn."

"What on earth were they thinking? Cena, would you like Nana to show you how the little girls in Senegal wear their braids?" Cena nods her head up and down.

 **XXX**

As Olivia finishes cleaning the kitchen after dinner, she delivers the heart-wrenching news to her husband who is sitting at the island looking down at his tablet at the latest pictures he posted on Instagram of Cena, Bowtie, and Jolie.

"Babe, you can't comb Cee's hair any longer - you have to know your limits."

He looks up with confusion on his face.

"Cena wants to wear her hair in styles that you cannot do. I can't even braid like mom. You can comb JoJo's hair."

"Well your mother isn't going to be here forever so we have to learn how to do it."

 **XXX**

Olivia slides onto the hard bench at Triumph Tabernacle, next to her mother, who sits where Marla has always sat. Fitz slides onto the bench next to his wife and Calvin leans across his wife and gives his daughter's hand an encouraging squeeze. Fitz drapes an arm around her shoulders and looks straight ahead, listening to the choir. The church is filled to capacity, everyone is here to celebrate the life of Marla Briggs. Olivia dabs her eyes with the lace handkerchief her mother gave her before they left the house this morning and watches as the mourners stop at Marla's casket to say their last good-byes.

"Are you going to be all right? Can you do this?" Fitz asks, holding Olivia's hand in his lap as he whispers into her ear. She nods and closes her eyes because the warmth of his breath always has a calming effect on her. He kisses her temple and pulls her close.

A long list of friends, city officials, and citizens give speeches that extol the virtues and accomplishments of Marla Briggs. And when another woman finishes her testimony of how Marla helped to secure housing for her family and helped her to get a job at a local grocery store, Rev. Walker nods to Olivia, beckoning her to come forward. Gwendolyn squeezes her daughter's hand and Fitz kisses her on the cheek before she makes her way down the aisle and up the seven steps that lead to the sanctuary. She rests her open tablet onto the lectern, closes her eyes, and takes several deep breaths to calm her nerves before beginning to deliver her farewell message to Marla.

"I could stand here all day and speak about the wonderful contributions Marla Briggs has made to this city. I could stand here all day and talk about all of the people she has helped. But a day would not be nearly enough time to talk about all of Marla's good works and the many lives she has changed. And Marla would also not want me to stand here and list all of her good deeds, so I will not embarrass her by doing so. Those of you who knew Marla, who really knew Marla, knew she shied away from public praise, which is an anomaly for a politician." The church chuckles.

"Marla did not enjoy public praise. What she did for the people of this city came from a place deep within her heart. She did not do what she did for adulation or reward. So my eulogy will not be about Marla's accomplishments. It will not be all the people she helped. It will be about Marla's deep and abiding faith, and God's amazing grace."

With hands folded across his round stomach, Rev. Walker sits in his chair to the right of the lectern and nods slowly.

"Wikipedia defines grace as the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowing of blessings."

And the church says amen.

"But scripture teaches us about and illustrates God's grace and what it does for us. The grace of God brings salvation. The grace of God teaches us how to live. The grace of God gives us hope."

 _Preach._

"I think, perhaps, there are a great many of us who truly believe we deserve every good thing we have gotten in our lives, or we have accomplished everything we have on their own. But Marla knew otherwise. She knew that God receives us by grace and good gifts come to us because of God's abiding grace and not because we deserve them or we authored them."

 _Amen. Amen._

"As we sojourn through this life each of us is prone to stray because we are all weak. In some way, each and every one of us has sinned – has fallen short of God's glory. But, because God is full of grace He continues to bless us with good things and offers to us eternal life through faith in His Son!"

 _Jesus, Jesus, Jesus._

"The scripture also says in Ephesians 1:7":

' **In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace.'**

 _Teach._

"And Matthew 7 says:

 **'Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and the measure you use, it will be measured to you.'**

Olivia closes her tablet and looks out at the mourners then back at the casket. She dabs her eyes with the lace handkerchief before concluding her farewell.

"Marla, you were more than a mentor to me. I loved you like a second mother and I will miss you dearly." The church is eerily silent as Olivia walks from the sanctuary and back to her seat.

"Glory to God. Glory to God", Rev. Walker says, clapping his hands and walking toward the pulpit as the choir begins to sing a soul-stirring rendition of _Amazing Grace._

 **XXX**

Fitz awakens early the next morning and quietly slips out of bed, trying not to disturb his wife. Yesterday Marla's funeral was emotionally draining and he wants her to get all the sleep she needs. Planning the breakfast menu as he walks into the kitchen, he knows Hildie will not like it too much, but he is feeling the best he has felt in a long time and wants to do something special for his family.

"Fitzgerald?" Gwendolyn says in surprise when she sees her son-in-law standing at the stove whistling.

"Good morning, Gwendolyn - Calvin", he says cheerfully, turning around and looking at his in-laws.

"Good morning, Fitzgerald", Calvin says suspiciously. "Is everything all right?"

"Everything is fine, Calvin. I just wanted to get up early and prepare breakfast for a change."

"Well you better watch out, Fitzgerald. Hildie won't like it very much if she catches you in her kitchen", Gwendolyn says with a chuckle as she takes a seat at the island.

"Cafe Touba, Calvin?" Holding up the coffee pot.

"Good man, Fitzgerald", Calvin says with a smile as Fitz fills his father-in-law's mug.

"Dad, don't tell me you have convinced my husband to start drinking that spicy coffee, too?" Olivia asks carrying Jolie into the kitchen as Cena follows closely behind with Bowtie. Bowtie stops at the kitchen door because he knows Olivia does not like him and does not want him in the kitchen.

Fitz looks into his wife's eyes and sees that she is sad and tired. So much has been going on in their lives over the past few months and Marla's death was the capstone.

"Good morning, Nana. Good morning, GranPop", Cena says as she climbs onto her stool. "Good morning, daddy."

"Good morning, Princess. What can I get you for breakfast today?"

"Panny cakes, daddy", she says excitedly. "And Bowtie wants breakfast, too." Calvin and Olivia roll their eyes at the mention of the mongrel's name.

"Panny cakes for Cena and puppy food for Bowtie", Fitz says cheerfully.

"Give me Jolie", Gwendolyn says, stretching out her arms toward the baby.

"Good morning, babe", Olivia says, giving her husband a chaste kiss, but he pulls her close and deepens the kiss. With an arm around his wife's waist and holding a spatula in his other hand, he turns to his in-laws.

"Gwendolyn – Calvin, my wife and I are going away for a few days. We would appreciate it very much if you would babysit the girls while we're away."

"We are?" Olivia says, looking bug-eyed at her grinning husband.

"We are", he says, kissing the tip of the nose.

"I guess we are then", she says, smiling for the first time in a long time.

"Go - have fun", Calvin says, bringing the mug to his lips.

"And for the record, Fitzgerald, I don't consider it babysitting when I have the pleasure of spending time with my two beautiful grandbabies", Gwendolyn says as she tickles Jolie under her chin. "We're going to have so much fun while mommy and daddy are off playing and doing whatever", winking at her daughter.

"And Calvin, you're going to have to walk Bowtie while we're gone", Fitz says, smiling at the man's dour face.


	35. Chapter 35 New Year, New Beginnings

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to the TV show Scandal.

 **A/N:** I was always told nothing good happens after midnight, and that includes posting chapters. (Well some good things happen after midnight.) Tired eyes don't see typos after a while. Won't happen again, at least not to the extent to which typos occurred in the last chapter. Fingers crossed.

Everyone is right, Fitz and Liv have to get on the same page about making key decisions in their marriage. They both fall short in this area. Also, Charlie and Marla had to die. We're moving into a new arc and they are no longer needed. However, the residual effects of their actions will be felt for chapters to come.

 **Sweet160717** , most controlling people don't see their actions as controlling. Fitz just wants to protect his family. He revealed who he is in the Mirage chapter. **Guest 1** , Olivia was surprised, not jealous, when she saw Bennie and Marion at the door because Maura told her Bennie couldn't come. Also, Olivia was trying to figure out if Bennie and Marion had come together or if they happened to arrive at the same time. You love Olitz smut. Those scenes are the hardest to write, but it must be done. Hahaha. **Cleo** , children watch everything and we should never underestimate what they know. Remember, a few chapters back Cena knew JoJo liked one toy better than another. You're right, Liv better show Bowtie some love, she might need him one day. And, Liv and her parents call him Ben because that's what he prefers. You know our families won't let us escape childhood nicknames, regardless of what we want to be called. **Guest 2,** I did stop Liv and Fitz' discussion after JoJo's bear-death experience. There was nothing more for them to say at that point. They were both physically and emotionally exhausted and have a lot to process. Also, they just want to finally get a good night's sleep and move forward. Focusing on Bennie and Marion does not mean I've lost focus on Liv and Fitz, quite the contrary. We'll see how the two couples' lives intersect in upcoming chapters. The opportunity to celebrate Christmas and a birthday is important to a six year old. It was always important to me. **Monica** , well said: Ben chose redemption; Charlie chose revenge. All of the characters make choices and must live with the consequences. We'll see how that Ben and Marion thing works out over time. BTW, Deon and his daddy behaved at the party. **Guest 3** , thanks for the compliment. Writing FF is a nice respite from my oh-so exciting technical job. Don't think anyone would pay me to do it professionally, though. BTW, you can cry wherever you want. **Lurker Guest,** so happy you're invested in this story, which is truly a compliment. I don't work in the medical field, I just thought it would be fun to hear the internal dialogue of a doctor exploring another doctor's body. Marion's actions also open the door for her to use essential oils on Ben, especially the Ben and Gerry's muscle rub. BTW, lurkers are always welcomed. **Coralsue3** , love when the story's themes resonate personally for a reader. Happy you did not allow your dreams to be deferred. Kudos to you!

Thanks to all for continuing to support this story. Your reviews are my entertainment. Here we go!

 **Chapter 35. New Year, New Beginnings**

After weeks of researching cars online Fitz has finally decided to buy a Porsche. He has always been partial to well-engineered, high-performance cars and the Porsche will be a nice upgrade from the BMW. Although Olivia likes the model he has selected, she is concerned about the message driving such an expensive car will send to his constituents. He argues the people knew his status before they cast their ballot for him last November and he will not pretend to be poor.

Having read all of the technical specifications on the car, he is ready to see how the machine performs on the highway. Anxious to test drive new eight-speed Panamera Turbo, Fitz and Calvin leave the house way earlier than necessary for their nine o' clock appointment at the Porsche dealer. As he maneuvers the car from the dealer's parking the powerful engine roars, and he smiles as the car easily goes from zero to 60. Calvin's eyes bulge and he grabs ahold of the door, bracing himself for what he is sure is going to be a rollercoaster ride. The car hugs the city corners without fishtailing and the transmission shifts easily as he speeds up to enter the highway, and he smiles. The car is an engineering marvel.

"Fitzgerald, this is a powerful machine", Calvin says, finally relaxing and enjoying the ride.

"It is", shifting to a higher gear. The car performs on the highway the way he imagined it would. After driving around for about an hour, with mind made up, he heads back to the showroom. He is positive this is the car he wants.

"You'll have a lot fun driving it every day", Calvin says, climbing from the low-to-the-ground sedan. "But I must admit, it's way too much car for me."

Fitz thinks about what Calvin said as they walk into the showroom. The salesman walks toward the two men feeling excited about making his first sale of the week. Although he has not been selling luxury cars for long, he can always tell when someone has fallen in love and is ready to buy. Also, serious buyers always make an appointment to test drive the expensive cars. Those who simply want to brag to their friends they drove a Porsche usually walk into the showroom without an appointment.

"So what do you think, Mr. Grant? Powerful isn't she?" The salesman sales says, grinning broadly as he greets the two men after their test drive.

"It certainly is a powerful car - handles well. I also like the attention to detail in the interior - there just isn't anything not to like."

"That's terrific – terrific", the salesman says, jiggling keys in his pants pocket. So, would you like to drive it home today", already spending the commission he will make on the sale.

Fitz hesitates, frowning as he presses his lips together into a thin line, quickly weighing in his mind the pros and cons of buying such a car. No doubt, the car is well engineered, powerful, and fast. Like Calvin said, he will certainly enjoy driving it every day. But he is not sure if a Porsche is a practical car for a family man. Maybe he is being selfish. There is not a lot of room in the back for the girls and their car seats, and he is not sure Cena will feel safe riding in the small car. He needs his daughter to feel safe when she rides with him, so he strokes the side of face with his long fingers trying to decide. Calvin looks over at his son-in-law wondering what has caused the change in his demeanor.

"Fitzgerald, is something wrong?" The salesman and Calvin both look at Fitz who seems to be struggling to make a decision.

"I'm not sure if this is the appropriate car, Calvin." The salesman shifts nervously on his heels because indecision is the death nail for his commission.

"You love the car - you said so", Calvin continues.

"I do ..."

"Do you need to drive it again, Mr. Grant?" The salesman offers.

"No - no", Fitz says, waving his hand. "I'm sorry, I don't think this car is for me - not right now. I'm sorry to have wasted your time this morning", looking at the salesman apologetically.

"You can take the car home for the weekend if you like", the salesman persists.

"I'm sorry, but that won't be necessary. Let's go, Calvin", he says, turning and walking toward the glass doors.

"Come back if you change your mind, Mr. Grant …." The salesman calls after the two men who are already out the door.

 **XXX**

The drive to their vacation home is much different this time than the first time they attempted to make the trip. There is no laughter, no singing, or playful teasing. The mood is solemn and serious as they approach the highway sign that indicates the first tunnel is two miles ahead. Stone-faced, Fitz grips the steering wheel and takes the exit on the right to bypass the tunnels. It does not matter that he is driving one of the largest SUVs on the market, he is not ready to enter the dark place that almost became his family's tomb. Olivia slides her hand across the console, resting it atop his as he takes the long route to their lakeside home. No words need to be spoken.

 **XXX**

As he pulls the red Denali SUV up to the house, they both look up at the stately mid-century style home in awe. The videos do not do their mountain retreat justice, the house is exquisite. The exterior is made of sandstone and cedar siding that mimics the color of the few remaining oak trees that surround the property.

"Wow", they say in unison.

Olivia pushes open the truck's heavy door, jumps down onto the paved circular driveway, and slowly walks toward the house. She stops in the middle of the driveway and brings a hand to her lips as she looks up at the house. Fitz pops the trunk and walks around the back of the truck to retrieve their luggage and bags of groceries.

"A hand back here would be nice", he says playfully, peeking from around the truck at his wife who seems to be mesmerized by the house.

"I love it, babe. I just love it", looking around the terrain. "I can't wait to see inside." He hands her a small grocery bag and they walk up the six wide steps that lead to the massive front door.

"Get the keys out my pocket, Liv", trying to balance the suitcases and the rest bags.

Olivia unlocks the door and her eyes widen when she sees the beautiful entryway. Leaving her husband on the steps with all of the bags, she walks down the long hall to the large, open space. Lots of floor-to-ceiling windows line the walls, allowing natural light to flow through while also bringing the outdoors inside.

"Babe, this house is absolutely beautiful", Olivia says, slowly turning around the family room. I absolutely love the mid-century architecture."

Still struggling to carry all of the luggage and bags, Fitz kicks the front door close with his foot, sets their luggage by the door, and follows the long hall to the kitchen. He sets the grocery bags onto the table, pulls of his coat, and hangs it onto the back of one of the plush kitchen chair. Olivia walks from to the large dining room, which is just beyond the family. She nods when she sees the room is decorated with the vintage and contemporary furniture they selected. More floor-to-ceiling windows she thinks as she looks out to what will be a garden.

"So this is the great room", she says half to herself, remembering the description from the listing. This where everything seems to come together - the kitchen, family room, and dining room all connect.

"Liv", he calls out, walking out of the kitchen in search of his wife.

"I just love it, Fitz", she says excitedly. "I can see our family here. From the kitchen I can see the girls playing in the family room. And there are more windows in here."

"A little help would have been nice, Liv", not really joking this time as he stands in the doorway with arms folded across his chest.

"And what about this fireplace, babe? Isn't it something? It anchors the space so well. I love that it sits in that huge stone wall. Look how the stone wall extends the length of the room and beyond the windows. It matches the exterior stone in the backyard", she says excitedly.

He smiles as his wife spins around the space like Cena. He just wants her to be happy.

"Let's take a look at the rooms upstairs", she says, grabbing his hand and pulling him from the family room, down the hall, and toward the stairwell. Both sets of eyes grow wide when they walk into the master bedroom.

"This room is unbelievable, babe", Olivia says excitedly, bouncing up and down the way Jolie does when Fitz is holding her in his arms. "We're surround by so many windows. I love how the bed faces these huge glass doors."

Olivia slides open the glass doors that lead to their large private balcony and is immediately struck by the panoramic view. It seems like she can reach out and touch the mountains.

"We can sit out here in the mornings and have coffee or in the evenings and watch the sunset."

"I'm glad you like it. I want this to be a place you come to whenever you need to get away."

"I only want to come here with my family, Fitz", standing on her toes and pecking him on the lips. "Oh my goodness, it's starting to snow. Let's go for a walk, babe."

"Now?"

"Yes, now", grabbing his hand and pulling him back into the bedroom.

 **XXX**

An hour later Olivia is leaning against the stove disinterestedly stirring the creamy mixture in the pot, wondering what her babies are doing right now. She stops stirring and smiles when she thinks about how Jolie tried to climb from her mother's arms to get to her when she and Fitz were getting into the truck this morning. Fitz looks up from the steaks he is preparing for the grill and frowns when he sees his wife has stopped stirring the mixture, again. Risotto requires constant stirring else it will burn.

"Liv", he calls to her when he sees her smiling absently, but she does not respond. _"Olivia"_ , he shouts, shaking her from daydreaming.

" _What?"_ She responds with annoyance because he has disrupted her thinking about the girls.

"You're going to burn the risotto. You have to keep stirring or it's going to stick – going to burn. It's more of a technique than a dish, Liv." She rolls her eyes because that sounds like something that chef at the Cook school would say. Since he has become a _chef_ , he thinks she is no longer capable of navigating her way around the kitchen, which she finds absolutely ludicrous since she taught him the basics of cooking.

"Fitz, please, I know how to do this", she says somewhat annoyed.

"Well, you're acting like you don't want to do it."

"Knowing how to do it and wanting to do it are two different things", she says with another roll of her eyes.

She told him when they were at the grocery store she did not want risotto for dinner tonight because she knew she would get stuck stirring the mixture for 45 minutes. But of course he insisted on having it for dinner. She has been stirring the creamy mixture for the past 30 minutes and she has at least another 15 minutes of stirring to do and her arm is tired. Sometimes she hates cooking with him because he always delegates the menial tasks to her, like stirring the risotto. And she does not want to stir risotto. All she wants to do is sit down and relax with a nice glass of red wine.

"I'm going to put the steaks on the grill", he says excitedly, dashing from the kitchen to get his coat. He does not care that it is only 18 degrees outside, he has been itching to use his new grill ever since they bought it.

"Put on your hat, mister", looking at him as he walks back into the kitchen pulling on his coat. "I don't want to get sick because you're sick." He digs into his coat pocket, pulls out the colorful skull cap and yanks it haphazardly onto his head.

"Watch for my signal - for when to drop the asparagus into the steamer and when to add the cheese to the risotto", giving his last set of commands before grabbing the platter of steaks from the counter and walking onto the deck.

"Why do I always get stuck doing the hard work?" She yells out the kitchen window. Face red from the whipping wind, he turns and glares at her standing in the warm kitchen.

"Do you want to come out here?" Rubbing his hands together over the grill's flame in an attempt to get warm.

She laughs, shaking her head from side to side as she slides the window close, shutting out the bitter cold air. She watches him hop from foot to foot trying to stay warm and thinks he looks utterly ridiculous wearing the silly, lopsided hat Cena choose for him when they were at the mall last winter. He is so focused on grilling the steaks he is unaware the snow is quickly piling on top of his head. She smiles, thinking her father is right, Fitzgerald Grant is a good man. Giving the risotto two more quick stirs, she removes the pot from the stove and sets it onto the metal trivet on the counter.

"Hi", she says, standing next to him wearing her white down jacket, red cashmere mittens and hat. She slides her arm around his waist and the heat from the grill warms her face. He warms her.

"Hi", giving her that goofy smirk she loves so much. "What are you doing out here? It's freezing."

"We're in this together, babe", smiling broadly as she stands on her toes to kiss his ice-cold lips.

"What about the risotto?" He asks seriously with panic in his eyes.

 **XXX**

No part is off limits tonight, every inch is fair game. She is his wife and he is her husband and they will enjoy each other fully completely. So, as the falling snow blankets their secluded lake house mouth and hands freely explore each and every part of the other's body. Up here they do not have to worry if they locked their bedroom door to prevent Cena from entering unannounced, even though they have told her to always knock before coming into their bedroom. Nor do they have to worry if their guests will hear the sounds of lovemaking. Up here it is just them. They have not been together like this since before that fateful day, so they take their time relishing in the feel of each other, teasing and bringing each other close to the edge without going over.

As she rides up and down him, Fitz admires his wife making love to him, pleasuring them. He wonders if she knows how utterly and helplessly in love he is with her. With arms stretched above his head they gaze into each other's eyes as she rides him slowly. The pained look on her face belies the pleasure she is feeling. They both shiver each time her hard nipples brush against the hairs on his chest. The sensation is exhilarating. He cups her round butt and kisses her fervently as he begins to thrust upward. Feeling his stomach muscles tighten against hers, she knows he is close to the point of no return, so she switches positions, pulling him back. She slides a leg between his leg and they grind with abandon.

She brushes her clitoris up and down his thigh and her breathing quickens, she is getting close. He kisses her slowly, yet passionately, bringing her back from the edge. He rolls her onto her stomach and she raises up on all fours as he sits on his knees. Holding his hardness in his hand, he runs the swollen head back and forth, from clitoris to where her cheeks meet, coating it with her wetness. And after a few moments of the wonderful sensation she looks over her shoulder, signaling her permission; ready again to give all of herself to him.

He inches in slowly, eliciting a gasp and she grips the sheets, her body tenses. Fully seated inside, he closes his eyes because the tightness is always unsteadying. With chest rising and falling, he resists the desire to move, not yet, always allowing her time to adjust. She looks at him and nods, and he begins to move slowly and deliberately. And after a few moments she relaxes and her body moves with his.

"Livvie, Livvie, Livvie", he whispers as he pumps slowly.

She raises up on her knees and he pulls her close to his chest, biting her shoulder tenderly. He caresses her breast and slides his other hand between her legs, rubbing his palm up and down her wetness. He pumps slowly.

"Ahhh, Livvie. Baby you feel so good - so good." She turns to him and he kisses her with intensity as he inserts his long finger deep inside.

"Oh my god", she cries out. He is stimulating her in every way and she feels amazing. He feels amazing. She lifts his hand to her mouth and licks and sucks each finger as she rides the hand doing all sorts of wonderful things between her legs.

Completely relaxed, she bends forward, allowing him to go deeper, and he does. The intensity of the sensation increases and he pumps faster. She tingles everywhere and without warning her body is wracked with the most glorious spasms as her screams flow through the glass sliding doors and echoing off the mountain tops.

She trembles around his fingers and hardness and he is losing his mind in the most wonderful way. Holding onto her hips, he rides her hard. He is close. She reaches around and strokes his sac and his face contorts with pleasure, and he willingly falls over the edge. He cums hard, releasing his seed in her, and for a few seconds his body is numb. Then he feels exquisitely alive, vibrating all over. Panting and glistening with sweat, he lie on her back, trying to recover from the most beautiful feeling in the world. Orgasms are much better than the feeling he gets from drinking the best single malt scotch ever distilled, ever. Beginning to soften, he slowly withdraws, licking beads of sweat from her back and covering her round cheeks with kisses. Inhaling deeply, he runs his nose up and down where the cheeks meet, and inhales. He loves her scent. He loves everything about her. Never able to get enough of tasting her, he rolls onto his back and pulls her onto his face, and she instinctually moves up and down on his long wet tongue.

"Oh, Fitz …." She says breathlessly.

He spread her lips wide and swirls his tongue across the sensitive clitoris before taking it between his lips. It is too good. It is too much. She digs her nails into his shoulders and screams, twitching uncontrollably again. He slurps up her juices and gives her one last kiss before sliding up the bed and pulling her close. They are both sexually and emotionally satiated. They needed this. They needed to be them again. They are exhausted.

He spoons his wife and she intertwines her hand with his and smiles. He always likes to cuddle afterward. Holding her impossibly close, he inhales her scent, their scent, then kisses down her neck and shoulder.

"More than anything, Mrs. Grant", he whispers groggily in her ear. "I love you more than anything."

"And I love you more than anything Fitzgerald Thomas Grant the Third", smiling as her eyes close.

 **XXX**

Wrapped around her body like a snake languishing lazily around a tree branch in the blazing sun, his warm breath flows onto her neck. A long arm wraps around her torso and a hand cups a leaking breast he spent an inordinate amount time cherishing last night, thanking his baby girl Jolie all the while. His right leg drapes over her hip, pinning her down into the plush pillow top mattress. She slowly opens her eyes, trying to get her bearings. She does not quite remember where she is until she feels the heat and weight of her husband's body on hers, then she remembers last night. It was certainly a long night of reconnecting and rediscovering each other she thinks as she frowns. Her leaking breasts are heavy with milk and a no longer interested JoJo is hundreds of miles away. Fitz provided them some relief last night, but the licking and sucking also made them sore. To make matters worse, has to pee, really bad, but she is trapped by his limbs and the weight of his body.

She peels his hand from her breast, places it onto his hip, and slides her achy body from his entrapment. Shivering from the absence of his body heat, she rushes to the bathroom to relieve her inflated bladder. She groggily turns on the faucet and lets out a scream that will surely wake the cemetery dwellers when she looks into the mirror. With eyes and mouth wide open, she stares in the mirror holding the soap in one hand and the other the hot water handle. Her screams awaken him and he laughs, silently congratulating himself for a job well done. He lie on his side facing the bathroom and waiting for her to return.

"Turn off the water", he yells, his voice somewhat hoarse. "I know how much you hate wasting water."

He smirks, imagining the look on her face and when he no longer hears the water running in the sink. Naked as a jay bird, she slowly emerges from the bathroom with a look of shock and disbelief on her face and a hand resting on her décolleté.

"Why are you making so much noise this morning, Mrs. Grant?" He says with his scratchy morning voice and a smile on his face.

"Fitz …"

"Livvie", his smile broadening.

"Fitz …." She seems unable to say much more than his name.

"Livvie", imitating her one-word sentences.

Now sitting up in bed with the crumpled sheets draped across his waist, he admires his wife from head to toe, taking responsible for the bite marks on her smooth brown skin. Her hair is a wild, curly mess. He takes responsibility for that too. Her breasts are full, and he licks his lips at the sight of the firm brown, nipples. He thanks Jolie for those. Her stomach still has a slight bump and her hips are curvy and her thighs thick. He licks his lips again, loving what pregnancy does to her body. As his eyes travel to the patch of black hair he begins to harden. He stretches out his hand beckoning her to him and she walks slowly toward the bed, eyes and mouth still wide and a hand on her neck. He pulls her onto the bed and kisses her deeply and she returns the kiss in kind. He gently pushes her onto her back, stretching her arms above her head, and they stare into each other's eyes with a mixture of love and desire.

"I love you, Mr. Grant", fingering the five-carat diamond necklace he slipped around her neck sometime between last night and this morning while she was sleeping.

"I love you, Mrs. Grant. Thank you for my newest daughter", smiling lovingly and pecking her on the lips then the tip of her nose. "With everything that has been going on I could not find the right time to give it to you – until last night", he says breathlessly, kissing her again.

"Add this to the earrings and bracelet you gave me for daughter number one and now we're going to have to get a safe in the house."

He kisses her neck.

"Take it off, Fitz. I don't want to ruin it", rolling onto her side so he can remove the expensive necklace.

"Keep it on. I like the way you look wearing it."

"Keep it on? I'm going to shower then go downstairs to prepare your breakfast."

"We're alone in our home and we can do whatever we want. So keep it on", pulling her on top of him and running his hand around her bottom.

"Okay, mister, that's enough for now", slipping out of his arms and walking back into the bathroom.

With a smile as wide as the Dickey River he smiles as he listens to the water in the shower beat against the glass walls. He looks out onto the magnificent view, absently stroking his chest and thinking he is a lucky man.

"Breakfast is ready in an hour", she says, tying the white silk robe as she walks from the bathroom.

He stretches his hand out to her and she smiles as she crawls onto the bed, brushing her lips across his. He caresses her butt through the silk robe and runs his hand through her damp hair. Tracing her mouth with his tongue, she moans, getting aroused.

"I love your toothpaste", he says with a smirk and she swats him on the shoulder and rolls out of bed.

"You're silly, now get showered", she orders as she goes downstairs to the kitchen.

"I love you too", he calls after her through the laughs.

He leans back against the headboard reflecting on his life as he watches the snow cap the massive mountaintops. His family survived the most horrific event, but they all are now safe. Geoffrey is doing a fantastic job running the business, and now he is ready to start a new phase of his life as the president of the City Council. He throws back the sheets and swings his legs from the bed but he cannot feel the floor. Suddenly he feels anxious – untethered. His heart is beating too hard and too fast, like a race horse has taken it over. Sweating profusely, he collapses back onto the bed, gripping the sheets tightly until his knuckles are white.

"You better get down here, babe. I have a surprise for you", she calls out in a sing-song voice.

The room seems to be spinning and he cannot catch his breath. He struggles to take deep, cleansing breaths to steady himself but his chest is tight. He is afraid. He does not know what is happening. He cannot call for his wife. After a few moments the room stops spinning and his heart rate slows. He lie on the bed staring up at the ceiling and his hand falls open, releasing the fistful of sheets. Breathing heavily, he runs his fingers through his hair wondering what the hell just happened. He stands on his wobbly legs and makes his way to the closet in search of his luggage and pulls the brown plastic bottle from the inside zipper. He a pill into his mouth, sits on the floor, and leans against the wall thinking 12 minutes until the pill kicks in. Thirteen minutes later he heads to the shower.

 **XXX**

"What took you so long, babe? Your breakfast is going to get cold."

"I guess you wore me out", he says tiredly as he sits at the table.

"So what are we going to do today?" Dancing over to the table with his special surprise.

"How about we stay in today?" Still shaken from whatever happened in the bedroom.

"Stay in? Let's go exploring, babe. We haven't had a chance to see what's around here."

"There are several inches of snow out there, Liv. I thought we'd stay in today", trying in vain to convince his wife not to go out today.

"When has snow ever stopped you Mr. Outdoors? You love skiing. Have you forgotten how you insisted on teaching Cena how to ski when she was four?"

"Where's my surprise?" Trying to change the subject.

"Ta – dah", she says, lifting the tray from the table and pulling off the red and white checkered napkin.

"What's that?" Twisting his face in confusion.

"Hildie's famous cinnamon rolls, silly", playfully slapping him on the shoulder. "I finagled the recipe from her before we left. I've been up all morning making them while you were upstairs sleeping." He looks suspiciously at the tray of rolls thinking they do not look anything like Hildie's delicious rolls.

"Open", she says, pinching a piece of the pastry, and he opens his mouth reluctantly.

Smiling proudly, she slides the pastry into his mouth and with the first chew he knows immediately that whatever is in his mouth definitely is not Hildie's wonderful cinnamon rolls. She nods her head up and down, grinning expectantly until he stops chewing. Wanting to spit out the undercooked dough, he quickly assesses the range of acceptable responses as he looks at his wife's excited face.

"What's the matter, babe?" Furrowing her brow. "Don't you like it?"

"Perhaps you left out an ingredient", he says delicately, holding the dough in his cheek.

She snatches the plate of faux cinnamon rolls from the table, stomps over to the waste bin, and tosses the undercooked pastries into the trash.

"I'm going upstairs to put my things in the closet - you should do the same", she says snippily as she storms from the kitchen.

"Liv, they weren't that bad", he calls after her, but she continues walking. "We can go exploring if you want."

Confident she is upstairs, he spits the dough into the napkin and tosses it into the waste bin with the rest of the dough.

 **XXX**

After hiking in the snow and exploring the immediate area all morning they spend the afternoon preparing a big pot of soup, and of course Olivia was tasked with chopping the vegetables.

"Let's sleep down here tonight, babe", dropping the carrots, onions, celery, and potatoes into the simmering chicken broth.

"Down here?" He asks, looking up from the dough he is rolling out to make biscuits.

"This smells terrific, babe. I hope it tastes as good as it smells."

"It will", watching her chop the fresh parsley. "Don't put that in until the very end, Liv."

"I know, Fitz", she says in frustration. "I want us to sleep in front of that huge fireplace, babe."

"On the floor?" He asks in disbelief. He has no desire to sleep on the hardwood floor.

"I'll make it comfortable for us. We have lots of blankets and pillows."

"Do we have another mattress?"

"Come on, babe. It'll be fun - like camping indoors. And we'll have such a good view of the outdoors from down here." Fitz sighs thinking his back is going to be killing him in the morning.

 **XXX**

After dinner is consumed and the kitchen is cleaned, Olivia sets up their bed in front of the fireplace. Fitz looks at the thin sheets covering the floor and know he is not going to feel good at all in the morning.

"You're awfully quiet tonight, babe. Is everything okay? Do you need another pillow?"

"I'm fine", he says somewhat distantly, watching the flames from the fireplace dance across the walls.

"You'd tell me if you weren't feeling all right? I don't want us to have any secrets."

"I'm fine Liv", kissing the top of her head. "I'm just a little tired from the hike."

"You're getting old, Grant.", and he winces slightly. "I'll take it easy on you tomorrow", she laughs playfully.

"Are you happy here? This place is for you, Liv, to come here whenever you need to get away."

"I wish we could stay here forever", smiling dreamily as she watches the winter sun dip behind the horizon. And Fitz, I don't want to come here alone. I want to enjoy this beautiful scenery with you and our girls." He nods, pulling her close as they watch the sunset.

"Babe", grazing her fingernails up and down his arm.

"Hmm?" Feeling relaxed after their last round of lovemaking.

"We haven't talked about the - the crash. I want us to talk about it so we can move on - put it behind us", she says quickly when she feels his body stiffen. His face hardens in the room lit by the fireplace and the bright moon.

"I was so scared, Fitz. When I saw that truck on top of the car—those wheels crushing down on your chest …." The tears begin to flow

"Ssh", running his hand up and down her arm.

"I have to get it out. I don't want to bottle my feelings – my fears – and let them come between us. You are my best friend, my lover, my husband. And you were hurting and I couldn't help you. I felt so powerless.

"And when I woke up in that hospital and learned what happened - I was really scared. I couldn't breathe. I thought you - our girls - were all gone. I thought life was playing a cruel trick on us."

He pulls her closer and kisses her shoulder.

"And when I got to Mercy and saw you in that hospital bed, connected to all of those wires, I was even more scared, but I knew I had to be strong for you and Cena. I had to take of our family.

"And when we got home, everything was different—you were different."

"Everything is fine now, Liv. I don't want you to get upset. It's all over", cupping her breast tenderly.

"I didn't encourage it, Fitz. I never -"

"I know. Let's not talk about it anymore. It's time to put it all behind us – leave the past in the past", he says softly. "Okay?"

"Okay", intertwining her hand with his. "But Fitz, I don't want us to ever take anything for granted – Grant", nudging him playfully with her elbow. "I want us to always remember how important every day and every minute we have together is", she says seriously. "I don't know what I would ever do without you. It scares me so much to think there will come a day when we won't be together."

"Me too", his first true admission. He pulls her closer and rubs his hand up and down her leg.

She smiles because she feels safe with him. The weight of the tragedy has been lifted and the dark cloud has passed. She closes her eyes and falls asleep with a smile of contentment on her face.

After lying awake for the past few hours in the dimly lit room, he looks over at his wife to make sure she is asleep before sliding from under the covers and grabbing his sweatpants. He places a couple of logs onto the fire then quietly creeps upstairs to their bedroom. He stares at his reflection in the bathroom mirror thinking he looks the same, but he is not the same. Something is different. His fingers trace scar on his side where Marion performed the emergency procedure that saved his life and the tears begin to fall. Life is so short, so unpredictable.

 **XXX**

Unable to sleep last night, Fitz stands from their makeshift bed on the hard floor twisting and turning his body trying to get rid of the kinks in his back. He looks at his wife who is sleeping peacefully with her mouth slightly open and thinks he is never sleeping on the floor again. He puts a few more logs onto the fire then walks into the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

"Mmm, something smells good this morning", she says", wrapping her arms around his waist as he fries bacon. "How long have you been up?" She asks, trying to sneak a slice of bacon from the plate, but he swats away her hand.

"Not too long", lying effortlessly. "I want us to get an early start back home today."

"I'm going to miss having you all to myself", kissing down his back. "I can't believe three days have passed so quickly."

"Sit down and have some breakfast", pecking her on the lips.

"When do you think you'll be ready to start work? Council starts soon."

"Orange juice?" He asks, walking over to the refrigerator.

"Yes, please." He fills her glass, sets the pitcher onto the table, and turns back to the stove.

"I'll contact Darius to find out how much time is needed to prepare for the confirmation", and she nods.

"Babe, this is good. Did you squeeze it?"

"I did", setting a stack of waffles topped with blueberries and strawberries and powdered sugar onto the table.

"Mmm", she moans, eyeing the stack. "Babe, you've outdone yourself this morning. Cee would be jealous if she knew you made waffles."

"My apologies about your cinnamon rolls yesterday", kissing her cheek.

"I don't want to talk about that", she says curtly. "So what time do you want to leave?" Stuffing a forkful of waffles into her mouth.

"Around noon", cutting the fork into his stack of waffles.

"That should give us plenty of time to clean up, do the laundry, and pack away our clothes."

He nods and takes a sip of the orange juice. Olivia glances at him enjoying his breakfast, trying to figure out the best way to broach what she has been thinking about for months.

"Babe, I've been thinking …." Pushing a blueberry around on her plate with the fork.

"About?" Filling his mouth with the waffles dripping with way too much syrup.

"About moving."

" _Moving?"_ He stops chewing and looks at her in disbelief.

"To the city", she adds quickly.

" _To the city? Why would you want to move to the city?"_ He asks with incredulity, slowly setting his fork onto the side of the plate.

"The girls need more diversity, babe. We talked about this before we were married."

His jaw twitches because he is not interested in moving. He loves their home and thinks Church Falls is the perfect place to raise their children. Olivia sees the slight twitch of her husband's jaw and starts to plead her case.

"There isn't much diversity at Church Falls Elementary. Cee's school is predominately white. Our community is predominately white –"

"And I'm predominately white", he says half-jokingly.

"Be serious, babe. We talked about this - before we had children."

"I know. I just don't know if we need to think about this now. Cena is only six." She hears the slight change in his tone and knows he is slipping into lawyer mode.

"Babe", sliding her hand on top of his. "Children start recognizing differences in race around five or so", and he sighs.

"So you think we have to think about moving – now?"

"I'm just saying we have to think about getting ahead of it before she is exposed. The rest of the world does not look like Church Falls. She and JoJo need to see that." She watches as he processes what she is saying and sees his body become more rigid.

"Babe, we agreed to raise our children to understand both sides of their culture."

"And we are - for the most part. We've talked to Cee about why her parents look different and why she looks different. We've exposed her to the two different cultures. She has tons of multicultural toys and books. I know why you put her in that dance class", he adds.

She frowns slightly.

"You said it was to give her something of her own when JoJo came home, but it wasn't just that, Liv", giving her an I-know-what-you've-been-up-to look.

"But she's not immersed in a diverse environment on a daily basis, babe." He pushes his plate away, leans back in the chair, and sighs. This is not a conversation he wants to have, not right now.

"So can we start looking at houses when we get back?"

"Well, we can start discussing it more", he says, standing and removing the dishes from the table.

"If we're going to move I'd like to do it before September - before the new school year starts", sipping her orange juice. "It's difficult starting a new school in the middle of the year."

"You've really been thinking about this, haven't you?" Staring at her from the kitchen.

"I have. I remember what that was like when my family moved here in the middle of the school year. It was hard", she says reminiscently.

"Well we can discuss it after I get settled into Council. There's going to be a lot to do in my first few months, Liv. Okay?"

"Okay", she says, removing the rest of the dishes from the table. They wash the dishes in silence for a few minutes. "Babe, this is a new year, new beginnings. We have an opportunity to hit the reset button." He frowns and hands her a dish to dry. He is not interested in hitting any reset button.

"I can't wait to see the girls", she says, trying to lighten the mood.

"Me too", he says somberly as he looks out the window thinking they do not have a shovel or snowplow.

"I hope dad and your dog are okay", taking the plate from his hand.

"I'm sure they're doing fine."

"You and dad are becoming good friends, babe, best buds. I like that."

"I like your father. He's a good man."

"He said the same thing about you. You wanna know else he said?" Looking up at him with a smile. "He said he could not have picked a better husband for me if he had tried."

Trying to control his annoyance, he passes her another plate to dry. He hates when she asks him to guess and she does not give him a chance to do so.

"Well that was nice of him to say", still stuck back at the _let's move_ bombshell.

 **XXX**

Olivia kicks him on the leg twice trying to waken him from his slumber, but he is in that zone where nothing can shake him awake. He was up way too late last night playing with Cena and Jolie then talking with her father about local politics before he retired to the study to finalize his confirmation speech. Now he is paying for it.

"Fitz", kicking him again, which still does not elicit a response. "Fitz, wake up", she says with frustration, giving him a hard kick that startles him awake.

"What –what's the matter?" Shooting straight up in bed.

"Your dog wants to go for a walk", she says flatly, looking at his startled face in the dark.

"What? Who?"

"Your dog - he needs to go out", glancing over at the door where the dog is whimpering in the hall outside their bedroom door. Poor Bowtie dare not enter the bedroom since he knows Olivia does not like hm.

"Can't you take him out just this once?" Fitz says tiredly.

"I told you I don't do dogs", she says stubbornly.

"Come on, Liv. Just this once. You know I have a long day."

"Not my problem", rolling over and pulling the covers over her shoulders. "You better hurry before he has an accident on the floor, again." Fitz snatches the covers from over his legs and stomps toward the door to take Bowtie out back to do his business.

"Put on your robe. My parents don't –"

"Go back to sleep", he growls. "Come on Bowtie."

 **XXX**

In two hours her husband will be confirmed as the next president of the City Council and she wants to look her best for him. Standing in front of the large mirror in their bedroom she applies the finishing touches to her makeup. He snakes his arms around her waist and stare at their reflections in the mirror.

"Wear your necklace today."

"My necklace?" Turning around in his arms and looking at him in surprise.

"For Jolie", kissing slowly down her neck.

"It's too much, Fitz. I don't want to appear –"

"Wear it. I love seeing it on you."

"But –"

"Wear it."

"Fine", pulling his hands from around her waist. "But if the press writes about it -"

"Then they write about it."

He fastens the necklace's decorative clasp and she reaches up and caresses his face, causing the diamond bracelet to slide up her arm.

"Mr. President."

"Mrs. Grant", caressing her breast through the white silk dress. "Beautiful", he whispers in her ear as he runs his tongue over the diamond earrings.

"Fitz", she admonishes him.

"You know you're going to regret being mean to Bowtie", he says, looking in the mirroring and knotting his tie.

"I'm not being mean. I just don't recognize him."

"You shouldn't be like that, Liv. You're being childish."

" _Childish?"_

"Yes, childish", pecking her on the cheek before grabbing his suit jacket from the bed. "Bowtie knows you don't like him. Dogs sense that sort of thing."

 **XXX**

The mayor's ballroom in City Hall is teeming with officials, civic leaders, family members, and the media. There is excitement in the air because today is viewed as a shift from the old to the new. The confirmation of Fitzgerald Grant as the new president of the City Council marks the end of the Marla Briggs era and the people are hoping it is the beginning of a new direction for their city. They want their city government to function effectively and want fresh faces in leadership. They want to put the scandals behind them and they want Mayor Wilson out of office.

The Grants and Popes sit on the front row watching as Fitz and Olivia begin to embark on the next phase of their lives. For awhile it did not seem like they would ever get pass the tragedy, but yet here they are. They are moving on. Gerry holds Cena on his lap and Gwendolyn holds Jolie in her arms. John holds Ethan on his lap while Abigail struggles to keep down her breakfast. With his legs crossed, Bennie sits next to his mother, folding and unfolding the thin paper program. He rescheduled a few surgical procedures this morning so he could be here to support his brother and Olivia.

Olivia stands proudly on stage, in front of her husband, grinning from ear to ear as she balances the Holy Bible on her open palms. She thinks he looks absolutely handsome in his navy blue suit, crisp white shirt, and red silk tie. She smiles to herself when she thinks about how she stood in the bathroom doorway earlier watching him add extra mousse to his hair. He was so nervous she had to put on his lucky cufflinks that now sparkle at his wrists. Her husband is being confirmed as the new president of the City Council, making him the second most powerful public official in the city.

Mayor Theodore Wilson stands on the stage before the man who is now best positioned to advance or destroy his political agenda, and the two adversaries glare at each other through fake smiles. As the city's executive, Wilson is duty-bound by the city's charter to swear in the new Council president, and he is none too happy. But he widens his politician's smile and carries out his official duty.

 **XXX**

After the confirmation ceremony is over Fitz and Olivia walk down the marble hall of the third floor of City Hall holding hands and grinning from ear to ear. This is his first day on the job.

"Our parents are taking the girls to the zoo", and he nods.

"Good, you can hang out here with me for the day."

 _"What?"_

"Stay with me today", he says with a big smile as they approach the suite of offices for the president of the City Council.

"Good morning Council President – Mrs. Grant, a well-dressed man says as he passes them in the hall.

"Good morning", they say in unison.

"Fitz, I have work today", giggling like a schoolgirl.

"I have a big office - we can work together - and do other things."

"Welcome to City Council, Mr. President", the elderly woman smiles as she passes them in the hall. "Good morning, Mrs. Grant", nodding at Olivia.

"Thank you", they both say again.

"Get your mind out of the gutter, mister."

They laugh like two young lovers as they approach the reception area of his office suite, stopping suddenly when they see a young, attractive woman sitting at the desk.

"Council President Grant", the woman smiles as she stands and extends her hand to Fitz. My name is Victoria Sanchez, I am your administrative assistant." Fitz continues holding onto Olivia's hand and shakes his assistant's hand with the other hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. - Sanchez", looking at her curiously. He was not expecting to have an assistant today. "This is my wife - Olivia Grant."

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Mrs. Grant",

Victoria slyly sweeps her eyes over Olivia, assessing her appearance. It is a habit she developed long ago, sizing up other attractive women, trying to find a flaw. With the exception of all those diamonds she is wearing, Mrs. Grant does not appear to be a flashy woman. The outfit she is wearing is simple, timeless, and expensive. Very expensive. The two women shake hands.

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Victoria", and the woman blanches when Olivia takes the liberty to use her first name.

"HR gave me to you sir", smiling at Fitz, and Olivia raises an eyebrow at the odd choice of words. Mrs. Carson retired - with all of that scandal business from the previous president." Olivia tenses and Fitz squeezes her hand gently.

"Let me show you to your office, Mr. Grant", Victoria says, walking from behind her well-organized desk and toward his office.

As Olivia and Fitz follow Victoria into the office, she notices the stilettos Victoria is wearing and the tailored dress. She wonders if the woman dresses like that every day or if this look is for her first day on the job.

"Wow", Olivia says when she sees all of the flowers and fruit baskets welcoming him to the Council.

"They're from the mayor, various Council committees, and your staff on this floor. I have all of the cards and will respond to each of them appropriately."

"Thank you, Ms. Sanchez."

"Babe, the décor of this office is quite traditional, not at all like your offices at Grant Enterprises."

"And the desk is huge, much bigger than mine at Grant Enterprises, don't you think?" Giving her a wink which does not go unnoticed by Victoria.

"Behave", she says softly. "I better start to fill it", reaching into her large purse and pulling out two framed photographs.

"There are my girls", smiling proudly as Olivia sets a photograph of them on their wedding day and another with them and the girls at the carnival. Victoria glances quickly at the photographs then turns to Fitz.

"May I get you anything, sir?" Smiling politely.

"Coffee if you don't mind. Sweetheart, would you like something?"

"No, babe. I have to get going soon. I also have to go shopping for everything you need to prepare dinner for Marion and Ben on Saturday.

"I guess it's just coffee", he says, smiling politely at his assistant.

"I'll be right back with your coffee, sir", walking from the office thinking he cooks, too.

"So how do you like your gift?" Olivia asks with a smile and he gives her a clueless look. "Your assistant, babe. She's quite attractive."

"I hadn't noticed", pinning her against the desk and pressing his lips against hers. Her hand immediately flies to the hairs at the nape of his neck and he caresses her face and deepens the kiss, roaming his tongue in her mouth. Lost in each other they moan in pleasure, not realizing Victoria is watching from the doorway across the room.

She notices how passionate, yet tender he is, taking his time devouring he mouth. He kisses her like a man in love – like he wants her to know how much he loves her.

Victoria eyes the diamond wedding ring on the hand that plays with the hairs at his neck. The ring is absolutely beautiful, not ostentatious, but tasteful, and of the highest quality. He apparently took a lot of time selecting the perfect ring. Expensive but tasteful, that's who Olivia Grant is she concludes.

"Stay with me. We can –"He says breathlessly through the kisses.

Holding the coffee tray in front of her, Victoria finally clears her throat, making her presence known to the couple and they pull away from each other and giggle like two teenagers, something they have been doing all morning. Victoria glances at his mouth as Olivia swipes away her lipstick with her thumb.

"Excuse me, sir. I'll just set your coffee over here", walking over to the other credenza in the office.

"Thank you, Ms. Sanchez", he says with the biggest smile, still holding Olivia around her waist.

"Will there be anything else, sir?" She glances at Olivia running her fingers through his silken hair to straighten his curls.

"Thank you, Ms. Sanchez, that will be all."

"I'll be at my desk if you want anything", walking from the room. Olivia frowns again, thinking the woman has an odd habit of using double-entendres.

"Now, where were we?" He asks, diving in for another kiss, but she scoots away from him, giggling again.

"Babe, if I don't leave now I'm going to be late for my appointment."

"Fine", pecking her on the lips. "But we're going to finish this when I get home tonight."

"Promises. Promises", she smiles playfully as she back pedals from the office.

"What time can we expect you home tonight, Mr. President?"

"I'll call you in a few hours."

"I love you", she calls out as she backs into the reception area.

"I love you more", he calls out before lifting the coffee cup to his lips.

"Have a lovely day, Mrs. Grant."

"And you as well, Victoria."

 **XXX**

Without much more than a grumbled greeting to the young woman sitting behind the desk tapping on the keyboard, Darius and Johnson walk directly into Fitz' office to welcome their new president to work. Victoria scowls at the two councilmen as they enter the office. She hates being ignored and she definitely hates being disrespected, and those men have just done both.

"Fitz", Darius calls out with his boisterous voice as Johnson closes the door behind them.

"Darius - Johnson. It's so good to see you", he says with a genuine smile as he stands from the chair and walks around the desk.

"It's good to see you as well, Fitz." The men hug and pat each other on the back

"Have a seat", Fitz says, gesturing toward the two chairs in front of his desk.

"Man you don't know how good it is to see you", Darius says genuinely.

"You don't know how good it is to be seen, Darius", sitting on the front edge of the desk.

"So are you getting settled in around here? Johnson asks, looking around the spacious office.

"I'm trying - there's a lot to do and learn. Coffee? It's fresh, Ms. Sanchez bought it in earlier." The men shake their heads no, waving their hands dismissively.

"Well it's your first day", Darius says. "You have plenty of time."

"After all you've through nobody's expecting …. I'm sorry, Fitz, I didn't mean to bring it up", Johnson says.

"That's all right, there's no getting around what happened", Fitz says, walking around the desk and sitting in his chair. "My family and I experienced a devastating tragedy - life changing really. We're all very lucky."

"How are Olivia and the children doing?"

"They are all doing fine. I must admit it was tough going for awhile, but we're better now."

"That's good. That's good", Johnson says. "Who would have thought Charlie was a damn lunatic?

"I should have thought it. I should have seen it coming."

"How could you have possibly seen something like this coming? The man went off the deep end just because he lost the election", Johnson says.

"It was more than that", Fitz says glumly.

"So you kicked his ass, is that enough for him to some crazy shit like try to kill you and your family?"

"Reading excerpts from that diary in the newspaper was chilling - numbing really", Darius finally says. "But I think getting access to that diary had to be a blessing for you and Olivia."

"I don't know if it was a blessing or a curse", Fitz says, fiddling with papers on his desk.

"It was a blessing", Darius says adamantly. "It allowed everyone to know what happened and how sick Charlie was. The diary was the great equalizer."

"I'm no psychologist but I can tell you that man had deeper issues than any of us knew about", Johnson says. "Wilson had to know what he was dealing with - that the man was a damn maniac."

"Wilson probably thought he could control Charlie if he became president", Darius says.

"No one can control a person like that", Johnson retorts. "Can you imagine if we had to deal with that madman every day?"

"As a Christian I hate to say this - but thank god he's dead", Darius says, shaking his head.

"Wilson is certainly having his own problems", Fitz says, wanting to steer the conversation in a different direction.

"The man is a thief. Dare I say, just like Marla", Johnson shakes his head, still finding it difficult to believe the woman he thought he knew was involved in a corruption scheme.

"I can't believe Marla is gone", Darius says sadly. "It's a shame she had to go out like that, but maybe it was for the best. She wasn't going to have any real quality of life - and the scandal …."

"You should know, Fitz, a majority of the council members have signed a resolution to impeach Wilson", Johnson says.

 _"What?"_

"The citizens are calling for it. The man has been indicted for Christ sake."

"An indictment isn't a guilty verdict, Johnson"

"That might be true but the people are tired of these scandals. They want to put the whole sordid mess behind them—move on."

"Johnson is right", Darius says. "The citizens have lost all faith in Wilson. Kotch's 15-page indictment laid out all of the charges against him. The Marla scheme, contracts to his buddies, kickbacks - the list goes on and on. If he doesn't step down, signing the resolution calling for his impeachment will be one of your first official acts as Council president."

Fitz leans back in his chair and runs his fingers through his hair thinking this is only his first day.

 **XXX**

"You seem tired, babe. How was your first day?" Olivia asks as she performs her nightly routine of massaging the body butter onto her skin.

"Busy. I met with a lot of people today – Council members, staff, administrators. Everyone was kind but I don't remember half their names."

"It's going to take time. No one expects you to remember everything on your first day."

"I have a lot to learn about legislative procedure. Darius and Johnson stopped by."

"Well that should have made you more comfortable - seeing familiar faces.

"I guess", placing his head on her lap.

"Fitz, I'm trying to get ready for bed", but he ignores her. "Your assistant is attractive", she says, grazing her fingernails across his scalp.

"What?" His eyes are beginning to close as they usually do when she massages his scalp.

"I said your assistant is attractive."

"Who?"

"Don't pretend you don't know who I'm talking about", pulling a hair and causing him to yelp and waken fully.

"Oh – I guess she is all right if you like that look. Besides, I only have eyes for my Boo."

"Please, Fitz, with the –" And he starts tickling her, pinning her onto the bed. "I told you we were going to finish what we started in the office. Did you think I forgot?"

"Promises, promises", she says, laughing as he leans in for a kiss.

He pushes up her silk camisole and she closes her eyes, wrapping her legs around his waist. Capturing a nipple in his mouth, he reaches down to push off his boxers. As he kisses down her stomach she begins to laugh hysterically when she hears Bowtie whimpering outside the door.

"Stop laughing", he says breathlessly, making his way to his destination.

"Babe, your dog needs to go for a walk."

"He can wait", closing in on his target.

"You're going to have a mess to clean up if you don't leave now", she laughs as he rests his head on her stomach. "He's almost potty trained. You don't want him to have a setback."

" _Dammit, dammit, dammit"_ , he shouts, banging his fists onto the bed as Bowtie lets out another whimper.

 **XXX**

Bennie walks to the bedroom where he sees clothes scattered all over the bed and settee and Marion running back and forth between the bedroom and walk-in closet in nothing but her bra and panties.

"Which one?" She says with panic in her eyes as she holds up two distinctly different outfits.

"You were dressed an hour ago", he says, glancing around the room that looks like a tornado has struck.

"I changed my mind, now which one", shaking the clothes in his direction.

"The blue one", he says without giving the question much, if any thought, at all.

"No, that won't work. It's too –"

"Marion, come on. We have to go – we should have left 15 minutes ago", he says with exasperation. "What's the big deal about what you wear? We're only going to Fitz and Liv's for dinner." Her neck snaps around and she looks at him as if he has lost his mind.

"Ben, this is the first time we're going to your family's house as a couple. I want to look my best."

"We were just there last month."

"That doesn't matter. No one knew about us then – before we got there - now they do."

"What you just said makes absolutely no sense."

"You don't understand, Ben."

"I understand that we're going to be late. Fitz hates when people are late."

"Go get in the car and I'll be down shortly", she says, trying to get rid of him so she can figure out what to wear.

"No, you're going to pick one of those perfectly acceptable outfits in your hands, you're going to put it on, and we're going to leave in 10 minutes", he says firmly and she glares at him for a few moments.

"Fine, I'll wear this one", holding up the green dress then stomps into the closet.

"Ten minutes", he calls over his shoulder as he walks back to the living room.

When Marion comes from the bedroom 15 minutes later she is wearing a black jumpsuit with a burgundy and gold bolero. Bennie throws his hands up in surrender and grabs his car keys from the coffee table.

"What?" Giving him her best look of innocence as she tucks the long black clutch under her arm.

"Your coat, madam" draping the full-length black wool coat over her shoulders. "You look beautiful", he whispers in her ear and she smiles.

 **XXX**

Trapped between the copper farmhouse sink and her husband Olivia grazes the hairs at the nape of his neck as he devours her mouth. He presses against her and she parts her legs slightly, enjoying the feeling of his zipper until she remembers they have guests coming for dinner tonight.

"Babe, come on", trying to squirm out of his embrace. "Ben and Marion are going to be here soon", she says unconvincingly.

"I don't care, they're late anyway - probably doing the same thing I'm trying to do."

"You're being bad", she mumbles through the kisses as his bulge presses against her crotch. They are in a full-blown make-out session when the doorbell rings.

"Doorbell", she says breathlessly.

"Let them wait", roaming his tongue in her mouth. She finally escapes his grasp and darts over to the refrigerator.

"Whew", fanning her hand in front of her face and opening the refrigerator door to cool down. "You better do something about that", giggling as she points to his growing bulge.

"We'll finish this later", he says, walking from the kitchen to greet their guests.

"I hope so", she calls after him, continuing to fan herself. "I certainly hope so."

Fitz calms himself down and adjusts his pants before opening the door.

"Bennie – Marion", he says, welcoming his guests with a big smile. "Get in here out of the cold", stepping aside and letting the couple in and shutting out the cold Washington State winds.

"It's so good to see you again, Marion", pecking the woman on the cheek.

"And you as well, Fitz", she says with a smile, thinking he and Olivia were just making out.

"So have you taken to wearing lipstick or is just for our entertainment?" Bennie laughs as he helps Marion out of her coat.

"Don't be rude, Ben."

"Don't mind him, Marion", giving his brother the biggest hug. "Come on back, Liv is in the kitchen."

They walk down the long hall to the family room that leads to the kitchen where Olivia is bending in front of the oven removing the hors d'oeuvres from the top convection oven.

"Something smells good", Bennie says as they all enter the kitchen.

"Ben – Marion, so glad you could make it", walking over and hugging Marion and pecking her on the cheek. "It must be cold out", feeling Marion's cold cheeks.

"I'm happy you invited us, Olivia", Marion says, returning the hug and kiss. "Ben is right, something smells delicious."

"It's one of Fitz' favorite recipes", opening her arms to give Bennie a hug and peck on the cheek. He's been preparing all day for this dinner."

"Was that before or after he put on your lipstick?" Bennie jokes and Olivia looks at him curiously. Marion taps her lips and Olivia turns to look at her husband and sees he is wearing the evidence of their make-out session.

"Don't pay him any mind, Olivia", Marion says with smile.

"Chardonnay, Marion", Fitz asks, handing her a glass half-filled with her favorite white wine.

"Thank you, Fitz", thinking this is exactly what she needs.

"It's really gotten cold out", Fitz says, handing Bennie a beer."

"I guess it's about time. It's been warm forever", Bennie says. "When we were kids we would've been skiing by now."

"Do you ski, Marion?" Olivia asks as she accepts the glass of red wine from her husband's hand.

"I do", smiling as Fitz sneaks a kiss from his wife. "I've been skiing since I was five – Bunny slopes of course."

"I told you, Liv, four wasn't too young for Cena to learn."

"I said three was too young to learn."

"Well she loves it now. I can't wait to get Jolie on the slopes", he says, bringing the glass of scotch to his lips.

"Marion, try one these hors d'oeuvres Hildie made", lifting the silver tray with the assortment of appetizers. "She insisted on making something for tonight since Fitz hijacked her kitchen all day."

"Mmm, this is wonderful", Marion says, chewing the puff pastry.

"Try one, Ben", Olivia says, holding the tray in front of him, and he hesitates for a moment before taking one.

"He is so disciplined", Marion says. "He'll be up early in the morning running off that little delight."

"So you're still running, Ben?" Olivia asks, picking up one of the hors d'oeuvres and placing it to her husband's mouth and he opens his mouth without thought.

"I am. Most mornings, depending on my schedule."

"Then you ought to run with Fitz sometime", Olivia says, setting the tray onto the granite island top.

"When did you start running, brother? You used to hate running", taking a sip of his beer. Fitz rolls his eyes because he does not know why everyone keeps saying he hates to run.

"I run with Geoffrey. That was part of the offer package."

"You mean to tell me your partner relocated here just because you agreed to run with him."

"Yup", taking another sip of his drink.

"How are the girls, Olivia?" Marion asks as she picks up another one of the fabulous appetizers, trying a different this time.

"They're wonderful. We got them to bed early tonight. Fitz had read _Goodnight Moon_ three times before Cena fell asleep." Fitz smiles, slides an arm around his wife's waist, and pecks her on the cheek.

"I can't believe you still have that book", Ben says, smiling as he sets the beer bottle onto the island and takes another appetizer from the tray. Olivia and Marion look at each other as Bennie pops the puff pastry into his mouth.

"Ben, that book is being held together by threads. Cena insists we read it every night."

"When I saw it in the bookstore I thought it was a good story."

"And apparently so does Cee", Olivia chuckles. "Babe, I think you better put some tape on that book because JoJo seems to like that story too", and they all laugh out loud. "Well, we better sit down for dinner. I don't want us filling up on appetizers", Olivia says.

 **XXX**

Maura sits on the sofa in their living room slowly swiping her index finger up the tablet screen as she reads an article. Sitting across the room in his leather chair reading the newspaper, Gerry looks over at his wife when he hears the sherry glass connect with the coaster on the table next to where she is sitting. He watches as she slides her finger up the screen and wonders when she became so tech savvy. He wonders if they are really living in two different worlds. He still enjoys the feeling of the newspaper in his hands and she now seems to prefer reading the news on her device.

Maura has been living back home since they took Nora to the facility back east and they still do not share a bed nor do they discuss if she is home for good. He wonders if she will leave when Nora is discharged. Gerry picks up his sweating glass and takes a sip of scotch before setting the newspaper onto his lap. He takes another sip then sets the glass back onto the coaster. Since his wife has been back home she makes him use coasters to hold his drinks. She hates having to polish the water rings from the mahogany wood tables.

"What do you think about Bennie and that Dr. Harris?" Gerry asks his wife gruffly.

"What do you mean?" Maura says, looking up from the tablet.

"She seems – well a little odd - making such ribald statements. That business about Ben and Gerry's muscle rub was distasteful. I'm not sure she's the right woman for Bennie.

"I like Marion. She's a young woman who seems comfortable with expressing herself sexually."

"Humph", he grunts. "Bennie is too easygoing for that kind of woman - she'll steamroll him."

"Bennie seems to be happy and that's all I care about", looking back down at the tablet. "Don't underestimate your son, Gerry, just because he has quiet demeanor." Gerry remains silent for a few minutes before bringing up the topic of one of his other children.

"Maura, do you think it's time to bring our daughter home?" Looking sternly at his wife.

"What?" Maura says, taken aback by the question.

"Nora has been at that place for months now. Don't you think it's time for her to come home?"

"It's not our decision to make, Gerry. Nora's doctors will determine when she is ready to come back home."

"Humph", he grunts again.

"Are you concerned about the money?" She asks in a challenging tone. "Is that why you want Nora to come home?"

"No – not at all. I just thought—forget I said anything", he grumbles, picking up the newspaper and shaking out the wrinkles before resuming to read his article.

Maura looks at him suspiciously for a moment before returning to her article.

 **XXX**

Bowtie has been sleeping comfortably in his doggie bed outside of Cena's bedroom all evening until his full bladder awakens him from his sleep. He looks around the hall, crawls from his bed, and then makes his way downstairs in search of his other master. Fitz and Cena, mostly Fitz, have been training the puppy to let them know when he needs to go out for a walk and Bowtie has been a quick learner so far. He has had only a few accidents since joining the family.

Olivia rolls her eyes when she hears the metal dog tags jingling, signaling the dog is coming downstairs. Bowtie walks to the edge of the family room, daring not to enter as the mistress of the house has made it clear he is not allowed to roam the house when they have guests. So he looks in Fitz' direction and whimpers.

"Is that Bowtie?" Marion asks with a smile and Olivia sighs and rolls her eyes.

"Liv doesn't like Bowtie", Fitz informs Marion.

"Why not, Olivia? He's so adorable", Marion says, taking a sip from the glass as she looks over at the nervous puppy. "Come here, Bowtie", Marion calls to the puppy but he remains at the room's edge.

"Because Mr. Pope never liked dogs, or any pets for that matter", Bennie announces.

"I see. Well I think he is just adorable."

"Here – here, Marion", Fitz says, lifting his glass in her direction.

"Well your adorable dog needs to go for a walk", Olivia says grumpily.

"Duty calls", Fitz says, setting his glass onto the table and walking toward Bowtie. "Excuse me while I take Bowtie out to do his business."

"And put your coat on – it's cold out. I don't want you getting sick because you had to walk the dog." Bowtie quickly scampers behind Fitz who is headed down the hall to retrieve his coat from the closet.

"We'll be back in about 15", he calls to his guests and Jolie begins to cry. "Liv", Fitz yells as he hooks the leash onto Bowtie's collar. "JoJo is awake."

"Okay – okay", she hollers back, standing to go check on the baby.

"Let me get her Olivia – if you don't mind?" Marion says.

"Are you sure?" Olivia asks with furrowed brow.

"If you don't mind."

"Oh – okay. Make a right at the top of the stairs - second door on the right. There's a bottle on the dresser if you need it."

"Got it", Marion says excitedly as she hurries from the room to console an upset Jolie.

"I guess I'll start cleaning up this mess while Fitz is walking the dog", Olivia says, setting her glass of wine onto the table.

"I'll help you", Bennie says, springing to his feet and removing the dessert plates from the coffee table.

Olivia scrapes the remnants of the dessert from the plates into the trash bin and Bennie rinses the dishes and places them into the dishwasher. Now that they are alone she can ask him what she has been wanting to ask for the past month.

"So Ben, I had no idea you and Marion were seeing each other", nudging him playfully in the side with her elbow. "I was surprised to see you both standing on my doorstep at Christmas. I didn't know what to think. I didn't know if you two just happened to arrive at the same time or if you actually came together."

"I really like Marion. I wanted to thank her for what she did for Fitz – for all of us really." Olivia nods.

"And …" She says with a smile.

"And the rest is history as they say."

"I'm happy for you, Ben. Marion is a good person, and she's beautiful."

"Thanks, Liv. That means a lot coming from you."

"I've always wanted the best for you Bester", she nudges him again and they both laugh out loud.

"Oh no, not that name. You remember how I got that name don't you?"

"How can I ever forget? When Sammy Yates got out of the pool …"

"No one dared tell him. It was shocking and funny", Bennie says red-faced.

"He said, 'Benster, why didn't you tell me I lost my trunks, dude', and the two old friends burst out laughing again.

"Is this a private party or can anyone join?" Marion asks, walking into the kitchen carrying a glass of wine. Bennie glances at the wine glass in her hand and the expression on her face.

"Marion", Olivia says through her laughter. "Come in – come in. You gotta hear this story."

"Jolie went back to sleep after a few rocks", Marion says, looking at the two standing at the copper farmhouse sink.

"Ben was just reminding of the time we went to the swim party at Chris Mayer's house and Sammy Yates didn't realize his trunks had come off in the pool and he was walking around showing his business", laughing hysterically.

"That's hilarious", Marion says tightly.

"You had to be there, Marion. The image is burned –"

"In my brain", Bennie finishes Olivia's sentence and Marion rolls her eyes and takes another sip of wine.

"What's so funny?" Fitz asks, walking into the kitchen rubbing his hands together trying to warm them after being out in the cold with Bowtie.

"Babe, we were telling Marion the story about when Sammy Yates' trunks came off in the pool and he walked around for an hour showing everything because no one had the nerve to tell him."

"Sam was always an idiot", Fitz says with disinterest because he has heard that story more times than he cares to remember. "Is Jolie all right?" Walking over and wrapping his arm around his wife's waist.

"Marion got her to go back to sleep. She seems like a natural", smiling sneakily.

"Easy as pie", Marion says. "You two are so blessed to have two beautiful girls." Fitz pecks Olivia on the cheek and smiles.

"Can I get you another beer, Bennie?" Fitz asks, walking over to the refrigerator.

"Nothing for me, brother. I have an early morning."

"Marion, more wine?"

"Of course", extending her glass to Fitz.

"Liv?"

"Yes, please. JoJo no longer wants to nurse so I can finally have a couple of glasses of wine. Let's sit in the family room, I'll finish these dishes later."

Fitz walks over to the bar and Olivia sits on the sofa. Bennie and Marion sit on the large leather ottoman across from the sofa. The fire wood crackles in the fireplace giving the large room with high ceilings a cozy feeling. Fitz hands Marion and Olivia their wine then pours a scotch for himself. He sits onto the sofa next to his wife and intertwines his hand with hers.

"The dinner was lovely, Fitz. I had no idea you were such an accomplished chef", Marion says, bringing the glass to her lips.

"Well, I wouldn't quite call myself a chef."

"Don't be modest, babe. You know your way around the kitchen. Marion, would you believe Fitz did not know how to cook when we started dating. I told him I wouldn't have it – he needed to know how to feed himself. Now look at you", lifting his hand to her lips and he smiles proudly. "But truth be told, I really dislike cooking with him", smiling at him playfully.

"Why is that?" Bennie asks.

"Ben, your brother likes to delegate all the menial tasks to me – like chopping vegetables, peeling potatoes, you name it. When we were at the lake house he had me stirring the risotto, and you know how long that takes."

"No, I don't", Bennie says seriously.

"Come on, Bennie. Tell me you've learned how to cook by now. When I came home and was living with mom and dad - until I found my own place –"

"Until _we_ found your own place", Olivia reminds him.

"Until _we_ found my own place", Fitz corrects. "You would come over after work and eat whatever mom had prepared."

"She always knew I was coming by." Marion observes the exchange between the three.

"So, do you cook now, Ben?" Olivia asks, taking a sip of wine.

"Not at all."

"Bennie, you gotta learn how to cook."

"Why? There are plenty of places to get food. I use UberEats a lot."

"I thought Uber was a ride share service", Fitz says innocently.

"Babe, some restaurants use Uber drivers to make home deliveries to their customers. They don't have to absorb the cost of hiring drivers." Fitz nods, learning something new tonight.

"Marion, do you enjoy cooking?" Olivia asks.

"I don't cook either", and they all burst out laughing. "And I don't have any desire to learn."

"Well okay", Olivia says, sipping her wine.

Fitz gently squeezes Olivia's hand and she sets her glass onto the coffee table, slides her hand between the sofa cushion and armrest, and pulls out an antique white envelope.

"Marion", Olivia says, as she slowly pulls open the flap, and slides out the matching paper. "Fitz and I invited you here tonight to thank you for everything you have done for us - for our family."

"Olivia, I told you –"

"I know – I know, but please, let us do this", Olivia says, unfolding the stationary and beginning to read the handwritten letter.

" _How does one thank another for saving a life and, by extension, giving me life? Marion, I have struggled to find the right words to express my gratitude for you saving my husband's life._ _But really, there aren't enough words to express how I feel for what you did on that horrible day. Ever_ _since I awoke in that small, wonderful hospital and learned what happened, that question has been on my mind, second only to wondering how my family was going to get through the life-changing event."_

Fitz rubs her thigh and lets his hand rest there and Marion notices their intimacy and mutual support.

" _Other than inviting you to our home for one of Fitz' wonderful meals, I did not know how to properly thank the woman who saved the life of the most important person in the world to me, And I have concluded that there is nothing I can say or do to truly express my gratitude except to quietly thank you_ _every single day when I see my husband. A day does not go by when I don't thank God for putting you in our lives at just the right moment. Had it not been for you, the outcome of that day would have been very different. Had you not acted so courageously and quickly I would no longer have the love of my life and my children would not have a father."_

Olivia brushes the tears from her cheek with the side of her hand and continues to read the letter.

" _So thank you, Marion. Thank you for being there. Thank_ _you for giving my husband back to me. And, thank you for taking care of our daughters when we could not. God bless you and I wish you well. I know all good things will come your way."_

Marion dabs her finger under her eyes as Olivia walks over and presents Marion with the letter and gives her a warm hug. Bennie reaches inside his jacket pocket and gives Marion his handkerchief. When Olivia sits back on the sofa, she reaches onto the floor and lifts a beautifully decorated box from the side of the sofa.

"Marion, this is just a small token of our appreciation."

"Olivia, this is all so unnecessary", Marion says, moved by the beautiful words Olivia just read.

"Open it, Marion." Marion sets her wine glass onto the coffee table and carefully unwraps the gift."

"You don't open gifts like Cena", Fitz says, and everyone laughs, which helps to lighten the mood. Marion lifts the lid and slowly pulls back the white tissue paper. Her eyes widen and she brings a hand to her lips.

"Olivia", she says in awe. "It's absolutely beautiful."

"We heard that you wrapped our baby in your beautiful Hermes scarf, which was soiled beyond repair by the time Jolie got to the hospital."

"Olivia …"

"I couldn't find another one like the one you wrapped our baby in but we hope you will enjoy this one just as much."

"Thank you. This is so very kind – so generous of you", continuing to dab at her eyes and Bennie rubs her back soothingly.

 **XXX**

Fitz pulls an envelope from his pocket, slides out the stationary, and begins to read his handwritten thank-you letter. Marion grabs Bennie's hand and bites down on her bottom lip. She has never felt this kind of appreciation in her life.

" _It is completely and utterly obvious that thanking someone for saving one's life is impossible because the magnitude of a thank-you can and will_ _never_ _equal the magnitude of having one's life saved."_

 _"In the aftermath of every major rescue event, what comes to light are the heroes, the Good Samaritans. While we know definitively from news reports that lives are saved in those big events, it is important to remember that lives are saved daily in small events about which few may hear. But, a hero is a hero nonetheless. And Marion you are a hero – you are my hero - our hero."_

Marion squeezes Bennie's hand tighter.

" _And, no matter the size of a rescue, almost dying requires a recovery period. Depending on the trauma, some recoveries will be slow, both physically and emotionally. And for our family it has been slow – slower than I would like."_

Olivia lie her head on her husband's shoulder.

" _And as we continue to recover as a family, I have realized that it is possible the enormity of what happened is mostly understood only by two people: me and my hero."_ He smiles at Marion misty-eyed.

 _"After all, had it not been for you, Marion, I would not be here with my wife, whom I love with all of my heart. Had it not been for you, Marion, I would not be here with my precious daughters, whom I love equally as much. And, I would not be here to ask the question that may all too often get lost in the shock, recovery period, and celebration: How does one thank the person who saved their life? My conclusion... there really just is no way to do so._

" _Marion, my family means everything to me. The thought of losing them – of never seeing them again - is too much for me to bear. So I want to thank you for allowing me a little more time with my family. And, I want to thank you for taking care of our children when we were unable to do so._

The tears are streaming non-stop down Marion's face.

"So please, honor us by accepting this small token of our gratitude."Fitz reaches behind the sofa cushion and slides out a long, elegantly wrapped box.

"Fitz …" Marion says, Bennie's handkerchief unable to keep pace with the flow of tears.

"Please, Marion. Open it."

Olivia slides her hand into her husband's hand and watches as Marion once again slowly unwraps the gift. Her eyes widen and jaw drops when she opens the long box.

"Oh my …" And Bennie stretches his neck to see what's inside the box.

"Wow", he says.

"Fitz, I can't—"

"You can and you will. We won't hear otherwise."

"Thank you both. I just don't know what else to say. This is all so unexpected."

"You don't need to say anything more." Fitz stands and hugs one of his heroes and pecks her on the cheek.

"I'm sure my makeup is ruined", Marion says tearfully.

"You look beautiful as usual", Olivia says as Marion continues to dab the corners of her eyes.

"Bennie –"

"Don't give me a diamond tennis bracelet", Bennie says jokingly.

"I won't, but I will give you a thank-you from the deepest place in my heart. You took care of my family when I could not, and I will forever be grateful.

"You took care of our entire families, providing the support and medical knowledge they needed during a very hectic and what appeared to be dire circumstances. You served as a liaison between our families and the medical staff – at two hospitals nonetheless. No one else could have done that.

"You traveled with me and my daughter in that helicopter and made sure we were delivered to the appropriate hands and that we received the best care possible."

"You're my brother, Fitz. Liv, Cee, and JoJo, they're my family too. Family takes care of family."

"I know, but what you did for Liv and me - well there just aren't any words", shaking his head slowly from side to side. "You have always been special to me Bennie and you know that", and tears well in Bennie's eyes. "Isn't ironic that you saved my life all those years ago and now Marion has done so as well. I have two heroes. I am a lucky man."

Misty-eyed, the two brothers hug, silently putting the past behind them. Marion looks at the brothers wondering what Fitz means when he says Ben saved his life. Then she looks over at Olivia who is wiping the tears from her eyes.

"I have something for you too – for us actually", Fitz says, pulling two tickets from his pocket and waving them under Bennie's nose.

" _Wrestling. Yes!"_ Bennie shouts with a fist pump.


	36. Chapter 36 Learning Mode

**A/N:** **Kkimberly49** – you're right, the last chapter laid the foundation for things to come while closing out some aspects of the past. Yup, Olivia and Fitz still aren't communicating. We'll find out why. Fitz is not intended to be shallow when it comes to money. He works hard for everything they have and he will not be ashamed of enjoying the fruits of his labor. I'm okay with that attitude. **Cleo** \- you caught that Mrs. Grant thing Olivia did. Let's see how long that lasts. **Guest** , thanks for letting me know the last chapter did not publish. All of your questions will be answered in upcoming chapters. **Monica** \- you caught that Sammy Yates/Sally Yates thing. Thanks for all of the Guest reviewers and new followers. Here we go!

 **Chapter 36.** **Learning Mode**

The last few days have been a whirlwind of activities for Fitz — attending meetings, learning about the legislative process, and adjusting to being responsible for a large staff. On his first full day of work he walked around the suite of offices and introduced himself to everyone who supports the work of the Council President. Although he will not interact with most of the staff on a daily basis, he wanted to meet each person and personally thank them for their service. Trying remember all the names of the people who work in his offices is proving to be quite challenging, so he simply smiles and nods when he passes them in the hall.

After meeting with the various committees all morning, he finally has a few minutes alone in his office to catch his breath, so he reclines in his chair and studies the room's Second Empire architecture. The reality of winning the election is beginning to dawn on him. The campaign was a hard-fought battle, with factions of the community clearly expressing support for one of the two candidates. Those who supported him did so with gusto because they wanted change, and now that their guy has won they expect a powerful City Council for the next four years. Although the people have been empathetic because of what he and his family have experienced, he knows they are not going to give him a grace period for much longer. It is time for him to get started on what they elected him to do. He has to come up to speed quickly while also making the gears of a complex city system turn in ways that allow him to convert his campaign promises to meaningful strategies to implement the changes voters want.

The enormity of the responsibility with which the people have entrusted him is striking and he feels woefully unprepared. Everything is so different in government than it is in the world of business, and the differences extend well beyond the architecture. He feels out of his element, which makes him uneasy. He wonders how many of his predecessors have felt uncertain of their abilities to do the job after they had won the election. Unfortunately, he does not have a predecessor who he can call for advice or one who could serve as a role model. The President of City Council is often referred to as the most powerful man in the city, even more powerful than the mayor because the president has the final say on how the taxpayers' dollars are spent. Ultimately, he is the person who decides what new city initiatives and programs get funded and which do not. But he is not feeling very powerful right now, in fact, he feels isolated and alone.

 **XXX**

Keenly aware of the steep learning curve ahead of him and highly motivated to quickly close the knowledge gap, Fitz has undertaken an eclectic self-education program. He is reading lots and lots of legislation on the hot-button issues and most importantly, meeting weekly with Councilman Darius Moton, who has become his trusted advisor. Darius has been a member of the City Council for 16 years and he knows how to navigate through the legislative system.

"I hate to hijack your lunch hour weekly, Darius, but I really need your insight— your expertise. You've been around the Council for a long time - you know how things work around here. The more I read the more I realize how little I know about local government", Fitz says as he walks across the room to where their lunch has be set up on the credenza.

"Well Fitz, if you keep providing these wonderful lunches I'd be willing to meet with you every day", Darius says as he piles his plate with salad and grilled chicken. "Are you a health nut?" Darius asks, bypassing the quinoa salad.

"Not necessarily, although Liv tries to make sure we all eat balanced meals", Fitz says, filling his plate with the salads and chicken.

"Well, when you have quinoa on the menu - red quinoa at that - I say that's the sign of a person who is a borderline health nut", Darius says as he sits at the conference table preparing to dig in.

"I don't select the menu, Ms. Sanchez does", Fitz says, sitting in the chair across from Darius, and Darius frowns at the mention of the assistant's name. "Perhaps Liv gave her instructions."

"Fitz, it's not unusual that you feel like a fish out of water - you're not a politician. That's why the people voted for you", Darius says, stuffing a forkful of chicken into his mouth. "They wanted change."

"I get that, Darius, but it doesn't make me feel any better about what I don't know."

"You'll learn everything you need to learn in time, don't be too hard on yourself. You've only been on the job a few days."

Fitz nods and scoops a forkful of the quinoa salad and stuffs it into his mouth and Darius frowns.

"Fitz, the City Council is the first line of interaction between the people and government. When our citizens have needs, they deal first and foremost with City Council. We put into place the needs and resources to adequately address their issues. We are not in Council as a rubber stamp for the mayor."

Fitz nods as he takes a sips of his diet cola.

"Fitz, the people depend on the Council to approve budgets, pass tax reforms, and enact legislative changes."

Fitz nods again. He is in learning mode.

"By the way, you have several committee chairpersons whose terms are ending. You also have staff hiring decisions to make."

Fitz looks at Darius curiously and runs his hands through his hair. He has not hired anyone since Geoffrey and Sandra.

"Here's the list of open staff positions that need to be filled. At the bottom you'll see the names of committee chairpersons whose terms will be ending soon. You'll have to decide if you want to continue with those who are already in place or shake things up", Darius says, stuffing a large piece of chicken into his mouth.

Fitz looks at the list and sees Darius term as Chairman of Finance Committee expires in three months.

"Your name is on this list, Darius", looking up at the man."

"It is."

"Do you want to continue as the Chairman of the Finance Committee?"

"I serve at the pleasure of the Council President", Darius says with a mouthful of food.

"Consider it handled - you'll continue your chairmanship. This document also says I'm supposed to hire my assistant, but Ms. Sanchez was here when I arrived", Fitz says looking at the paper. Darius remains silent as he picks at his salad.

"You know, Fitz, your life would be so much easier if you and Wilson got along."

"Well that's not going to happen. The man hates me and I'm none too fond of him."

The two men's laughter is interrupted by a knock on the door and they both look up at Victoria who is standing in the doorway with her hand on the knob. Darius throws his napkin onto the table and turns his back to the woman.

"Yes, Ms. Sanchez", Fitz says through the laughter.

"Excuse me, Council President", Victoria says as she stands in the doorway. "I have to go downstairs to Human Resources for a few minutes."

"That's fine, Ms. Sanchez", Fitz says, wiping the tears from laughing from his face.

"Well I just wanted to let you know where I was just in case you were looking for me – in case you needed anything."

"Thank you, Ms. Sanchez", Fitz says as the woman turns to leave. "She's very conscientious", Fitz says, digging into his fruit salad.

"Fitz, you're going to have a lot of people who are going to come around here wanting favors – wanting to cut deals." Fitz looks at the man curiously. "You are the person who decides how the city's money is to be spent - and that's a lot of power. As the money goes, so goes the city", Darius continues, bringing another forkful of food to his mouth.

 **XXX**

Immersed in piles of research documents Darrin provided him, Fitz has been holed up in his office since his lunch with Darius reviewing upcoming legislation. He looks down at his watch and sighs, wondering where the day has gone. He sets the document on top of the pile, stands, and slides on his jacket. It is already 5:30 and he needs to get home. He promised Olivia he would always try to be home to have dinner with the family and help bathe the girls and get them ready for bed. He grabs his overcoat from the closet and walks into the reception area where Victoria is still working at her desk.

"Ms. Sanchez", he says in surprise when he sees the woman is still sitting in the reception area. "I had no idea you were still here."

"I'm here as long as you're here, sir - just in case you want something", she says with a polite smile.

"I see. Well I'm going home now. You have a good night", sliding on his coat.

"You as well, sir."

 **XXX**

After the kitchen is cleaned and the leftovers are put away, the Grants retire to the family room to relax before bedtime. Like clockwork, Bowtie begins to scamper around in circles, looking at Fitz anxiously. Olivia glances over at the dog thinking he is the most anxious thing she has ever seen. She wonders if they make anxiety medication for dogs.

"Get your coat, Princess, it's time to walk Bowtie."

"Okay, daddy", Cena says, skipping down the hall toward the closet.

"Do you want to join us tonight?" Fitz asks, looking at his wife who is sitting on the sofa and scrolling through her tablet.

"You're kidding, right?" Looking up at her husband as if he has lost his mind.

"Liv, you're making Bowtie feel uncomfortable in his own home", he says seriously as he slides on his jacket.

"It was my home first", she says obstinately, propping her feet onto the coffee table.

"You're a mean woman, Olivia Grant. Come on Bowtie, let's go do your business."

"And make sure Cena has on her hat and gloves. I don't want her to get sick because you have to walk the dog", Olivia yells as Fitz walks down the hall.

 **XXX**

Legs outstretched, Fitz leans against the headboard wearing boxers and a tee shirt. He smiles slightly as he looks at the pictures of him and his staff posted to his official government Instagram account. Olivia sits on her side of the bed rubbing the body butter onto her arms.

"You and Cena are going to get sick running out every night to walk that dog", she says flatly.

"Liv, you wouldn't believe the number of calls that come into the office daily - from all kinds of people wanting to meet with me. It doesn't stop", he says, ignoring her nightly comment about the family pet.

"Babe, you're a pretty important man in the city now."

"Well, thank goodness for Ms. Sanchez. She only lets through the important calls. She's a real pitbull."

"I see", Olivia says, continuing to massage the body butter onto her leg.

"I have to get started making committee appointments and hiring staff."

"The Council President has a pretty significant staff, babe."

"Darius' term as the chair of the Finance Committee is up soon. I've already committed to retaining him in that role."

"Darius is a good man."

"You've known Darius for a while, why do you think he's never run for a higher political office?"

"Marla told he was considering a run for mayor when Wilson came on the scene but he pulled out at the last minute."

"Why would he do that?" Fitz asks, looking up from his tablet. "He runs the Finance Committee, he knows more about city government than anyone. In fact he's brilliant. The Finance and Appropriations Committees are root survival functions of Council. Members who can handle those committees are considered to be leaders among leaders. Darius could have easily run for Council President or mayor - and won. It seems odd", he says as he posts a picture of the girls and Bowtie on his personal Instagram account.

"I don't know, babe. Maybe he likes what he's doing. I'm going to need another jar soon", she says half to herself and he looks over at her.

"Well, I'm grateful to have him as my mentor."

" _Mentor?"_ Turning around and looking at him curiously.

"Well a mentor of sorts. Liv, I feel like a fish out of water. Over the past few days I've come to realize how little I know about government – the legislative process. Honestly, I feel like I'm in over my head."

"Aww, babe, are you feeling unsure of yourself?" Curling onto the bed next to him.

"Liv, I've always been sure of my abilities – always knew what I wanted and went after it", smiling and pecking her on the cheek. "Throughout my military and professional careers I've always accomplished whatever I set my mind to. But government - that's a different ball of wax."

"Babe, you might not know how our local government works – not yet any way – but you do bring a lot of experience to the job. Fitz, you went to one of the most prestigious military academies in the world. That kind of education and leadership training counts for a lot. You're an attorney who spent 12 years in the Navy as a captain, defending enlisted men and women. Then you started your own successful business, negotiating some of the most complex and lucrative contracts for multinationals. As a business entrepreneur you understand the policies that need to be put in place to make it easier for businesses to grow - for the city to grow. I would say all of that experience qualifies you to sit in the Council President's seat. You'll learn whatever else you need to know."

"I have to get busy defining my legislative agenda for the next four years. It has to go to committee when Wilson presents his budget for the next fiscal year to the Council in March. I also have to prepare for my first Council session next week. It's a lot."

"March is going to be a busy month", she says half to herself, thinking about the Women's Day and World Water Day events. "I have to go over to the foundation tomorrow. It's been awhile since I've been there."

"I'm sure Mona has everything under control."

 **XXX**

Olivia steps off the elevator onto the third floor of City Hall, her heels clickety-clacketing on the Alabama marble floors as she makes her way to the offices of the President of the City Council. Her husband called asking her to meet him at his office after business hours. He did not tell her why he wanted her to drive all the way into the city after work hours. She is thankful her parents were more than willing to watch Cena Jolie tonight and forego going over to Triumph Tabernacle. When Olivia approaches the reception area of Fitz' offices she is surprised to see Victoria is still at her desk working.

"Good evening, Victoria", Olivia says pleasantly, thinking the young woman still looks very fresh at this hour of the day.

"Good evening, Mrs. Grant", Victoria says, looking up from her computer monitor and smiling politely.

"You're working late tonight, Victoria."

"The Council President has been generating a lot of work for me, ma'am. I'm just trying to keep up."

"I see", Olivia smiles, thinking the young woman just called her _ma'am_ , as she walks toward Fitz' office door.

"I'll let the Council President know you're here", reaching for the phone situated on the desk.

"That won't be necessary, Victoria, my husband is expecting me", Olivia replies as she grabs the doorknob and walks into the office. Victoria smiles tightly and returns the phone to its cradle.

"What can I do you for, mister?" Olivia asks playfully when she sees her husband reclining in the chair with a foot planted on the edge of the desk keenly focused on whatever he is reading.

He looks up with a huge smile, tosses the document onto the desk, and immediately walks across the room. Pulling her close, he kisses down her neck and she giggles like a schoolgirl and Victoria rolls her eyes.

"I love you", he mutters, kissing her deeply and caressing her bottom.

"Fitz", she whines. "Is this why you wanted me to come all the way down here – to make-out in your office?"

"Yes", pressing her against the desk and devouring her mouth.

"You couldn't wait until you got home tonight?" Grazing the hairs at the nape of his neck with her fingers.

"Excuse me, sir", Victoria says, standing inside the doorway, interrupting the steamy make-out session.

Olivia looks over her husband's shoulder at the young woman standing in the doorway and Fitz turns and looks at Victoria.

"Yes, Ms. Sanchez", not bothering to remove his hands from Olivia's waist.

"I will be leaving shortly, sir, and I just wanted to check if you needed anything else before I left for the evening."

"I have everything I need, Ms. Sanchez", he smiles. "Have a good night."

"Good night, sir", returning the smile. "And good night to you as well, Mrs. Grant."

"Good night, Victoria." Olivia slides from her husband's embrace and straightens the photograph of their wedding day on his desk.

"Babe, what did you want? Why am I here?"

"Tomorrow is my first Council session. I want to show you the Chambers."

"Babe, have you forgotten, I've testified in front of Council many times?" Looking around and thinking about the many meetings she had with Marla in this office.

"I know, but I want you to see it with me – alone – while it's empty. It's going to be a madhouse in there tomorrow."

"Aww, babe, are you nervous about leading your first Council session", straightening his tie.

"When I'm sitting in there tomorrow I want to imagine you are there with me."

"That's so sweet", pecking him on the lips.

After a few minutes of eavesdropping on the couple's conversation, Victoria grabs her purse from the desk drawer and hustles down the hall to the elevator.

 **XXX**

Fitz and Olivia walk hand-in-hand down the hall, away from his suite of office, heading toward Room 300, the City Council Chambers, where all Council meetings and hearings are held.

"Babe, I've been in this room many times and I don't think I've ever really appreciated its beauty", scanning the architecture of the gallery level.

"The detail is amazing – the columns, pilasters, cornices …. There's a lot of history in this room, Liv."

"This brass rail that surrounds the room helps to separate the Council members and their staff from the visitors", she says, and he nods, wondering if Council sessions ever get raucous.

"I have to hire a new Sergeant-at-Arms", the current one is retiring next month.

"Sit in your seat, babe. Sit on your throne."

"We don't have royalty in this country, Liv."

"So serious", she says, grabbing his hand and pulling him toward the raised platform at the front of the gallery.

 **XXX**

Fitz walks from the closet sliding on his white shirt and smiles when he sees Olivia sitting on the bed playing with Jolie.

"How's my Angel this morning?" He coos at a drooling Jolie before pecking her on the cheek. Jolie grabs his nose and he pretends to yowl in pain, which elicits a toothless grin from her.

"Babe, don't wear that shirt – wear the blue one I hung on the valet."

"Why?" He asks, standing up straight and tapping Jolie on the nose.

"Because it complements your eyes nicely. You want to dazzle the audience today."

"I wish you would come with me", he says walking back into the closet to get the blue shirt.

"I told you, babe, it's not appropriate for your wife to hang out with you on the job. This is your first Council session. You want the people to take you seriously. We'll be watching you on TV, right Miss Jo?" She says, clapping the little girl's hands together.

 **XXX**

Darius walks briskly into the reception area that leads to the Council President's office and nods to the young man sitting on the chair in the corner of the room holding a stack of binders on his lap. He breezes past Victoria's desk without as much as a nod or grunt and walks into Fitz' office.

"Good morning, Fitz", Darius says with exuberance, walking over to the credenza that holds the assortment of beverages and fresh fruit. He pours himself a glass of cranberry juice and downs half of the liquid in a single gulp.

"Good morning, Darius", Fitz says, watching as the man refills his glass.

"I just wanted to stop by to check if you're ready for this", Darius says, walking across the room and standing in front of the desk. "This is the start of a new era – the Grant Era," he says enthusiastically.

"As ready as I'm going to be", Fitz says, gathering today's session docket from his desk.

"Your research assistant, Darrin, will escort you to Chambers. He will sit directly behind you throughout the session. If you need anything – _anything_ \- just turn and whisper it to him. But make sure your microphone is off, you don't want to get caught saying anything on a hot mic."

Fitz nods and Darius downs the remainder of the juice, walks back over to the credenza, and sets the empty glass onto the tray.

"I gotta get to my seat", pushing up his shirt sleeve to look at his watch. "Council will be starting in 15 minutes. I'll see you out there Mr. President", Darius smiles brightly as he walks into the reception area.

"Have a good day, Councilman Moton", Victoria says in a syrupy voice.

After Darius leaves the room, Fitz walks over to the large palladium window, and inhales deeply. He wishes Olivia were here. Seeing her before he has to address the Council for the first time would definitely help to relax him.

"Sir", Victoria says, walking into the office. "It's time." She can tell he is nervous.

"Thank you, Ms. Sanchez", turning from the window and smiling at her weakly. He slides on his jacket and rakes a hand through the side of his head. "Well, I guess I better get going", he says, beginning to leave the office.

"Wait – wait", Victoria says quickly and he looks at her curiously. "Your tie, sir. It's a little crooked", she says, reaching up and straightening the knot. Then she swipes her hands across his shoulders, brushing away the lint from his jacket. "There, that's better. Now you're perfect", stepping back and admiring the man standing before her, thinking the pale blue shirt accentuates his blue eyes.

"Thank you, Ms. Sanchez", returning her polite smile before hurrying from the office. He looks over at the young man who is sitting nervously in the corner waiting to escort him to the Council Chambers.

 **XXX**

When Fitz enters the Council Chambers through the side door he is immediately greeted with a standing ovation and is taken aback by the applause and cheers and the number of people in attendance. He knows Council meetings are open to the public but he certainly did not expect this level of turnout. Every seat in the main gallery is taken and television cameras are situated in front of the stage. The weekly City Council meetings are televised live on cable. He looks up to the fourth floor gallery level, which serves to seat overflow crowds, and sees that level is packed with people as well. He is overwhelmed, so he waves to the crowd for a few minutes before taking his seat.

After the applause dies down, the Sergeant-at-Arms calls the meeting to start and officially introduces Fitzgerald Thomas Grant the Third as the new President of the City Council. And once again, the crowd goes wild. He stands, shakes the Sergeant-at Arms hand, then walks over to the podium.

 **XXX**

Olivia sits at home in the family room with her parents smiling proudly as she watches the crowd stand to welcome her husband to the City Council. She thinks he looks absolutely handsome as he waves to the crowd. She also knows he is nervous.

"Fitzgerald looks uncomfortable", Gwendolyn says, looking at the television screen.

"I think he might be a little nervous, mom - and tired. He was up late last night revising his speech."

"Uhm – hmm", Gwendolyn says, eyes still fixed on the screen.

"He's ready to begin", Calvin says excitedly, leaning forward in his chair.

 **XXX**

For the next 45 minutes the Council President Grant revisits the commitments he made during the campaign. He goes on to explain to the Council and the public he is working on his legislative agenda and, talks at a high level, about his aspirations for the next four years. He knows the public is anxious to hear about his legislative plans. People do not like being denied information about the running of their government, so he gives them just enough information to whet their appetites. And, he assures everyone his agenda will be ready in March, as dictated by the City Charter, and that he is ready to start leading the legislative process.

 **XXX**

Mayor Theodore Wilson reclines in the plush leather chair in his office located two floors above the Council Chambers where the new president will is preparing to lead his first Council session. With klieg lights burning bright and cameras flashing, the man looks like a matinee idol as he smiles and waves to the standing crowd. Wilson puffs hard on the glowing cigar and grimaces as the golden boy strolls confidently across the stage and stands behind the podium. His lips curl down as he listens to Grant deliver a high-level overview of his legislative agenda, which is in direct conflict with the budget he and his administration are drafting for the next fiscal year.

He looks at the desk drawer and downs the remainder of the bourbon before unlocking the drawer and retrieving the buzzing burner phone. He inhales deeply then taps the green phone icon to answer the call. And without preamble, a voice screams through the phone.

"If you want to stay out of jail then you better fix this. I didn't hear a damn thing in Grant's speech about privatizing the police department." The phone goes dead before Wilson can offer a response.

 **XXX**

Cena and Bowtie take off running from the family room and down the hall when they hear the alarm system chime, and Jolie looks up from the play mat as her sister and the dog scamper away.

"Daddy, daddy", Cena says out of breath. "We have a surprise for you", bouncing up and down excitedly as her father sets his briefcase onto the floor next to the foyer table. Bowtie barks and spins around just as excitedly as Fitz hangs his coat into the closet.

"You do?" Swooping up his excited daughter and petting Bowtie on the head. "What's my surprise?" Carrying her toward the family room with Bowtie following closely behind on his heels.

"Mommy say it's a secret."

"A secret, hunh?" And Cena nods her head up and down. He looks over at Jolie who has given up trying to crawl to where the action is happening and is starting to cry.

"What's the matter, Angel?" Fitz asks, picking up his baby, now trying to juggle both daughters in his arms.

"JoJo can't walk, daddy. She cries when me and Bowtie leave the room."

"Bowtie and I", Olivia says, walking into the room from the kitchen drying her hands on a towel. She pecks her husband on the lips and takes Jolie from his arms, who grabs her mother's necklace. "I saw your first Council session. I've never seen that room so packed in all the years I've been going there. You're very popular, babe. Everyone loves you."

"It was pretty amazing", he says, standing Cena onto the floor. He removes his suit jacket and tosses it onto the arm of the sofa. Then he loosens his tie and rolls up his shirt sleeves. "I didn't expect such a welcome – pretty overwhelming."

"The people are ready for change, babe. You have some time before dinner is ready, do you want to shower first?" Pulling her necklace out of Jolie's mouth.

"Daddy, me and – mommy and I made you a surprise", Cena announces again.

"You did?" And she nods her head vigorously.

"Because you're president."

"You have to say of City Council, sweetheart", he says, tousling the little girl's head of curls.

"Because you're of City Council", she says innocently, which causes her mother and father to burst into laughter. Jolie starts laughing too because her mother father are laughing and Bowtie jumps up and down excitedly.

"No, Cee", Olivia says. "You have to say daddy is the _president_ _of City Council_."

"Oh", Cena says, nonplussed by her parents' laughter. "Come on, Bowtie let's go play in my room." Jolie starts to cry again when she sees her sister and the family pet begin to leave the room.

"Dinner in 30 minutes, Cena", Olivia calls out.

"Okay, mommy", Cena says, walking from the room with her new best friend.

"I'll shower later", Fitz says, taking Jolie from Olivia's arms. "Don't cry, Angel", kissing the baby on her reddened cheek. "You'll be able to walk soon enough", he says sitting onto the sofa and patting the crying baby on her back. He then lifts Jolie up and down in the air and she squeals with joy.

"So what's my surprise?" He calls in the kitchen to Olivia and smiling at the drooling baby as he lifts her in the air again.

"If I tell you then it won't be a surprise", Olivia yells from the kitchen.

"Where are your parents?" He asks, bending and picking up the toy Jolie has thrown onto the floor.

"They're over at Triumph - working on a project with Rev. Walker. They're going to be over there most evenings for a while."

He nods as he stretches his arm to pick up the toy again, finally realizing Jolie likes to throw the toy onto the floor so he can pick it up.

 **XXX**

After the girls are bathed and tucked into their beds for the night, Fitz and Olivia wind down for the evening. Olivia performs her nightly routine of massaging her favorite body butter onto her legs as Fitz looks at his tablet.

"Did I look as nervous as I felt?" He asks as she massages the rich cream onto her leg.

"You looked handsome and confidant", she reassures him, and he nods.

"Now that I've led my first Council session the grace period is officially over. The people are going to expect me to get down to managing the legislative business. I have to figure how I'm going to deliver on my campaign promises. Liv. I had no idea school choice was such a complex issue – a hot-button issue when I told the gang I would support it. I've had Darrin doing a lot of research on the matter for me. I have a lot to learn."

"Research is only going to take you so far, babe."

"What do you mean?" Looking up from his tablet.

"I mean education is a people issue – and very personal. Maybe you should talk to more people – not just Marcella and her friends – to get a broader understanding of the topic.

As if in deep thought, he furrows his brow and nods his head slowly as he posts the picture Olivia snapped of Cena feeding him his chocolate cupcake surprise. Of course she missed his mouth and got chocolate icing on his nose.

"Maybe you should meet with the head of the School Board, and the head of the teachers union – parents too - to hear all sides", she says, rubbing the rich cream onto her arm.

"That's a good idea, Liv", he says, looking up from his tablet and watching her rub the cream onto her arm. He does not know why, but in this moment, watching her dip her fingers into the jar of cream, he thinks about how much he missed watching her slather that stuff over her body every night when she left him and went away to Mirage for two months.

"I'll have Ms. Sanchez schedule meetings with everyone", watching as she screws the lid onto the jar and sets it onto the nightstand. He sets the tablet onto his nightstand and tosses his reading glasses on top.

"Come here", he smiles, pulling her to him. "Have I told you lately how smart you are and how much I love you?" Looking into her eyes with all sincerity.

"No", she giggles, as he pins her onto the bed with his weight.

"You are smart. You are beautiful. And I love you very, very much", punctuating each declaration with a kiss.

"So horny lately", feeling his burgeoning erection against her thigh.

"You know I can never get enough of you. Never could. Never will", he says huskily, sliding down her panties and quickly discarding his underwear. "I love the way you smell. The way you taste", pushing up the nightgown and brushing his lips over a breast. "You always drive me crazy", sliding in effortlessly and she instinctually wraps her legs around his waist. Her heart begins to dissolve because after all these years of marriage he still loves her and wants her as much as he did the first time they made love. She takes his face between her hands and looks into his eyes and he takes her breath away. She kisses him in a way that expresses her never-ending love and they ride each other with the intensity of long-time lovers, grunting and moaning unabashedly.

Bowtie's ears perk up and he turns his head in the direction of the sounds coming from the bedroom down the hall. He springs from his bed, trots down the long hall, and stands in front of the door. He listens to the familiar sounds for a moments then lie on the floor outside the bedroom, guarding the occupants.

 **XXX**

"Ms. Sanchez, can you come in here for a moment, please?" Speaking into the intercom on his desk phone. Victoria grabs her tablet and quickly bounces from her seat.

"Yes, Mr. Grant", balancing the tablet on her wrist, poised to take notes.

"Can you schedule a lunch meeting for next week with the people on this list?" Handing her a sheet of paper. She looks at the list of unfamiliar names and smiles at his slanted scrawl.

"Of course", she says, turning to leave the office.

"And Ms. Sanchez, we'll dine in here - in my office."

"Of course", she says, turning to leave again.

"One more thing, Ms. Sanchez", and Victoria turns and waits for his next request. "Please make sure there is an assortment of cookies with the lunch."

"You got it", not pegging him for a person who eats a lot of sweets, at least not from the looks of his body.

"And schedule meetings with the people on this list as well", giving her a second sheet of paper. "Thank you", he says, looking back down to finish reviewing the latest monthly budget report.

 **XXX**

As Olivia walks toward the foundation she digs into her purse searching for her phone. The new security system requires her to enter the security code using the app on her phone. Juggling the bags she is carrying, she punches in the code to disarm the alarm system. Mona smiles when she hears the system beeping and hurries from her office and down the hall to greet her friend and employer.

" _Olivia"_ , Mona squeals with outstretched arms. "It's so good to see you. You look absolutely beautiful", hugging Olivia to the point of almost cutting of her circulation in the shoulders and crushing the bags she is carrying.

"It's so good to see you too, Mona", Olivia smiles happily because she is genuinely happy to see her friend. They have not seen each other since a few days after Fitz and Cena were discharged from Mercy Hospital, although they have talked on the phone frequently.

"Come on back, Olivia", Mona says excitedly. "And give me those bags. What do you have in these bags anyway?" Shuffling from the waiting room and down the hall to the offices.

"I have a few things for you."

"For me?" She says, looking over her shoulder at Olivia who is following her down the hall.

"Mona, it's just a little something to thank you for keeping things going around here while …."

"Aww, baby, that's so sweet of you. Sit down."

Olivia sits on one of the chairs in front of Mona's desk and sets her pocketbook on top of the desk.

"How are you doing, Olivia - really? You've been through so much over these last few months."

"Mona, everything has been so surreal. One day we are on our way to the house to celebrate Cena's birthday and Fitz winning the election and the next minute we're in a horrible accident - well it wasn't an accident. My family almost died, Mona."

"I know - I know. I knew that Charlie was a pain in the ass, but I had no idea he was this sick. When I read the report in the newspaper I was flabbergasted. It was like reading something out of a crime novel."

"I had no idea how he felt about me, Mona, not until Chief Schuller told us what was in that diary."

"I can't believe the newspaper actually printed those macabre excerpts from that so-called diary."

"Do you think I led Charlie on Mona – gave him hope?"

"No – no", Mona says, frowning as she waves a hand in the air. "I'm not going to let you do that to yourself - not today. Charlie was a sick bastard, Olivia. You're not responsible for someone being attracted to you. I saw Charlie every time he slithered in here. You never led him on." Olivia stares at Mona because she has never heard the woman use so many cuss words.

"Mona, it's all so unbelievable. If I weren't living through this I would think it was all a nightmare."

"You're going to get past this, baby. It's just going to take some time. How are the girls doing?" Olivia smiles when she thinks about her daughters. They always make her smile.

"They're all doing fine now, but Mona it was tough going for a while", getting misty-eyed again. Mona rubs a hand up and down Olivia's back to comfort her. "I didn't know if Cena would ever walk again, and that was scary. Fitz refused to let her go to therapy because she was afraid of getting into another car after what happened. He wanted to handle things his way. My family was falling apart, Mona."

"I'm so sorry, baby."

"And Mona, we almost lost Jolie."

" _What?"_

"She almost suffocated in her crib. Somehow – I don't know how – but a blanket got tangled over her face. She always kicked the blankets off at night - mom says she gets too hot. We were all asleep - everybody had been through so much and we were just exhausted. I didn't hear my baby crying out for help, Mona. I didn't know she couldn't breathe", tears running down her cheeks again.

"Oh, baby", Mona says, taking Olivia's hands into hers.

"Cena heard her sister screaming. Mona, Cena saved Jolie while I was sleeping. What kind of mother am I who doesn't hear her own baby crying out for help?"

"You can't go there, Olivia. Everybody knows how much you love those girls."

"Cena found the courage to walk, Mona. After all of this time of being afraid to walk my brave little girl got up. She got up from that bed and walked to the nursery. She removed the blanket from her sister's face - she saved her baby sister's life." She omits the blanket wrapped around Jolie's face is the blanket Mona gave to Jolie. There is no point in causing more upset.

"Praise Jesus", Mona says, clasping her hands together in prayer.

"You need a break, baby. You all have been through so much. Thank god you have your parents here to help you."

"My parents have been such a big help. I don't know if I could have gotten through all of this without them. I'm really going to miss them when they go back to Senegal", she says sadly.

"When are they going back? Have they set a date?"

"They want to return as soon as possible. They've stayed this long to help Fitz and me – help all of us get back on track."

"And to spend time with those beautiful grandbabies too, I'm sure", Mona says with a smile.

"I really wish they could stay – I've missed them so much. The girls are just getting to know them. Skype-ing just isn't the same as having them here", Olivia says sadly.

"Do you think they can stay – move back to the States?"

"No, they have obligations over there. They were in the middle of opening a new school for Triumph."

"I see", Mona says, studying Olivia's face closely. "Well, you never know, Olivia. Those grandbabies just might be enough to change their minds", and Olivia smiles weakly. "And what about that husband of yours - how is Fitz doing?" Olivia runs a hand through her hair and sighs.

"We're good now, Mona. But for a while I thought this thing was going to break us. He became so distant for a while - spending all of his time with Cena – trying to make her feel safe enough to walk again."

"Everybody knows how much that man loves his Cena."

"But after JoJo almost – we both had to decide to make some changes. We got a dog – well Fitz got Cena a dog for her birthday."

"I'm so sorry I couldn't be there, Olivia. I had to go visit my brother for the holidays. We're not sure how many more he's going to have."

"Aww Mona, I'm so sorry", squeezing the woman's hand. "Here I am going on about my problems and you're dealing with your own."

"I'm fine, Olivia, really. I've made peace with my brother's condition. He chose that lifestyle and now it's catching up with him."

"Well let me know if there is anything I can do – if you need anything. And take off whatever time you need. I can handle the foundation."

"Thank you, Olivia, I really appreciate the offer, but I won't be going back to Newport", and Olivia nods. "So you have a dog? I thought you disliked dogs."

"My husband thought it would be a good birthday gift for Cena – kind of like a therapy dog." Mona furrows her brow in confusion. "Bowtie, that's the puppy's name, and Cena are inseparable. She is so happy with him."

"I see. I must get over there to see Bowtie. I love dogs – they're great company", and Olivia groans silently thinking not another dog lover as Mona pours each of them a cup of tea.

"You put Marla away nicely, Olivia", handing Olivia a cup as she sits on the chair next to her. "The arrangements were beautiful. She looked as elegant as ever."

"I wanted to honor her, Mona. As her friend and the executrix of her estate I needed to do the right thing."

"Your eulogy was definitely thought-provoking for everybody in the church. While Marla did some things …." Shaking her head as she sips the tea.

"We've all done terrible things, Mona."

"What's going to happen Thandee - her daughter?"

"Well her expenses are all paid for another six months. After that I will use Marla's savings to pay for her stay there. And once those funds are exhausted - well I'll just have to think of something else. This is a tragedy no matter how you look at it."

Mona shakes her head.

"Take a look at this, Mona", Olivia says, digging into the bag and pulling out a framed picture of Cena and Jolie sitting together. I didn't forget I promised to replace your picture after the flood."

"Oh my, there's my Jolie. She might have your eyes Olivia, but she is all Fitz. You're blessed, Olivia - truly blessed", Mona says, setting the picture of the two smiling girls onto the corner of her desk.

"I certainly am, Mona."

"And Cena has gotten so tall. She looks like you more and more every day, even though she has Fitz' eyes. By the way, I saw Fitz being sworn in last week, he was looking as handsome as ever."

"Could you tell he was nervous?"

"Just a teeny-tiny bit", Mona says, holding her index finger and thumb slightly apart and the two old friends burst out laughing.

"Well I guess we better get some business done, we have a lot to do", Olivia says and Mona opens her tablet and taps the calendar app.

"This year International Women's Day is March 8 and World Water Day is March 22."

"Sheesh, did anybody ever think it might not be such a good idea to have two significant events in the same month?" Olivia say playfully.

"There are all kinds of events throughout the year, Olivia. The two we're involved in just happen to fall in the same month. Maybe we should have our heads examined."

"Maybe we should start a petition requesting one event be moved to another month."

"And who would we send the petition too?" Mona asks with a hand on her hip.

"I have no idea", Olivia says, and they burst out laughing again. "Mona, this feels good. It feels like old times."

"It does", Mona says as she looks at the calendar. "The events will be held at the Convention Center this year. I have already ordered the signage for both events. Rev. Walker and the other ministers have agreed once again to shuttle their members who need transportation to the Convention Center. Our table will be set up in the main concourse this year."

"Wow, we're moving on up, Mona."

"You've done a lot for this community, Olivia. Securing funding to replace this old pipes in the homes in Springfield Heights was huge. I'm sure they're going to want you to speak at the Women's Day event."

"Mona, so much has been happening with my family – I wouldn't feel comfortable taking time away from them – not right now."

"I understand, Olivia. I have everything under control here – don't worry."

"I know, and I can't thank you enough. But, Mona …" Olivia begins slowly. "I would also like you to be the face of the foundation at the two events."

" _What?"_

"Yes. I don't plan to attend either one this year, but I will support you behind the scenes – in any way you need."

"I've never done this alone, Olivia", Mona says nervously.

"Mona, you can do this. You know this information as well - if not better than I do." Mona frowns and starts pacing around the small office.

"And, Mona, as the face of the foundation, I would like for you to speak at the Women's Day event."

" _What?"_ Mona stops pacing and looks at Olivia with panic on her face.

"I received the invitation to speak last month. I know you can do this, Mona."

" _Ready? I'm not ready. I've never spoken publicly. I wouldn't know what to say. I'd be too nervous. All of those people looking at me. No – no, Olivia. I can't do it"_ , shaking nervously.

"Calm down, Mona", Olivia says, walking over to the woman who is close to hyperventilating. "I'll help you. We can write the speech together and you can practice delivering to me."

"I don't know, Olivia", Mona says nervously.

"Sit down, Mona. Drink your tea", handing the panic-stricken women her cup.

"I'm going to need something stronger than tea."

"Mona, you don't even drink alcohol", Olivia chuckles.

"I just started", Mona says looking wild-eyed.

 **XXX**

As Fitz' meeting with Councilman Johnson, who is the chairman of the Appropriations Committee, comes to a close, he looks at his watch and quickly excuses himself. He hates to be late so he hurries back to his office to meet his lunch guests who are scheduled to arrive in 10 minutes.

"Mr. Grant, the lunch is all set up in your office", Victoria says, looking up from her monitor.

"Thank you, Ms. Sanchez. They should be here any minute", he says, walking into his office. Victoria nods demurely and resumes pecking on the keyboard.

Marcella and her cohort step off the elevator and walk down the hall toward suite 317, where the Council President offices are located.

"This is nothing like Grant Enterprises", Marcus says, glancing around the hall.

"It's government", Rashid says. "They're not supposed to live like the titans of industry."

"Besides, this place was built between 1871 and 1901", says Jason. Impressed with his knowledge, Marcella glances at Jason and smiles as they approach the reception area. Victoria continues to type rapidly on the keyboard, not bothering to look up from the monitor.

"Hello", Marcella says politely. "My name is Marcella Andersen and these are my friends. We have an appointment with Council President Grant."

Victoria continues to type the next two sentences in the document before looking up and acknowledging the four people standing in front of her desk. Jason nudges Rashid with his elbow when the attractive woman finally looks at them. Victoria scans the group and twitches her lips in disdain.

"A business meeting", Jason interjects, and Victoria does everything within her power not to roll her eyes at annoying boy.

"And you are?" Looking at the group as if she needs to wipe something from the bottom of her shoe.

"His _advisers_ ", Marcella says tersely, taking a step closer to the desk." Victoria rolls her eyes at the crew, stands from her seat, and swipes the front of her dress with her hands before walking over to the office door.

"Follow me, please."

With knitted brows, Marcella watches the woman sway her hips as she walks toward the office wearing the too-tight dress and stilettos. Rashid nudges Jason as all the men admire the Victoria's form.

"Mr. Grant, your lunch appointment has arrived", standing aside and letting the group enter the office. Fitz stands to his feet immediately and walks from around the desk when he sees his young friends. Victoria watches as his face lights up when he sees the motley crew.

"Marcella, Rashid, Marcus, and Jason; it so good to see you", giving each one a hug.

"It's good to see you too Mr. Grant. I hope you're well", Marcella says.

"You had us worried for a minute Mr. G", Jason says.

"Well I'm better now—we're all doing much better."

"I can't believe what happened. I can't believe that crazy many tried to …." Marcella elbows Jason.

"Well, I'm so glad Mrs. Grant and the children are all doing okay. Tell her I said hello", Marcella says.

"I will. Have a seat, please", beckoning them toward the conference table. "And thank you for the flowers. That was so thoughtful of you."

"That was the least we could do", Marcus says.

"Your social media followers were concerned about you and the family, Mr. Grant.", Jason adds. "I see you're back online."

"I am."

"I've seen the pictures of your daughters, Mr. Grant, they've gotten so big since …."

"And you have dog, too? He just the cutest thing", Marcella says.

"Will there be anything else, Mr. Grant?" Victoria asks, interrupting the reunion. Marcella looks over at the woman who is dressed like she is going on a date or looking for a date.

"No, that will be all Ms. Sanchez. Thank you."

"She's fine, Mr. Grant", Jason says excitedly once Victoria has left the room and Fitz furrows his brow not understanding what Jason means.

"He means your assistant is attractive", Marcus clarifies for him.

"I see", Fitz says.

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed", Rashid says.

"I'm a married man, Rashid. Besides, we don't discuss employees in that manner."

"You're not a blind man, Mr. Grant", Rashid persists.

"Let's have lunch and we can talk about school choice", Fitz says, ending the discussion about his assistant.

"Dang, this is like old times", Jason says, looking at the assortment of food spread on the credenza, and Fitz smiles because it does seem like old times.

"Mr. Grant, urban poverty is directly linked to urban policy", Rashid says. "Money has to lead the discussion. It means–"

"We can't focus on social issues at the expense of economic issues", Marcus says. "There also has to be an economic aspect to a social agenda."

"But an education agenda should be a no-brainer", Marcella says.

"No legislation is a slam-dunk, Marcella - not even education. Money has to be appropriated to pay for it", Fitz says.

"It's about sustained interest - pressure - making sure policymakers hear what we have to say", Marcella says.

"Exactly", Fitz says. "But there are high costs for social welfare programs", Fitz says.

"Funding education is not a social welfare", Rashid interjects.

"Mr. Grant, we're happy you invited us here to discuss policy and not just to socialize", Rashid says.

"I made a promise. I keep my promises", Fitz says.

They all look up when there is a knock at the door and Victoria enters the room.

"I'm sorry to disturb your lunch, sir, but your next meeting starts in 10 minutes."

"I didn't realize I had another meeting. I thought we were scheduled for the rest of the afternoon", Fitz says, looking down at his watch.

"It's with the chairman of the Education Committee", she offers and Fitz huffs and looks at his friends helplessly.

"I am so sorry, we'll have to continue this meeting at another time. Give Ms. Sanchez a date that works best for you and I will make sure my calendar is clear."

"No problem, Mr. Grant", Marcus says. "You're a busy man."

"I am truly sorry for the confusion", he says, standing and sliding on his jacket. "And Jason, take those cookies with you", he says with a smile as he leaves the office.

 **XXX**

"Liv, it was like old times today. I really enjoyed my meeting with the gang. We had a lively discussion about the role of government in supporting their key issue. They are so smart."

"Well you knew that already, babe", sticking her head out the bathroom as she brushes her teeth. "It sounds like you had a good meeting."

"It was. Unfortunately, we had to cut the meeting short." Olivia rinses her mouth and sets the glass onto the counter.

"What do you mean cut it short? You had the afternoon carved out for them", looking at him strangely as she walks into the bedroom.

"I thought so, too but Ms. Sanchez came in around one o' clock to remind me I had a meeting with the Education Committee."

"Remind you? Fitz you're always conscious of your schedule."

"I know, but there is just so much I'm trying to learn and juggle right now. It seems like I've been forgetting things lately."

"Babe, you started a successful business – you've always been organized. I don't know why this is suddenly a problem."

"It's not a problem, Liv", looking down at his tablet.

"Well, I'm sure Marcella and her friends were disappointed", standing with her arms folded across her chest.

"We're going to meet again next month."

 **XXX**

"You get no sympathy from me", Olivia says, pushing past the sallow-looking woman holding the door open and seemingly barely able to keep herself erect. Olivia walks down the hall, through the dining room, and into to the kitchen carrying one of those square insulated lunch bags. She sets the bag onto the counter, pulls off her coat, and hangs it onto the back of the chair. Then she walks over to the stove and turns on the flame under the tea kettle.

"Jonathan knocked me up again", Abby says, looking as if she is ready to puke.

"So I had to find out about this at the confirmation? You looked like you were ready to keel over", Olivia says, standing in front of the stove with her arms folded across her chest and laughing hysterically. "Congratulations, Abbs. How far along are you?"

"Three months", Abby says, sitting at the table and resting her head in her hand. "I feel like crap – all day – every day. I told Jonathan no more after this one. I can't take it, Olivia."

"You said that the last time. How is my Ethan doing?" Olivia says with a smile as she opens the lunch bag.

"He's fine – over at Maura's. Who are you, Cena? Carrying around a lunch bag."

"Hildie's homemade chicken soup" she says, holding the large Mason jar in the air. "It fixes anything that ails you", smiling as she mimics the accent of one of those snake oil salesmen from a western movie.

"I'm tired of living on liquids", Abby says, plopping her head onto the table.

"Too bad", Olivia says, standing on her tip-toes and trying to retrieve a bowl from the overhead cabinet. She fills the bowl halfway with the elixir and sets it onto the table in front of Abby. She pulls the grater from the cabinet and begins to grate the ginger root.

"This smells really good, Olivia. Thank Hildie for me."

Olivia scoops two teaspoons of the ginger into a mug and pours in the boiling water. She grabs spoons from drawer and sits at the table with Abby.

"Eat the soup and drink the ginger tea. It'll help settle your stomach."

"Who's the nurse, you or me?" Abby snarks.

"I see pregnancy hasn't dulled your sharp tongue", Olivia says in a low chortle.

"This is really good, Liv. I never use the fresh ginger. I just by the teabags."

"My mom uses a lot of fresh ginger in her tea. She has tons of it in the frig,"

"So is your mother pregnant too?" Abby quips and the two friends burst out laughing.

"Please, Abby, I don't want to imagine my mother and father having sex", covering her eyes with her hand. "So why am I just finding out you're with child?"

"Olivia you and your family have been through so much over these past few months - there just wasn't a good time to tell you. How is everyone doing – how are the girls? You look good, by the way."

"We're all better, Abby. Cena is back in school and JoJo – well she wants to walk so badly."

"She's going to be a terror when she does", Abby says, taking another sip of tea. "And that stupid dog, how are you handling that mongrel living in your house? Did you strangle Fitzgerald for that little surprise?"

"I don't handle it - that's Fitz and Cena's job – and my mother's too. I can't believe how much she loves that dog. Fitz and I had a chance to go up to the lake house. We really needed to get away for some alone time."

"That's good, Olivia", blowing onto the spoonful of soup. "I bet you two were over the walls and ceiling." Olivia laughs and throws the dish towel at Abby.

"We had Marion and Ben over for dinner - to thank them for everything", she says softly.

"That's good. What's up with the two of them anyway? They seem like an odd pair. Benjamin is so quiet – such an introvert. And Marion – well she definitely is not."

"Ben, is sensitive and kind, Abby. But no one should ever mistake him a pushover. Ben can be very assertive when necessary."

"Well you should know", Abby says and Olivia rolls her eyes.

"I think they will be good for each other. Ben seems happy."

"Does Marion know about –"

"Abigail, that's all in the past. More tea?"

"No, and I'm going to save the rest of this wonderful soup for later", pushing the bowl aside. "Well, you tell _Dr. Marion_ to back off my best friend - I had first dibs on you. I see how she's cozying up to you."

"You're insane. Marion and I were working together on a project before all of this mess happened."

"Speaking of insane, do you know what's going on with Nora? She's been away for a while now at that expensive nut house. Jonathan doesn't know a thing."

" _Abby_ ", Olivia says with a warning tone and Abby gives her a _what-did-I-say_ look. "

" _What?"_ Abby says, feigning innocence.

"I don't know, Abbs. I hope she's getting better. I have to visit Maura and get an update."

"What's the matter, Olivia?" Watching her friend play nervously with the napkin on the table.

"Nothing", Olivia says, standing quickly and taking the dishes over the sink.

"Spill it, Olivia."

"Abbs, I would give anything to feel the way you're feeling right now."

"Olivia, don't do this to yourself. You know –"

"I know – I know. But Fitz agreed we could see a specialist."

"Olivia, you are all trying to get your lives back together. Besides Jolie isn't even a year old yet."

"All that's true, Abby, but it doesn't quell the desire."

"Let things calm down for a while. Fitzgerald is just starting a new job."

"I know, and with us moving to the city –"

" _What?"_ Abby squeals. _"You're moving?"_

"Well, I'm still trying to convince Fitz to move to the city", Olivia says with a twinkle in her eyes.


	37. Chapter 37 Grocery Shopping

**AN: Monica,** always enjoy reading your analysis and how you connect the dots, but still have questions. All questions will be answered in upcoming chapters. **LadyMDSmalls,** Olitz will have some happy – for a while. Haven't heard the word skank in a long time. And, what's up with Darius? Hmmm. **MariposaMorena** , glad you're enjoying the story. There should not be any shame about mental health. Also glad you're enjoying the natural timeline. Trying to adhere to such a timeline slows down the pace of the story because it takes time to let things unfold. Many might not like this, but that is where we are for now. **Fifyfo** , no real undercurrent of hostility on Olivia's part – at least not yet. **Guest** , I believe there is honor in being a housewife and/or a stay-at-home mom. Being a mother is the most important job in the world, IMHO. Thanks to all of the Guest reviewers and new followers.

BTW, oftentimes I get reviews with a name and Guest in parentheses. Not sure how that works and don't have time to figure it out. I don't want to use anyone's name if that is not what is wanted. Let me know if you do not want your name mentioned in my notes.

A little late, but here it is. Tell me what you think. Here we go!

 **Chapter 37. Grocery Shopping**

Fitz is starting his second month as the President of the City Council and he is still in the learning mode. Everyday he seems to learn more about what he does not know about local government and the legislative proccess. He is learning doing the job is quite different than running for the job. During the election, Fitz' campaign platform centered on two main issues: economic development to revitalize the city and school reform. His supporters incorporated the message of change into the platform because they recognized the citizens had grown weary of the many scandal-plagued politicians who currently hold office. The citizens wanted someone different and they saw him as a welcomed and refreshing change, someone who would regain control of their taxpayers' dollars.

The rhetoric sounded really good while he was on the campaign trail, but now that he is actually in office, he is discovering other Council members have their personal agendas - bills they want to pass to better serve the community-at-large, or more shamefully, to serve special interest groups. And, they have all come knocking on his door to plead their case. In his first few weeks of being in office he was bombarded daily by Council members who wanted to meet to discuss their pet projects. Some were brazen enough to walk into his office without an appointment, and frankly, he was feeling overwhelmed. Fortunately for him, Ms Sanchez took control of the situation, stopping almost everyone from entering the office who did not have an appointment.

Since Ms Sanchez established the appointment-only rule, he has been able to reclaim control of his time, allowing him to develop a routine where mornings are dedicated to meeting with various Council members, other city officials, and local business leaders; and afternoons are spent reading policy documents. And, of course, he continues to meet weekly with his mentor for lunch; Darius' insights are proving to be invaluable. Little does Fitz know, however, everyone in Council quietly refers to Darius as the first among equals. They all know he has the Council President's ear.

 **XXX**

"Politics is all about getting re-elected or getting elected to a higher office", Darius says, opening his mouth wide and biting down onto the sandwich. Fitz frowns, waiting for the man to finish chewing and swallowing so he can receive his latest bit of sage advice. "Improving people's lives - well that's secondary."

"I thought politics was all about improving the lives of the people, whether at the local, state, or federal level", Fitz says, now biting into his sandwich and chewing.

"Fitz, the only way you can improve the lives of the people is by getting elected - over and over and over again. You can't change anything if you're on the outside looking in."

Fitz takes another bite of his sandwich and nods.

"But once you're elected, you have to decide what kind of politician you want to be. Do you want to be the kind that implements big policy strategies, because that's the only way you're going to make it to a higher office? Or, do you want to be a tactical politician, simply providing constituent services like fixing potholes, answering questions about taxes, making sure the snow is removed in the winter, and trash is picked up weekly. The citizens _might_ remember you at election time for doing those things, but if you do the really big stuff - then you're gold."

Darius stuffs a handful of vegetable chips into his mouth and watches as Fitz processes what he just said.

"Marla was all about constituent services - she never tackled the big issues - couldn't really. By getting into bed with Wilson she squandered a golden opportunity to make a real difference in this city. To make the big changes – the really big changes this city needs - you have to make alliances with the people you work with - not just the man upstairs", motioning his Styrofoam cup upward where the mayor sits on the fifth floor. "It's like running for office all over again, except you're trying to convince a whole different audience to support your goals. You have an opportunity to do that, Fitz", Darius says, taking another bite from the sandwich.

Fitz frowns, picks up his Styrofoam cup, and sucks the diet cola through the plastic straw.

"This school reform issue is a big, hairy mess, Darius. I had no idea what I was getting into when I committed to support education reform in exchange for support from community activists."

"Those kids don't know how things really work - how the game is played. They have a lot of ideas and their social media accounts, but what they don't realize is politics is all about making alliances – getting people on your side. They think all they have to do is sit in their mama's basements and rant on social media and things will magically change."

"They do much more than that, Darius. They are smart and well connected to the community."

"Well you say that because you like them. But they're not going to be the ones to get Council members to join your side when one of your bills is up for a vote. And, often times it's one or two Council members who will be the deciding factor - unless you overrule them. And you don't want to pull that trigger too often. Sure, you control the purse strings, but you also gotta control the vote. And it's your job as Council President to make sure there aren't a lot of close votes", Darius looks intently into Fitz' eyes. "And that only happens after you have had thoughtful dialog among all respective parties," he winks. "It's the backroom deal making that makes Council decisions smooth and consensual when ideas are finally put forth for a vote. This is how you get legislative results, not with those kids."

Fitz continues to frown.

"You're the famous negotiator aren't you?" Darius says, leaning back in his chair and folding his hands across his full, round belly. Fitz furrows his brow, not completing understanding what Darius is saying. "Then start negotiating - start meeting with the people who can help you do the big - biig things."

"Liv said I should meet with other stakeholders to get their perspectives on this school matter."

"Liv, is a smart woman, Fitz. You should listen to your wife more often."

"So she keeps telling me", Fitz says, and the two men laugh out loud until their laughter is interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Yes, Ms Sanchez", Fitz says, looking up at his assistant as he wipes the tears from eyes with the crumpled white paper napkin.

"If you are finished, sir, I'll just begin to remove the leftovers."

Fitz looks at Darius checking if his mentor wants more to eat. Darius curls down the corners of his mouth and waves his hand in the air dismissively.

"Thank you Ms Sanchez, I think we are done."

Victoria walks over to the credenza and begins to stack the leftovers onto the the tray. Then she walks over to the conference table where the two men are sitting to remove their plates.

"Darius, Liv wants to have you and Yvonne over for dinner soon. She said she will call Yvonne to set a date."

"That's fine, Fitz", Darius says, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

"May I take this, Councilman?" Victoria asks kindly, gesturing a hand toward his plate.

"I'm done here, Fitz", Darius mutters, standing and tossing his used napkin onto the plate. "I have to get back to work."

"Of course, and thanks again. I'll let Liv know you suggested I listen to her more often", slapping Darius on the back and chuckling as he walks his mentor to the door. "I'm sure she's going to love hearing that."

 **XXX**

Fitz spends the rest of the afternoon sitting at his desk poring over copies of legislation and the budget for the current fiscal year Darrin provided him earlier in the week. He has become more comfortable working in the office, in fact, he finds the architecture and the history of the room to be inspiring, although the decorative Second Empire-style furniture is definitely not his personal taste. Surrounded by a mountain of documents, he feels like he is in a cocoon, cozy and warm as the winter sun shines on the side of his face. He leans back in the chair and stares at the photograph of him and Olivia on their wedding day, ridiculously happy and grinning like two loons. His eyes roam to the photograph of the four of them, with Bowtie lying on the floor in front. Cena insisted the dog be included in the picture and he had to convince Olivia to go along with their daughter's wish.

He looks at the family photograph a while longer then stands and stares out the window. He stuffs his hands into his pants pockets and shakes his head, something is not right. For the past month he has been reading reams of reports and legislation, and what he is finding is disturbing at best. The city is in deep financial trouble, which he learned when he was running for office. However, he finds it amazing that not a lot has been done over the years to rectify the problem. He wonders why the recommendations to improve the quality of life in the city have not been acted on by the Council. He wonders why a number of other changes that were put in place by the administration and codified by City Council legislation have not happened. He strectches his back and rocks his head from side to side trying to remove the kinks. Darius is right, he needs to meet with a lot of people, and not just to make backroom deals. He needs to understand what has been going on around here.

As the sun begins to dip behind the horizon he looks at his watch and once again wonders where the day has gone. There is so much that needs to be done and he has barely scratched the surface. He slides on his suit jacket and grabs his overcoat hanging on the rack across the room before leaving the office.

"Good night, Ms. Sanchez."

"Good night, sir", Victoria says with a wide smile, watching the Council President pull on his overcoat as he walks down the hall toward the elevators. She looks at the time displayed in the bottom-right corner of the computer monitor and once again makes a mental note of the time he leaves.

 **XXX**

Olivia smiles and shakes her when she hears Cena and the dog take off running from the family room and down the hall to greet Fitz. It is the same routine every day and, like clockwork, nine-month-old Jolie begins to cry because she cannot make the trip with her sister and the family pet.

"Daddy, daddy", Cena yells excitedly, bouncing up and down and Bowtie barks and spins around as Fitz sets his briefcase onto the floor next to the foyer table.

"Hey, Princess", he says, smiling brightly, as he hangs his coat in the closet. "How is my favorite Princess doing?" Scooping up his daughter and pecking her on the cheek.

"Bowtie wants a kiss too, daddy", Cena says seriously, pointing to the dog who is looking up at him and panting with his tongue hanging out.

"How about I pat Bowtie on the head. Will that be all right?" Cena nods her head up and down and watches as her father pats Bowtie on the head, which causes Bowtie to become more excited.

"Daddy, Miss Atkins say we're going on a trip."

"And where are you going?

Cena frowns and places her index finger on her lips, trying to remember the destination of her class trip. Bowtie looks up at her as if he is also waiting to hear where she is going.

"I don't know. I forgot."

"Well, let daddy know when you remember. Okay?"

Cena nods her head up and down as her father carries her into the family room where Jolie is struggling to crawl off the mat.

"Come on, JoJo", Fitz says sympathetically as he bends and picks up the crying baby.

"JoJo was standing again, daddy, but she has to hold on to the chair", Cena reports.

"You'll be walking soon, right Jo", pecking the little girl on the cheek as he walks into the kitchen where he sees his wife standing at the stove preparing dinner. Bowtie follows Fitz, but stops short of the kitchen.

"What do I have to do to get you to welcome me home like Cena and Bowtie?" He asks with a smirk before pecking her on the lips.

"I'll tell you later", she says with a wink and a smile. "Babe, give me Jo and put Cee down so you can get out of your jacket. Go relax a bit before dinner."

As soon as he stands Cena onto the floor the little girl runs from the kitchen to play with Bowtie, who has been looking into the kitchen from the doorway. Fitz removes his jacket, drapes it onto the back of one of the stools, and opens the refrigerator. He pulls out one of the beers Bennie likes, tossing the bottle cap onto the island top. Bringing the bottle to his mouth, he leans against the edge of the island watching his wife.

"How was your day?" Olivia asks.

"What are you cooking?" Looking over her shoulder and trying to see what she is cooking.

"Don't start, Fitz", she says in a warning tone.

"Start what?" He asks, feigning innocence.

"Don't start giving me cooking lessons – again."

"I don't give you lessons – just tips", wrapping an arm around her waist and kissing down her neck.

"Well don't give me any _tips_ ", smiling at the feel of his tongue tracing the vein on the side of her neck. He slides his hand down her thigh and she instinctually opens her legs.

"Be kind to Bowtie", he whispers. "He's had a hard time", running his tongue around her ear.

"Hard time – what are you talking about?" Tilting her head to the side to allow him access to her neck.

"He's a rescue dog - treated badly until he found a nice, loving home with a little girl who needed him as much as he needed her", kissing down her neck.

"I still don't do dogs", she says breathlessly, leans back against him.

"Tell me what kind of tips you want", his warm breath wafting over her neck as he slides his hand between her pant-covered spot.

"Fitz", she says with eyes closed and breath quickening.

"Say my name again", massaging her breasts through her cotton blouse.

"Fi – "

"Daddy, Miss Atkins says were going to the bug museum", Cena yells, running into the kitchen, now remembering where she is going for her class trip. Fitz drops his head onto his wife's shoulder and he and Olivia burst out laughing because their reporter-daughter has once again interrupted another make-out session.

 **XXX**

While Olivia bathes Jolie, Fitz reads _Goodnight Moon_ to Cena and Bowtie. The dog has become as obsessed with the nightly reading as his best friend. Some nights Fitz has to read the story three times – twice to put Cena to sleep and a third time to put Bowtie to sleep. Once daughter and dog are both sleeping he pulls the covers over Cena, kisses her on the cheek, and lifts Bowtie from the bed. He then sets the dog in his bed in the hall outside of Cena's room and walks down the hall to the nursery. Whenever he enters the nursery tears well in his eyes as he recalls the night they almost lost his youngest daughter. He walks over to the crib and smiles at his baby, who has once again flipped onto her back with arms stretched above her head and mouth hanging wide open. He kisses her rosy cheek and inspects the covers, making sure they are tucked tightly around the sides of the mattress. He looks around the crib making sure all of the toys and anything else that could possibly cause her harm have been removed. Finally, he kisses Jolie on the other cheek and dims the lights before leaving the room. This has become his nightly ritual.

When he enters their bedroom he sees Olivia walking back and forth from the closet to the bedroom carrying armfuls of clothes.

"What are you doing?" He asks curiously as she moves around the room holding up and examining various pieces of clothing.

"I'm looking for something to wear", she says matter-of-factly.

"Are you going somewhere?" He asks stupidly, looking down at his watch.

"Fitz, don't you remember? I have that meeting with Fred Bryson tomorrow morning. I have to find something to wear."

"Do you know why he wants to meet with you?"

"I haven't a clue. His assistant didn't say. It's all so odd."

"Maybe he wants to talk to you about the Springfield Heights project. He wrote an impressive check when Cena and I met with the group Marla pulled together while you were – "

"I don't know, babe. Mona and I sent thank-you notes to all of the donors. We even sent Bryson one of those edible fruit arrangements since he was so generous. It was kind of odd sending the man who owns the largest chain of grocery stores in the region a fruit arrangement, but …. I think I'll wear this one", holding up the white two-piece suit she wore on Election Night. "What do you think?"

"I think it's fine", he says, leaning against the door jamb with his arms folded across his chest.

"No, this won't work. I need something more businesslike", resuming to flip through the hanging clothes. Fitz rolls his eyes and walks from the closet wondering why she bothers to ask his opinion about what to wear if she never listens to what he says.

"I'm going to take a shower", he calls out over his shoulder as he walks toward the bathroom.

Twenty minutes later he is showered, dressed in his pajama pants and tee shirt, and leaning against the headboard catching up with the activity on his social media accounts.

"Babe, can we talk about looking for a house in the city?" She asks carefully as she performs her nightly routine of rubbing the cream onto her body. He sighs silently.

"Can we put off having that discussion until after I finalize my legislative agenda? It's due at the end of the quarter and I don't have a lot of mental space to think about anything else right now."

Olivia stops rubbing the cream onto her arm and looks over her shoulder at him.

"What?" He asks, seeing the look on her face.

"You say that all the time. You always seem to find an excuse to delay talking about moving. Something always takes precedence over having this discussion", she says somewhat frustrated.

"It's not an excuse, Liv. I'm drowning here - playing catch-up. I'm in meetings every morning and reading legislation all afternoon. I haven't begun to formulate my policies and create my plan. I have a lot to do. I honestly won't have time to discuss moving until after my agenda is finalized."

She looks at him for a long while, nods, then resumes applying the cream onto her body.

"We're going to discuss this, mister."

 **XXX**

For the past few weeks Bennie has been spending most nights at Marion's apartment. It has become their routine to meet after work at a restaurant near her apartment for dinner then go back to her place for the evening. Since he often has early morning surgical procedures, and Mercy Sinai Hospital is 45 minutes from Marion's apartment, he has begun to leaves a few items of clothing and toiletries at her place so he can go directly to the hospital in the mornings after his run.

"It was a little weird seeing Fitz so uncomfortable delivering his speech at his first Council session", Marion says as she hangs her clothes in the closet. "He's always so confident—self-assured."

"Some would say overly confident", Bennie says, looking for a space in the closet to hang his shirt and pants. "You like to shop – a lot", he says, staring at her closet, which is bulging with clothes, shoes, and purses for every occasion.

"Don't do that", she says, looking at him as if she is ready to pounce.

"Don't do what?" Looking at her dumbfounded.

"Don't judge me", and when he begins to protest she holds up a hand to stop him. "Ben, I like you, but I won't tolerate you or anyone else judging how I choose to spend my money. I like nice, pretty, shiny things and I will not allow you to make me feel guilty about buying the things I like."

"Marion -"

"You are not my father, nor are you my financial planner - I already have one of each. So if you want to serve in either one of those roles then this is not going to work", she says, glaring at him with fire in her eyes.

"I'm sorry", he says, but she does not hear him because she is upset. She hates being judged.

"I like all of my things", looking around the space. "Everyone single purchase was made with thought - for the most part. They all make me feel good and look good I might add."

"And you are beautiful, with or without all of your shiny things. And for the record, I wasn't judging you, I was just trying to find space to hang my pants and shirt."

Unable to find space in the closet to hang his clothes he tosses them onto the settee and walks from the bedroom. Marion wants to kick herself for jumping to conclusions. She looks at his retreating back and closes her eyes, thinking she is going to kill whatever they have before it really has a chance to get started.

"I'm sorry", she says, walking slowly into the living room where Ben is sitting on the sofa scrolling through his phone. "I guess I'm not very good at this – relationships that is."

He tosses his phone onto the sofa and reaches for her hand, pulling her onto his lap.

"I get that you like nice things and I like that about you."

"I'm sorry –"

"Shh - just listen", placing his index finger onto her lips. "I will never presume to know what is best for your life. Nor would I ever judge or criticize you. I only want the best for you, but –"

"But what?" She jumps in, cutting off his words.

"But, you have to learn to listen to me", staring intently into her eyes.

Marion smiles sheepishly thinking Ben is no pushover. Although he is somewhat quiet and easygoing, he has a certain quality that she has not been able to put her finger on, at least not yet. He also has an uncanny ability to check her, to set her straight, and without ever raising his voice.

"Be patient with me, please. I'm trying."

He smiles and pecks her on the lips.

"Why does your family call you Bennie if you prefer Ben?" Marion asks pushing him down onto the sofa and straddling him.

"Well, Liv and Mr. and Mrs. Pope call me Ben." The corner of Marion's mouth twitches as she forces herself to continue smiling.

"And why is that?" Pulling the tee shirt over his head.

"I told Liv that's what I preferred to be called when I was assigned to be her high school buddy."

"Tell me about you and Olivia back then", she says, kissing down his neck.

"Nothing to tell", enjoying the feeling of her mouth.

"Lift up", she whispers.

He raises his bottom from the sofa and helps her to slide down his underwear. He pulls her close and kisses her fervently, and the sounds of lips smacking and moans of pleasure quickly fill the air.

"Did you two date?" Slowly trailing kisses down his chest, suckling his nipple.

"No", he says, but she feels his body tense.

"But you wanted to?" Marion probes, knowing she is on to something.

"Liv is married to my brother", he says tightly, squeezing her bottom through the flimsy nightgown.

"But you had feelings for her?" She asks, following the scent like a bloodhound as she trails wet kisses down hhis chest.

"Let's not talk about this, Marion."

"Ben, I want you to open up to me. I want us to share our past. That's the only way we're going to really get to know each other", covering his taut stomach with kisses.

He closes his eyes enjoying the feel of Marion's wet mouth and his stomach muscles tremble. He does not want to dredge up the past. He has spent a lot of money with his therapist over the last several years reconciling his feelings for Olivia and he does not want to go back to that place.

Marion continues to swirl her tongue aroun his trembling stomach, circling his navel with her tongue. She slides her hand down and gently strokes his sac, grazing her fingernails over to two hard nuts, and he begins to harden.

"I had a crush on Liv – a long time – she never knew", he adds quickly.

"Did Fitz know?" Flattening her hand and slowly spreading his fluid over the head.

"No", he says breathlessly, squeezing his eyes tight and beginning to move his hips. Her hand feels so good. "Fitz is older - at Naval Academy when she moved here."

"Does that feel good?" Watching as he leaks over her hand.

"Yes, yes. Don't stop."

"How did Liv and Fitz meet?"

"Welcome home party", now pumping in and out of her warm, wet hand.

"Mmm", she moans, kissing down his muscular thigh.

"They got married. How did you feel?"

"I was an ass – tried to punish them", pulling her head to his erection. He needs her mouth.

Marion nods at the admission, slides down the sofa, and captures him in her mouth. She moans because he tastes so good and Ben expels a slow, long groan, thrusting into her warm mouth.

 **XXX**

"Good morning", Fitz says cheerily as he walks into the kitchen carrying his suit jacket.

"Good morning, Fitzgerald", Gwendolyn and Calvin say in unison.

"Good morning, sir", Hildie says.

He hangs the jacket on the back of his chair and kisses a squealing Jolie on the forehead.

"What has my baby girl so excited this morning?" Stroking his long index finger up and down an animated Jolie's cheek.

"She's happy to see her father", Gwendolyn says, smiling adoringly at her youngest granddaughter who is sitting in the carrier looking at her fatherand flailing her arms.

"Are you happy to see daddy, Angel?" Fitz asks with a smile as he lifts Jolie from the carrier and bounces her on his arm.

"Can I get you some breakfast this morning, sir?" Hildie asks, turning from the stove and smiling as she watches Jolie laugh each time her father lifts her in the air.

"Thank you, Hildie. I'll have the usual", Fitz says, walking over to the coffee maker. "Café Touba, Angel?" He asks playfully, and Jolie bounces up and down in his arms as if she is accepting his offer; and all of the adults laugh out loud.

"What's so funny?" Olivia asks, walking into the kitchen dressed in a navy blue pant suit with a fuschia-colored, v-neck silk tee shirt.

"Good morning, Livvia", Gwendolyn says. "You look lovely today."

"Thank you mom", giving her mother a peck on the cheek.

"Good morning dad - Hildie. So what's so funny?" She repeats as she walks over and pecks her father on the cheek.

"Our Jolie is anxious for her first cup of Café Touba", Calvin says with a chuckle.

"Give me my baby", taking a laughing Jolie from her husband's arm. "No Café Touba for you young lady", Olivia says, sitting at the island and setting Jolie on her lap.

"May I get you some breakfast, Mrs. Grant?" Hildie asks, as she sets Fitz' plate onto the island where he typically sits.

"Thank you, Hildie. Scrambled eggs and toast, please."

"Right away, ma'am."

"Café Touba, Liv?" Fitz says with a smirk, holding his mug in the air in her direction as he leans against the counter that houses the coffee makers. Calvin and Gwendolyn burst into laughter again and Jolie laughs and bounces up and down on her mother's lap. She has learned to laugh whenever she hears those around her laughing.

"You should eat your breakfast before it gets cold", Olivia says flatly, looking over at her grinning husband.

"Give me Jolie before she has an accident on your suit", Gwendolyn says, taking Jolie from Olivia's arms. "So why does Fred Bryson want to meet with you, Livvia?"

"I don't know, mom. It's all a mystery. It's probably about the Springfield Heights project", dropping a teabag into her mug and filling it with hot water.

"Well you tell him he needs to expand the ethnic foods section in his stores. It's too skimpy", Calvin says with a frown.

"That's right, Liv. Tell Bryson he needs to start selling Café Touba in his stores", Fitz chimes and Calvin laughs again as Hildie sets Olivia's plate in front of her. Olivia rolls her eyes because her husband and father are being silly this morning.

"That's really good, Fitzgerald", Calvin says with laughter. "And tell Bryson to get some of those beans so Gwennie can make those breakfast sandwiches we all love so much."

The room becomes quiet immediately. The proverbial pin can be heard dropping onto the tile floor as Calvin continues to laugh. With wide eyes, Hildie turns away from the stove and looks at the laughing man. Stunned by her father's remarks, Olivia looks over at him, still holding a forkful of scrambled eggs midair. And, Gwendolyn glares at her husband from across the room. Unaware of the turn of events, Calvin doubles over in laughter, wiping the tears from his face. Fitz looks at Calvin in shock and clears his throat to alert the man that his joke fell flat. Calvin looks over at his son-in-law, who is shaking his head from side to side, then he looks sheepishly at his wife, and the smile slowly fades from his face.

"I think I should be going", Fitz says hastily, wanting to extricate himself from the uncomfortable situation.

"I wonder what's taking Cena so long to come down this morning." Calvin asks, trying to change the subject. "We're not going to hae time to catch up with Rufus this morning."

Olivia and Hildie continue to look at the man.

"She's dressing the dog in his sweater so he doesn't get cold when he walks her to the bus stop", Gwendolyn says tightly, continuing to shoot daggers from her eyes at her husband.

"That's nice, Gwennie", Calvin says, trying to make amends.

"I couldn't resist buying that sweater. Bowtie looks so adorable in it", Gwendolyn continues.

"Good job", Gwendolyn, Fitz says, draining his coffee mug then taking his plate over to the sink. "I have to get going", looking at his watch again. "I have and 8:30 meeting. Can you meet me for lunch – after your meeting with Bryson?" Looking at his wife as he slides on his suit jacket.

"I'm sorry, babe. I have a few errands to run after my meeting."

"Rejected again", he says, kissing Olivia on the cheek as he walks from the kitchen. "Good morning, Princess", Fitz says when he sees his Cena and Bowtie walking into the family room. He swoops her up into his arms, giving her a peck on the cheek.

"Good morning, daddy. Bowtie wants a kiss, too."

"Just a head rub, Princess", he says, reaching down and patting Bowtie on the head. "Go get some breakfast while daddy goes to work. Okay?"

"Okay. Wait here Bowtie", Cena says as she walks into the kitchen. With a sad face, Bowtie lie on the floor in the family room as he watches Cena walk into the kitchen.

 **XXX**

This morning Fitz is meeting with Henrietta Chalmers, the Education Committee Chairwoman. The Education Committee is responsible for all matters relating to education in the public schools, except for matters referred to the full Council. Councilwoman Chalmers has led the Education Committee for almost two decades, and is quite vocal about issues involving education. Her chairmanship also expires in three months.

With everything he has read so far, Fitz is finding it commonplace for committeee chairmpersons to have held their positions for many years, well over a decade in some instances, and he has not yet determined if this this is a good or bad thing.

"Sir, Councilwoman Chalmers has arrived", Victoria announces as she stands in the doorway sweeping her eyes over boss and thinking he looks happy this morning. Victoria is observant and has begun to identify the Cuncil President's moods.

"Thank you, Ms. Sanchez", he says, standing from his seat and slipping on his jacket. "Show the Councilwoman in, please."

"Council President Grant", the short, stocky woman says, displaying a mouthful of teeth as she enters the office.

"Councilwoman Chalmers, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to meet with me this morning", Fitz says, walking across the room to shake the woman's hand. "Come in – have a seat", gesturing toward the chairs in front of the desk.

"Thank you, Mr. President", glancing around the office and thinking she has not been in the room in quite some time.

"May I get you something to drink - coffee, tea?"

"No – no", Henrietta says, waving her hand dismissively. "I've had my quota for the morning."

Fitz nods as he walks behind the desk and waits for the Councilwoman to take her seat.

"You have a beautiful family, Mr. President", the Councilwoman says, admiring the framed photographs of him with his wife and children on the desk and credenza behind the desk. You even have a dog."

"Thank you, I'm a lucky man", smiling proudly as he sits into his chair. "And please, call me Fitz. My family and friends call me Fitz. I hope we will become friends as well", flashing his politician's smile.

"And call me Henri". All of my family and friends call me Henri", the Councilwoman says, returning the same politician smile. She is trying to remain calm because she is not quite sure why the new Council President wants to meet with her. Her chairmanship expires in a few months and she wonders if he is planning to replace her with someone of his own liking.

"So how are you getting settled in, Mr. - Fitz?" She smiles, looking at the documents piled on top of the desk.

"I'm still trying to get acclimated. I certainly have a lot to learn."

"You'll be just fine. It'll take a little time to learn how things work around."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence - that makes me feel better", and they both chuckle lightly.

"I don't want to take up too much of your time, Counc - Henri, so I'll get to the purpose of this meeting", and Henri nods politely. "I made a commitment to my supporters during the campaign to reform education in our city. And what that means right now I just don't know. My supporters are dissatisfied with the quality of education their children are receiving. They think the system is - has been failing them for years. Parents are afraid the education their children are receiving will make them less able to compete with their contemporaries around the world. And frankly, the data seem to support their concerns. You've been leading the Education Committee for many years, Henri, what's your assessment of the city's education system?"

Henri nods and lets outs a heavy sigh. She has been front and center of this school reform debate for many years.

"You certainly are taking on a hot-button issue in your first term, Fitz", and Fitz purses his lips, nodding his head up and down. "And everybody and his brother has an opinion about it. Unfortunately, many who have sat in your seat have only paid lip service to the issue."

"I hope to do more than that, Henri."

"That's good to hear. For the past three or four decades the issue of school choice has been at the top of most parents' lists of things they want the city to fix. Most of our children's educational opportunities are determined by the zip code in which they live. If they happen to have parents who are wealthy enough to live in a neighborhood with good schools and resources then they get a phenomenal public school education. However, if they were born into a family with limited financial resources, then the educaton they get is not so good. Politicians try to deny the impact the zip code has on the quality of education a child receives – but it's a fact. Hell, most of them send their own children to private schools. Poor children just don't get the same treatment as children who are well off. But as a legislator – as the head of the Education Committee – I'm not comfortable with that position. I think all children deserve a quality education - regardless of their address."

"So where do you stand on the whole charter school issue, Henri?"

"I will admit traditional public schools can learn a lot from charter schools", and Fitz nods. "But", Henri says, lifting her hand in the air, "the charter system lifts the floodgates and lets a whole different set of challenges flow in. A study released last spring, concluded that, overall, charters have failed to live up to high expectations from parents, students, and teachers."

Fitz nods because he has read the same report.

"Some of these charter schools feel like a family business. Half of the employees on their payrolls are relatives and friends of the administrator."

"Is that a bad thing? It's all about results, right?"

"If they're were getting results then I would say it doesn't matter. With that said, I give charter schools a big thumbs down", she says emphatically, jabbing her right thumb downward. "Traditional public schools were good enough for me and my children and they are good enough for the children of today."

Fitz frowns and nods her head to continue.

"If you want to fix something, Fitz, fix the School Board. The Education Committee has not been satisfied with how the Board has chosen to spend the money we've allocated to them over the years. We have warned the Superintendent more than once to get it together or we will withhold future funding. I know – I know, doing so will only hurt the children, but they're already hurting. The state has been reducing the amount of funding to our schools down here because the state legislators say they don't see the return on their investment. They've also threatened to take over our schools if they don't see better test scores." Fitz nods again. He has heard enough.

"Thank you, Henri", standing and walking around the desk. "I appreciate you meeting with me this morning. And, if you don't mind, I would like to meet with you again, in the near future."

"That will be just fine, Fitz."

"I'll have my assistant schedule another meeting. Have a good day, Henri," he says, escorting the woman from the office.

"You as well, Fitz", and Victoria's ears perk up when she hears the Councilwoman call her boss by the name she knows is reserved for his family and friends.

 **XXX**

When Olivia arrives at Bryson Foods downtown headquarters, she stops in the restroom to check her appearance. After touching up her makeup, she pulls out the manila folder from her briefcase and qickly reviews the budget for the Springfield Heights project again. She bought the financial statement with her just in case Bryson wants an accounting of how his donation was spent. After refreshing her memory, she stuffs the folder back into the briefcase, looks into the mirror one more time, then swings open the door and walks down the hall to the executive suite. When she approaches the receptionist's desk, the attractive, middle-aged woman greets her with a polite smile.

"Good morning, Mrs. Grant", the woman says kindly. "Mr. Bryson is on an unexpected conference call - he should be finishing up shortly."

"That's quite all right", Olivia says, returning the smile.

"My name is Deanne Summers - I'm Mr. Bryson's executive assistant. May I get you something to drink?"

"No thank you, Ms Summers. I'm fine."

"Call me Deanne, please", the woman says, standing and walking from behind the desk. "I'll escort you to Mr. Bryson's private waiting area. He'll come out when he has finished his call."

Olivia nods and follows the woman down a short hall to a well-designed waiting area. A large televeison hangs on the wall displaying a cable news channel. The volume is turned down low. Several public laptops are situated on the small tables around the room, and assortment of beverages, fruit, and pastries at palce on the refreshments bar across the room.

"Have a seat and help yourself to whatever you like", Deanne says, motioning her hand toward the refreshments bar. "Oh - there are charging stations over there if your phone needs a little more juice. And, there is a restroom down that hall - just in case you need to powder your nose", she says with a smile.

"Thank you, Deanne", Olivia says, flashing a genuine smile at the polite woman.

As Olivia sits in one of the plush chairs waiting for Fred Bryson, she scrolls through her phone, checking her email. And less than five minutes later, a hidden door slides open and the tall barrel-chested man walks into the room with a big smile on his face.

"Mrs. Grant", Bryson says, extending a hand. "I am so sorry to keep you waiting. An unexpected matter occurred this morning that required my immediate attention."

"That's quite all right, Mr. Bryson", Olivia says, standing and accepting the man's handshake.

"Come, join me in my office", Bryson says as he turns and walks past the pocket door.

"Wow", Olivia says when she enters the ultra contemporary office. "The view from the 48th floor is absolutely magnificent."

"It is, and I never get tired of looking at it."

"Neither would I", she says half to herself.

"Have a seat, Mrs. Grant", Bryson says, as he walks behind his desk. Olivia sits in one of the chairs facing the desk and the magnificent view of the bay behind Fred Bryson.

"I get everything I want from the people who sit in that chair", pointing to the chair in which Olivia is sitting. Olivia tilts her head, looking at thee man curiously.

"Mrs. Grant, whenever someone sits into that chair", "they become so mesmerized by the view they are willing to agree to anything", he laughs and Olivia smiles.

"I can understand why", she says, playing along with the gag.

"Thank you, Mrs. Grant for agreeing to meet with me today", Bryson says, leaning forward and and resting his elbows on the desk.

"It is my pleasure, Mr. Bryson. But I must admit the call was totally unexpected."

"I'm sure. I'm sorry for being so mysterious, but I wanted to have this conversation in person, face to face."

Olivia nods.

"Marla - Council President Briggs - and I were friends for quite some time. It is a shame about the mess she found herself in toward the end. Her motives were good, even though her actions were more than slightly illegal."

Olivia looks at the man and remains silent.

"Olivia, Marla was quite fond of you, but more so, she believed in the work you are doing - helping the underprivileged have access to clean and safe drinking water. She arranged the meeting with city officials and local business people I attended. She told us you wanted to establish a public-private partnership to replace the corroded plumbing in those homes in Springfield Heights. Your husband – and your lovely daughter, Cena, did a wonderful job presenting your proposal. How is Cena doing by the way?"

"She is doing just fine", Olivia says with a smile.

"And Jolie - that is the name of your infant - correct?"

"Jolie is also well", Olivia says, definitely impressed by the man's personal touch.

"Olivia - may I call you Olivia?"

"Of course", she says without hesitation.

"Olivia, while I was more than willing to donate monies to help resolve that dreadful problem in Springfield Heights, after the meeting I started thinking there must be more I can do to support the people who support my business."

Olivia nods, listening intently.

"While Bryson Foods has given to many charities over the years, I realized my efforts to give back have not been happening in a systematic - structured way."

Olivia nods her head.

"Olivia, I was born into poverty and my brothers and I were raised by a single mother who worked as a waitress to put us all through school - on the meager salary of a waitress. My _dear_ father left us when my brothers and I were all under the age of five. It's an old story - husband goes to the store for a gallon of milk or a loaf of bread and never returns - leaving the wife with several hungry mouths to feed."

"Poverty is not pretty at any age, Olivia, but it is especially ugly when you are a child and don't understand why you don't have the basics like food and things other children have. Some nights all my brothers and I had to eat for dinner was watermelon. While under normal circumstances having watermelon for dinner would be a treat, but after eating it three nights in a row it quickly loses its appeal. I hate watermelon to this day", he says with a far-off look in his eyes.

"My mother taught us that although we were poor, education would make the difference in our lives - our ticket out - as she would say. So she worked hard to send all of us to college. She instilled in us that our history didn't have to be our destiny."

Olivia smiles politely, enjoying Bryson's rags-to-riches story.

"Olivia, the community in which I grew up is not unlike many of the urban communities of today - communities in which many of my stores are located - places like Springffield Heights, Tighlman. People make up a community, Olivia. And what I have wtnesse when driving to my stores are hardworking people who are just trying to make ends meet. People who are much like my mother, who have little if anything left over from their paychecks after buying food and payingfor housing."

Olivia listens to the successful businessman still wondering why she is here.

"You must be wondering if I asked you here to listen to the story of my life", and she smiles politely.

"You've had a very interesting life, Mr. Bryson."

"Call me Fred - please", and Olivia nods.

"Olivia, I've been wanting to meet with you for several months, but delayed doing so. I wanted to give you and your family time to heal from that horrible tragedy."

She nods, shiveering slightly. The thought of what happened to her family on that mountain still sends chills down her spine.

"Olivia, I would like you to help my company to become more effective in giving back to the communities we serve. I would like for you to develop a full-fledge CSR Program - a corporate social responsibility program."

Olivia's eyes widen and a millions thoughts and questions immediately flood her brain. She certainly was not expecting Fred Bryson to offer her a job when she accepted his invitation to meet with him at his downtown office.

"I don't know what to say", obviously taken aback by the man's offer. "I certainly wasn't expecting you to offer me a position with your company, Mr. - Fred."

"I know - I know", Bryson says. "I realize this is something you will need to think about. Don't be concerned about your foundation, you can spend as much time there as you like. You've been doing good work there, Olivia, and it should continue. Also, you shouldn't consider this position as a typical nine to five job. You can organize your time however you like. Of course you will have an office here in the executive suite, but that does not mean you have to use it. You will own your time. I just want results."

Fred Bryson leans forward on his desk and smiles at the look of astonishment on Olivia's face.

"Fred, as I said, I was not expecting you to offer me such an interesting position when I showed up here today. And while I'm flattered that you thought of me, I must be honest, I have not worked for anyone in quite some time. And, I have never established a CSR program like what you are talking about."

"Then that makes us even", Bryson says, and they both laugh. "I have every confidence in you, Olivia."

"Thank you Fred", she says, hesitating for a moment.

"Is something wrong, Olivia?"

"With all due respect, Fred, while I find your offer to be very tempting, I hope it is not related to my husband's new position. I can tell you I do not have sway over that part of his life", looking intently at Bryson.

"Olivia, I appreciate your candor. It's reasonable to think I might want a political favor from your husband since this is a very political town. But, I am not looking for any favors. As I said, Marla and I had discussed your work - long before your husband decided to run for political office."

She nods.

"Think about it, Olivia, and take your time", Fred Bryson says with a confident smile. "I think together we can help improve the lives of a lot of people."

 **XXX**

"Keep stirring, Princess, else it will burn."

"Okay, daddy", Cena says, standing on the stool at the granite island happily stirring the mixture in the pot her father placed on top of the electric hot plate.

"Do you want chicken tonight?" He asks, peering into the refrigerator to see if Hildie actually has chicken in the poultry bin.

"Daddy, Miss Ebony says our spring recital is soon. She said Asha and I have to practice a lot."

"Do you still like going to dance class?" Turning Jolie's carrier around on the granite island top so she can watch her sister learn how to cook.

"Yes. It's fun, daddy."

"Do you like the girls in dance class?"

"Yes, but I like Asha the best."

"Well you have friends who live out here - at your school. Right?"

Cena nods with a frown as she continues to stir.

"But?"

"They're different, daddy."

"Different - what do you mean different?"

"I don't know", she says, shrugging her shoulders. "They're just different."

"Do you like your friends at dance class better?"

"They're fun, daddy", shaking her head up and down as she continues to stir.

" _Oh my god"_ , Olivia exclaims when she walks into the kitchen and sees Cena standing on a stool decked out in a full chef's uniform, including white toque, jacket, and black and white checkered pants. Cena looks over at her mother with the biggest smile on face.

"Careful, Princess", Fitz warns. "You have to stand the way I told you."

Jolie gurgles and flails hers arms when she hears her mother's voice and Bowtie slowly slinks out of the kitchen as Olivia sets the bags of groceries onto the granite island top.

"I'm daddy's soup chef, mommy", and with mouth still hanging open Olivia looks over at her smiling husband.

"Sous chef, Princess", he says, correcting his assistant.

"Oh", Cena says, resuming stirring the mixture.

"I found it online. JoJo has a onsie version", he says proudly, nodding his head toward the carrier.

Olivia removes her navy blue blazer and peeks at her baby who is indeed wearing a onsie version of a chef's uniform, including a tiny toque.

"What is daddy doing to my JoJo?" Bending and kissing Jolie on both cheeks.

"Mommy, I'm helping daddy to cook. I'm stirring risotto—it's fun." Olivia squints at her husband and he nods. He is determined to teach someone in this house how to properly cook risotto.

"Remember, you have to keep stirring, Cee."

"Okay, daddy."

"Where's my kiss?" He asks with a smile. Olivia pecks him on the lips then begins to remove the groceries from the bags.

"Don't you have anything better to do at work than to shop on Amazon?" Looking at his tee shirt that resembles Jolie's onesie.

"Somebody's been grocery shopping", he says, watching her remove the items from the shopping bags. "How did your meeting go with Bryson? Did you tell him he needs to start selling Cafe' Touba in his stores?" He laughs, still thinking the joke from this morning is funny.

"I'll tell you everything later", she says, opening the refrigerator to put away the foodstuff. "Where's mom and dad?"

"I called your mother earlier and told I would pick up Cee from school. They're over at Triumph."

"The kids say daddy's truck is cool, mommy. It's the biggest truck ever – bigger than Uncle John's."

"And red", Olivia adds, rolling her eyes skyward.

"Red is my favorite color, mommy", Cena informs her mother.

"I know, baby."

"Dinner will be ready in 30", he says, setting the chicken breasts in the oven.

"Babe, my schedule changed so I called to see if you were still available for lunch."

"You called?" Looking at her with furrowed brow.

"I left a message with Victoria", she says, setting the milk on the shelf in the refrigerator.

"Hmm, I didn't get it. She must've forgot. Let's see how that risotto is coming along, Princess", he says, walking over to where his diligent sous chef continues to stir the mixture.

 **XXX**

Fitz huffs in frustration as he once again struggles to yank back the tightly tucked bedcovers. He still does not understand why Hildie continues to make such a tight bed. He has asked Olivia to speak to her about it but nothing has changed. He grimaces as he looks over at his wife who has easily pulled back the covers on her side and has begun slathering the cream onto her leg. Finally pulling back the covers, he climbs into the bed, wipes the sheen from his forehead, then picks up his phone to review his schedule for the next day.

"I'm met with Henri Chalmers today", he says, tapping the icon for the calendar app.

"Who?"

"Henrietta Chalmers, the Chairwoman of the Education Committee."

"Oh", continuing to rub the cream onto her leg.

"This school reform issue is such a tangled web", he says, looking at his schedule.

"It certainly is."

"Do you realize half of the Council members have held their chairman positions for over a decade - some much longer?"

"Is that a bad thing?" Rubbing the cream onto her arm.

"I'm not sure if it's a good thing or bad thing", frowning when he sees Ms. Sanchez has once again scheduled him with back to back meetings.

"What do you mean?"

"A person can become comfortable – stale - after they've been in the same position for a long time. They might become rigid – stuck in their ways - might not consider new approaches to solving problems."

"On the other hand the knowledge and experience they possess is invaluable."

"Councilwoman Chalmers has been in her position for almost two decades. Everything that I've read about her and what I heard today makes me wonder if she is the right person for that position."

"Why do you say that?" Olivia stops massaging the cream onto her arm and looks over her shoulder at him with an arched brow.

"I just don't know if her thinking is progressive enough to lead that important committee moving forward."

"You better be careful, Fitz, it sounds like you're talking about ageism."

"No I'm not", he shoots back, looking up from his phone.

"Then maybe sexism."

" _Sexism_ \- why would you say such a thing?" He asks with indignation.

"Because Darius has been on the Council for a long time as well and I didn't hear you questioning whether his thinking is _progressive_ enough. I'm just saying."

He frowns as he watches her set the jar into her nightstand drawer. He no longer wants to discuss Henrietta Chalmers.

"So tell me about your meeting with Bryson? What did he want?" Olivia turns around with a big smile and eyes dazzling brightly.

"Babe, you would never guess why Fred Bryson wanted to meet with me", she says excitedly. "Guess – try and guess", bouncing up and down on the bed. But as usual she does not give him a chance to guess because she blurts out the answer.

"Fred Bryson wants me to lead his CSR Program –."

"CSR?" He repeats, unfamiliar with the initials.

"Corporate Social Responsibility", she says quickly, as she straddles him. "Fred wants me to establish Bryson's corporate brand around philanthropy. He wants me to define a philanthropic program to support the communities in which his stores are located."

Fitz smiles because when his wife gets excited she talks fast, a habit Cena has adopted.

"Fred hunh?" He says with a smirk and she slaps him on the shoulder playfully. "Seriously Liv, it sounds terrific."

"I don't know, Fitz, I've never done anything like this before", she says somewhat hesitant.

"Liv, you been running your foundation for years - doing great work I might add."

"Thank you, baby", pecking him on the lips. "It would be a major undertaking."

"You established a brand for the Olivia Pope Foundation. Everybody in the city knows about all of the good work you've done to educate people about all things water. And that Springfield Heights project—well there's no doubt about your talents. That was a major accomplishment—that's probably why Bryson wants you."

"He mentioned that. He also said Marla always had kind things to say about my work", she says somewhat sadly and Fitz tries not to roll his eyes at the mention of his predecessor's name.

"What did you say? Did you accept the position?"

"I told him I needed time to think about it. _We_ need to discuss what it would mean if I were to go to work for someone. I haven't worked for anyone in years."

"Well, I'm all for it. This is a great opportunity for you", wrapping his arms around her waist and giving her a kiss.

"I don't know. I love the foundation and the work we do."

"I understand, but maybe you can do much more with the kind of financial backing Bryson can provide. His chain of grocery stores are located all across the west. He is the number one grocer in the region."

"I know, but it's a big change. We're just getting settled after everything. You're just starting as President of the City Council. A lot is going on."

"I don't want you to put your career on hold because of me. Hell, I just started a new career. I even gave up my business so I could run for political office. Mona can run the foundation like Geoffrey is now running Grant Enterprises. I think you should do it."

"What about the girls? I've been working from home since before Jo was born. I pick up Cena from school most days."

"Maybe we can find an acceptable daycare for JoJo", he says, thinking about options.

"You're kidding, right? You didn't want Cena going to daycare."

"That was different. A lot has changed since then – we've changed - will continue to change. And Cena will be catching the school bus in another year. You know she has been dying to do so. So that's solved."

"You really think I should do it?" She asks with a yawn.

"I really think you should do it."

"Fred did say I can call all of the shots - make my own schedule. I'm sure I can work something out for the girls. Maybe put Jo in daycare just a few days a week - when I have to meet with people outside of the office. I really don't want to put Cee in an afterschool program. That will be a really long day for her. She's already doing dance."

He smiles because she is thinking out loud about how to make it work for them.

"I can pick up Cee some days. We just need to coordinate our schedules."

She nods as she continues to think about the implications of working for someone else.

"And if you decide after some time that you don't like it, then you can resign." With lips pursed, she nods, still in deep thought.

"Well, I have to discuss this with Mona."

"Do you think she will have a problem managing the foundation?"

"I don't know - no. Mona loves what she does. She's already managing everything, really. We'll have to hire someone to replace Mona. She can't continue to do everything alone."

"Geoffrey had to hire an assistant when I stepped away. He hired Marcus."

"I want to think about it a little more before I make a decision, babe. I'm meeting with Mona tomorrow to help her write her speech for the Women's Day event. I'll test the idea with her then", she yawns again.

"Good, now let's get some sleep", pulling her close and turning off his lamp, and she reaches her arm over to turn off her lamp.

"Regardless of what Mona decides, Liv, I think you should do it."

"You think?" Curling close to his side."

"I think", he says, kissing the top of her head and she smiles as she falls asleep.


	38. Chapter 38 Running Partners

**A/N:** **kelleekellkell** , you're right to watch all the signs Victoria is giving. Glad you're enjoying the story. **kandyse4olitz** , JoJo will be walking in a few months. **kkimberly49,** being okay is relative for this couple. I think of the line from the song _Stuck in the Middle with You_ : clowns to the left, jokers to the right …. They are always surrounded by individuals who are trying to steal their joy. Couple that with their inability to communicate effectively, well problems are surely to arise. Yes, Olivia is smart and she side-eyed Victoria on the day one when Fitz was confirmed. Olivia also catches those double entendres Victoria uses. We don't know when people are plotting against us. Also, you're right, Liv is mad about something and it's not just Bowtie. We'll find out what's at the heart of her anger. Bowtie serves a few purposes: 1) to help Cena heal. Fitz did a lot of research when she wasn't walking. 2) show how our parents influence our attitudes about a lot of things, even dogs. Calvin doesn't like dogs. I wonder why? Hmm. Fitz is listening to Olivia about wanting to move, he just doesn't agree. He loves their home and always thought they would grow old and raise their children in that house. We'll see more of this discussion in upcoming chapters. **Guest 1** , I was ROTF reading your review, especially the comment about men thinking they're an expert after doing something for a fraction of the time a woman does it. You get the GOLD star for that comment. Like that you remember how Liv used to hustle to prepare Fitz home-cooked meals. You're right, it was a little weird for Ben and Marion to discuss Olitz while doing the do, but that was slick Marion's way of getting the info she wanted. Let's see how that works for her over time. Finally, remember Liv didn't run for Council President because she wasn't interested and she was pregnant with Jolie. **Guest 2** , trifling heifer. LOL. Have not heard that in a long time. **Fifyfo** , you caught that Cena school thing. We'll find out more about that. **Monica** , love your recaps and analysis. Remember Marla was a crook. We will find out more about Marion's background in upcoming chapters.

Busy, busy weekend, no time to update. Thank you for the reviews and hanging with this story. Said a few chapters back I had about eight more chapters before the story ended. Well, it's going to take a few more than eight. Tell me what you think. Here we go!

 **Chapter 38. Running Partners**

His internal clock jolts him awake, and like a lark, he is alert and ready to take on the world, and the sun has yet to rise. He has not relied on an alarm clock in years, not since he made running a central part of his life. Running became his refuge, something he could do to escape the pressures of living in a family with a domineering father and two accomplished older brothers. He will forever be grateful for being introduced to the sport at a time when he was trying to figure out who he was as an individual, separate and apart from his family.

Mindful not to waken Marion (she hates getting up early) Bennie pulls back the covers and carefully slides from the warm, comfortable bed. He grabs his phone from the nightstand and presses the HOME button to provide a bit of light in the dark room. He needs to find his underwear. He creeps into the closet and sits onto the small chair to check the weather - rain of course. He digs into the duffle bag for his running clothes and pulls out the lightweight, water-resistant running jacket. The neon blue jacket is one of his favorites because the rain easily rolls off the material, allowing him to stay dry and warm during his run. He pulls on the black compression tights then a pair of blue compression shorts. He slides the black training hoodie over his head then sits back onto the chair and pulls on his thermal socks and running shoes. He is sure he has spent a small fortune on high-end running gear over the years.

Once downstairs in the lobby, Bennie performs a series of stretches for about 30 minutes to warm his muscles. Then, he queues up his standard playlist, tucks the phone into the jacket sleeve pocket and, finally, sticks the earbuds into his ears. As he steps outside into the drizzling rain he smiles when the first song starts to play. He eases into his run.

Bennie has found the perfect running trail near Marion's apartment, which is down by the waterfront. Real estate investors have done a fantastic job revitalizing this once decrepit section of the city. Just five years ago the area was nothing more than an array of rotting piers and dilapidated factories inhabited by the city's growing homeless community. Now the waterfront is a thriving and bustling part of the city, boasting a variety of restaurants, a multiplex theater, and shops that sell almost everything. The homeless have been pushed to the outskirts of the city and the piers have been converted to expensive townhouses and high-rise condominiums that overlook the bay. The waterfront is an exciting place to live and play.

 **XXX**

With the exception of a few other intrepid runners daring to battle the cold, wet Washington morning, the waterfront is virtually empty. This will change in a few hours when the restaurants and shops open for business. Bennie quickens his pace when he hears the choking sounds of seagulls flying above, he does not want to become a victim of their droppings again. With the rain pounding his face, Bennie smiles when the pulsating beat of Bell Biv DaVoe's _Poison_ begins to fill his ears. He will never forget the first time he heard the song.

 _ **Flashback**_

The first few months at Sewell Middle and High School was a lonely time for Olivia Pope. She really did not know anyone and no one seemed particularly interested in getting to know the different girl whose family recently relocated to Church Falls from somewhere back east. Ben Grant, her assigned buddy, promptly disappeared when his official duties were over at the end of her first week of school. She rarely saw him after that, except in passing, as they made their way through the crowed halls to their next class. Olivia felt like an outsider and desperately missed her friends from her old school. And she was miserable because she did not know which was worse, the stares or being ignored.

In an attempt to appear aloof and unaffected by the peering eyes, she began wearing headphones, listening to music whenever she was not in class. Little did she realize, her actions only attracted more unwanted attention. Music became her best friend, losing herself in the old school tunes her father always plays around the house, or the hottest boy bands of the day and, of course, Prince.

To make matters worse, the track coach informed her that she was ineligible to join the team because she had missed the registration deadline, which was at the start of the school year. She would have to wait a whole year before she would even be considered for the team. As a middle-distance runner this was devastating news; running was her outlet, it was her passion. Running track was going to help her to survive the difficulties of changing schools. Sheneeded to find a way to practice, to stay in shape and maintain her time so she could secure a spot on the team next year.

Taught to be independent by her parents, Olivia developed her personal training program using the techniques her track coach taught her back home. Three days a week, after the track and field athletes practice ended, she would take to the track and practice her routine. First she would perform a series of dynamic stretches for 30 minutes to warm her muscles, then she would don her headphones and trek around the 400 meter track. With the music blaring in her ears, she felt alive and not so lonely. She also began to swim two days a week because coach said swimming would help her muscles and joints recover from running. Olivia loved the solitude of both sports.

 **XXX**

At the end of the school day Bennie would sit in the bleachers watching the track and field teams practice while he got an early start on his homework. When practice ended and the teams headed to the field house to shower and change, Bennie remained in the bleachers trying to figure out what was going on with Olivia Pope. He watched Olivia perform the same routine three times a week: first she would walk onto the track, remove her jacket, and stretch for about 30 minutes. Then she would put on those stupid headphones and run around the track four times or more. And with each lap, she seem to become faster and less aware of her surroundings. She seemed to be in a world of her own. When she completed her run, Bennie watched as she stretched for another 30 minutes before grabbing her jacket from the ground and walking away. For weeks, with great curiosity, Bennie watched Olivia perform the same routine over and over until one day he mustered up enough courage to ask her what she was doing.

"Whatcha up to?" Ben hollers to Olivia from the bleachers after she finishes the warm-up stretches.

"What does it look like?" She shoots back, placing the headphones over her head before taking off running.

Bennie watches in awe as Olivia circles the track with ease and wonders how long she has been a runner. When Olivia finishes her run and starts the cool-down stretches Bennie climbs down from the bleachers and walks over to the track.

"What are you doing? Why are you out here alone?" Spreading his arms wide as he looks around the track.

"I'm training", not bothering to look up as she stretches her hamstring muscles.

"Training for what – you're not even on the track team."

"That doesn't mean I can't train – stay in shape - until I join the team next year", continuing to stretch.

"What are you listening to?" Looking at the headphones hanging around her neck.

"Music", she says, as she slides on her jacket.

"How are things going? How are your classes?"

Olivia simply shrugs her shoulders and walks over to the bleachers to get her book bag and Bennie follows her.

"I gotta get home, Ben."

"Okay. Let me know if you need anything."

Olivia nods and starts to walk away, but stops and turns as if she just remembered something she wanted to say.

"You know you shouldn't sit up there watching all the time", gesturing her head toward the bleachers. "You should come down here and run - but you have to get the proper shoes", shaking her head as she glances down at his old beat-up tennis shoes. As Olivia walks away Ben looks down and wonders what is wrong with his shoes.

Two weeks later, as usual, Ben is sitting in the bleachers watching the track and field team walk into the field house. When Olivia walks onto the track he stuffs the books into his book bag and carefully climbs down from the bleachers.

"Look at you", she says, her full lips curling into a smile as she eyes his new running suit and shoes. He smiles sheepishly, wondering if it is too much. He told his mother when they went shopping he thought he looked like one of those guys in the commercials - the guy who wears the proper athletic gear but never works out.

"The first thing you have to remember Ben is to warm up – stretch your muscles", she begins without commenting further on his running gear. "Got it?"

"Got it", nodding and looking at her somewhat fearfully. For the next 30 minutes Olivia teaches Ben how to properly warm his muscles before running.

"You must always stretch before you run, Ben, else you'll get injured – hurt yourself. Are you ready?" Looking at him intently because he is already flush and winded from performing the simple warm-up exercises.

"Ready", he says, but not too convincingly.

"You gotta start out slow – ease into your run – or you won't have enough energy to finish. Got it?"

"Got it", he says nervously.

"And stay in your lane, Ben", Olivia says as she takes off running around the track

Looking around to see if anyone is watching, Ben takes off running too, trying to catch up with Olivia, who has already begun to make her turn around the first curve. Ten minutes later his chest and throat are burning, he is sweating profusely, and his legs feel like jelly.

"Just walk for a while, Ben", Olivia yells as she jogs past him on her second trip around the track.

Breathing heavily, he nods and starts to walk slowly in his lane. Over the next hour Ben alternates between walking and running as Olivia zips around the track wearing her headphones. When Ben completes his two walk-run laps around the track, he drops to the ground, exhausted and achy.

"That was tough", he says, lying on his back next to Olivia as she begins her dynamic cool-down stretches. "May I have some water?"

"You'll get better in no time", handing him the Thermos bottle. "You just have to practice – that's how you build endurance. Now stretch."

"You make it look so easy", he says, sitting up and starting to stretch.

"I've only been doing it forever. I ran track at my old school."

"Maybe I need headphones."

"There's no point in having headphones if you don't have an MP3 player", she says snarkily.

"What do you listen to?"

"All kinds of music – depending on my mood. I have lots of old school because my dad likes old school. I have NSYNC, New Edition and, of course, Prince – my favorite."

"May I listen?"

She looks at him for a moment because she usually does not share her music with anyone - music is too personal. After a minute, she hands him the headphones and presses the PLAY button on the player, and Ben is immediately overtaken by the pulsating sounds flowing into his ears.

"Wow, this is cool. What's it called?"

" _Poison._ "

"May I run with you again?" Handing her the headphones as she stands to leave.

"Anytime", looking over her shoulder as she walks from the track. "Ben, if you're going to be serious about running you can't let anything stop you. Rain or shine you have to hit the track. And drink orange juice or eat bananas – the potassium will help with the cramping. And get your own Thermos."

 **XXX**

Over next few months Bennie and Olivia become running partners, practicing three days a week on the track and swimming two days a week in the school's pool to soothe their muscles and joints. Bennie is becoming a serious runner and has begun to shed the extra pounds he has been carrying for years. His body is taking on a new form and the girls are beginning to notice, but he does not notice them. His physical endurance has increased and he is feeling stronger and more confident. And, Gerry Grant is impressed by the change in his son, although he does not consider running track to be a real sport.

At the start of the next school year, when it is time to register for a sport, they both try out for the track team. Olivia is selected to join the girls' team and trains for the 800 meter dash, and Bennie is selected to join the boys' track team, but he opts for the long-distance events: the 3000, 5000, and 10,000 meter runs. He loves distance running. He loves being in nature, and listening to the music Olivia provides him while pushing his new body to new limits.

Over the next four years Olivia and Ben become best friends, training together and hanging out at Sparky's with friends drinking malt shakes and laughing about how far they would have to run the next day to burn the extra calories. They spend a lot of time at Olivia's house studying, listening to music, and sharing their dreams and fears. Olivia confided in him that she was afraid her parents would discover she is not as independent as they want her to be. In fact, she often feels lonely when they leave her home alone while they are off doing charity work. Bennie told her about his insecurities and self-doubt - especially about his decision to pursue medical school. He also revealed he can be mean-spirited when he is feeling out of control. The two friends understand each other and help the other to cope with their fears, although neither never fully overcame them.

 _ **End Flashback**_

The incessant banging sound coming from outside the bedroom window arouses Marion from her sleep, and she groans because the annoying woodpecker has once again awakened her. Every morning she wonders why the woodpecker is in the area – it is only February. It seems with each passing year the irritant returns earlier and earlier, pecking onto the bark for its breakfast of insects. With eyes still closed, Marion rubs her forehead, the pecking sound is not helping her headache, or what some would call her hangover.

Sighing in frustration, Marion slowly opens her eyes and squints at the clock on her nightstand. She has to get up. She glances over at the window and sees that it is raining again, probably a sign of what her day is going to be like. The staff meeting with Mayor Wilson is today.

Running her fingers through the tangled curls, she admonishes herself for having that third glass of wine last night, Ben told her it was not a good idea. Her mouth is dry and tastes like someone spent the night stuffing cotton balls into it, so she reaches for the glass of water next to the clock. No more three-glass nights she thinks as she guzzles the liquid. Marion looks over her shoulder and sees that her frequent bedmate has already left for his run; he is so disciplined. She does not understand how the man has so much energy in the morning. No longer able to delay the inevitable, she takes another sip of water then rolls out of bed to prepare for the day. Shivering as she feels around the dimly lit room for her robe, she is reminded how much she hates the cold Washington mornings. Hopefully a hot shower will help to warm her bones and clear her head.

 **XXX**

"Coffee?" He asks, smiling as Marion drags into the kitchen after her shower.

"Thank you", taking the mug from his hand. "How was your run?"

"Terrific", he says with a wide grin, pecking her on the lips. "You ought to run with me some time", pulling her close and kissing her deeply. He is feeling good. He always feels good after a run. The runner's high is real.

"Ben", she whines, trying to wriggle from his embrace. "I just showered and you're sweaty and wet."

"You didn't care about that last night", he smiles, kissing her again before going to the refrigerator to retrieve the carton of orange juice. She rolls her eyes as he lifts the carton to his mouth.

"Must you drink from the carton? I do have glasses in the cabinet you know." He ignores the daily question and takes another sip before returning the carton to the refrigerator. "I have to meet with Wilson today - he scheduled that staff meeting with all of the department heads. He wants to review our budgets in preparation for the Council meeting next month. It's going to be a _fun_ day", she says sarcastically as she rubs her right temple.

"So what time do you think you're going to finish up?" He asks, dropping a banana, protein powder, and fat-free milk into the blender.

"I don't know, it depends on Wilson's mood. He's been on tenterhooks lately."

"Call me when you get a chance so we can decide on dinner", pressing his sweaty body against hers and stealing another kiss.

"Ben, I'm going smell like you at work."

"You –"

"Didn't care about that last night", she says, finishing his sentence. "Go shower."

"You should really think about running with me sometime."

"I prefer running on the treadmill - at the gym - indoors", she says as she sits down at the small round table.

"It's different running outdoors, Mar - you're actually going somewhere. You miss out on nature's beauty when you're indoors. There's nothing like running outdoors when the sun is shining."

"Well the sun has not been shining around here for weeks, so there's no point."

"I'm going to get you out of that gym one day", wrapping his arm around her from behind and kissing her neck.

"Ben", she whines again and he simply laughs, kissing her again before jogging toward the bedroom. "Start the blender when you hear me get out of the shower", he calls out.

 **XXX**

"Babe, what do you think about this one?" Holding up the gray dress in his direction. Fitz looks at her face then at the dress.

"No", he says flatly without offering an explanation.

"Why not?" Crinkling her brow as she continues to study the dress.

"It's too tight."

 _"Too tight? Are you say I'm gaining weight?"_ Glaring at him with an arched brow.

"No, I'm saying I don't want Fred Bryson ogling my wife all morning", he says with seriousness as he walk over to her hanging suits and snatches a black pant suit from the rack. "Wear this."

"You're being ridiculous", rolling her eyes.

"No, I'm being a man – your husband. I know what men look at. Wear it", shoving the pant suit into her hands, which she promptly tosses onto the chair.

"So does that mean you look at Victoria, because she certainly wears tight dresses - all the time I might add?" Olivia tilts her head slightly and squints, waiting for his answer.

"Never noticed", he says, walking into the bedroom with her hot on his heels.

"Never noticed? What do you mean _never noticed_? You're a man aren't you? You know what men look at", she says mocking his tone.

"But I'm a happily married man who is in love with an incredible woman."

"And how do you know Fred isn't happily married?" Fitz' eyes darken slightly and his lips form into a tight straight line as he looks in the mirror.

"He's not - I checked", he says with a jut of his chin and a slight flick of his head. Olivia's mouth falls open in shock as she stares at her husband's reflection in the mirror.

 _"You did what?"_

"I had Chuck check him out."

 _"Chuck from the FBI?"_

"Can you meet me for lunch today?" He asks, ignoring her reaction as he yanks the knot up the tie. "My meeting with Savage should end around noon."

Still in shock, Olivia continues to stare at her husband's reflection in the mirror. She cannot believe he had Fred Bryson investigated.

"Can you?" Adjusting his tie before walking back into the closet. He snatches the suit jacket off the hanger thinking damn right he checked out Bryson, especially when he heard about a job offer that seemingly came out of nowhere. He will not let another Charlie Barber into their lives.

"I - I - probably not", she stutters, realizing what is going on. "I don't know what time my meeting will end", she says slowly.

Sliding on the jacket, he walks back into the bedroom, kisses her on the cheek, then goes over to his nightstand to retrieve his phone.

"Call me if you can", he says casually, as if he had not just dropped a bombshell.

Olivia stares into the mirror, watching her husband leave the room. She looks down at the dress in her hands then walks back into the closet to find something else to wear.

 **XXX**

Olivia smiles as she walks toward the bank of elevators located on the first floor of Bryson Markets headquarters. When she entered the building two weeks ago she had no idea why the grocery store tycoon wanted to meet with her, and now she is back to give him her answer about the interesting job offer. On the smooth ride up to the 48th floor she thinks about her husband's shocking, but not surprising revelation, and wonders how long it will take him to put the past behind them. The dinging sound interrupts her thoughts and signals that she has reached 48th floor.

"Mrs. – Olivia", correcting herself. "I am so happy to see you again", the smiling woman stands and extends her hand to greet Olivia.

"Good morning, Deanna", shaking the woman's hand. "It's good to see you as well."

"And how are you doing today, Olivia? You look absolutely lovely." Olivia groans silently at the compliment. She changed her outfit three times, trying to find something that was not too tight, too revealing, or too anything. She does not want to send Fred Bryson the wrong message.

"I'm well – fantastic really", she says with a genuine smile.

"That's terrific. Mr. Bryson is ready to see you."

Deanna walks from around the desk and guides Olivia down an unfamiliar hall to Fred Bryson's office. She sees the look of confusion on Olivia's face as they pass the area in which she waited for Bryson two weeks ago.

"We only use that waiting area when Mr. Bryson is running late."

Olivia nods, thinking Deanna is very perceptive.

"Here we are", Deanna says, knocking twice on the floor-to-ceiling dark oak doors before entering the office. When the door opens, Olivia smiles at the view of the bay behind Bryson who is reading a document in his hand.

"Olivia", Bryson says in a booming voice as he stands from his chair.

"Good morning, Fred. It's good to see you again", extending a handshake.

Bryson ignores her hand and gives her a tight bear hug, and Olivia stiffens. Bryson immediately steps away from her and starts to apologize profusely.

"I am so sorry, Olivia. I didn't mean to offend. I hug everybody I'm comfortable with. It's a habit - tell her Deanne", looking over at his assistant in panic.

"He does, but as I've said, everyone is not comfortable with that sort of greeting, sir."

"I know – I know. You've warned me before, Deanna. I'm an HR disaster waiting to happen. It won't happen again, Olivia. I promise."

"Thank you. I would appreciate that", she says, looking intently at the man.

"And I will always respect your wishes, Olivia. Have a seat - please", motioning his hand toward one of the chairs in front of the massive desk.

"Olivia, can I get you anything before I leave – coffee, tea?"

"No – thank you, Deanna. I'm fine."

"Then I'll just leave the two of you alone."

"Thank you, Deanna", Bryson says, lowering his large frame into the chair. "The view never changes, Olivia. It's always beautiful - even on wet, cloudy days", he says, trying to ease the tension.

"It certainly doesn't", Olivia says with a slight smile.

"So, Olivia, I assume you have made a decision. Will you be joining the Bryson family? Are you going to get our CSR Program started?"

"Yes, I have made a decision, but I must confess it was not an easy decision to make."

Bryson nods in understanding.

"There were so many factors I had to consider. I had to think about how working for someone else would affect my family, how my foundation would be impacted and, frankly, if I am the best person to do this work."

Bryson frowns because it sounds like Olivia is going to reject his offer.

"It was not an easy decision to make, but, after giving the matter much thought – I have decided to accept your offer."

A big smile spread across Bryson's face and he stands to give Olivia hug, but thinks better of it when she arches her brow.

"I'll just say welcome aboard, Olivia", clearing his throat as he returns to his chair.

"Thank you, Fred. I'm happy to be joining the Bryson family."

Bryson slides a sheet a paper across the desk and Olivia furrows her brow, wondering if he wants her to sign a non-disclosure agreement.

"Let me know if that is a good number", he says, leaning back in the chair and folding his hands on top of his protruding belly. Olivia contains her composure when she sees the enormous salary offer. She had not thought about a salary, she was just excited about having the opportunity to do the work.

"That is a very good number, Fred", Olivia says, returning the sheet of paper to the desk.

"Good. Now that the money matter is settled we can get down to business. Let's sit over there and talk about the program", motioning toward the large, smoked-glass conference table on the other side of the room.

 **XXX**

Mayor Theodore Wilson grimaces as he stares out the window watching the rain drizzling down the sides of the buildings across the street from City Hall. He hates the rain and he hates winter even more. The lousy weather makes having to spend the next several hours with his staff even less appealing. He walks over to the bar, uncorks the bourbon, and pours a splash of the amber-colored liquid into his coffee. He knows his budget will have a slim-to-none chance of passing now that Grant is the new president. The man has a reputation for being honest and fair, two qualities Wilson neither possesses nor admires. He knows when it comes down to the wire, Grant is not going to make the political choice on the key issues, he is going to make the right choice, and that makes him a dangerous man. Wilson sips the bourbon-laced coffee and thinks about how much he misses Marla.

He walks back to the window and looks down onto his cold, dreary city thinking time is running out. Since the indictment he has been trying to figure out how he is going to fix the mess and avoid going to jail. To say he has a lot on his mind is an understatement. He is anxious, and his donors, the people behind the scenes, are becoming increasingly uneasy with the public scrutiny the indictment has generated. He knows he is becoming a political liability because those kind of people do not like noise or anything that distracts from their plans. They have invested a lot of money to put him into office and they want a return on their investment. They want certain legislation passed so they can move forward with their plans for the city. Wilson takes another sip of coffee and looks down at his watch, the directors should be arriving soon.

 **XXX**

Three hours have passed and the budget planning meeting is nowhere near ending. Wilson and his team are still reviewing each department's budget; they will definitely have to work through lunch. Marion eyes the mayor closely as he sips on his coffee, he is obviously in a bad mood and seems close to imploding. Marion sighs silently as the School Board superintendent begins to speak. Hixson can drone on forever. She glances at her watch because she does not know when she will get a chance to call Ben about dinner.

"Mr. Mayor", Chauncey Hixson begins carefully, nervously cleaning his eyeglasses with the white handkerchief. "You're considering eliminating the 10 percent I added to my budget to expand the full-day kindergarten program, as well as reduce the current funding by another 15 percent. Those kinds of cuts will have a deleterious effect on our ability to educate our children – give them a good start. While I can understand not increasing funding levels - we all know the city is financially challenged - but cutting what has been in the budget for years is just – well it's just cruel."

"Are you finished?" Wilson asks, glaring at the nervous man.

"Yes - I believe I am, sir."

"Good. Because I'm not _considering_ cutting anything – I've already cut it. It's a done deal", Wilson glares at the superintendent who shifts nervously in his chair. Wilson turns to Carlos Rivera, the Director of Business Development.

"Carlos, we'll review your budget after our break."

"Very well, Mr. Mayor", Rivera says, closing the manila folder containing his proposed budget.

"Let's take a 15-minute bio break", Wilson says, summarily dismissing his staff. "Be back here promptly at 1:30."

They all hustle from the office to get to the bathroom and make a few quick calls to their staff and families. Marion ducks into the ladies' restroom to relieve herself, thinking she should have wet Wilson's floor for keeping them locked up in that office for five hours without a break and only giving them a few measly sandwiches masquerading as lunch. She recognizes a control freak when she sees one. Marion washes and dries her hands quickly then pulls the phone from her pocket to call Ben. He should be out of surgery by now.

"Hello", he says with a smile, answering the phone on the second ring.

"How are you?" Smiling as she looks into the bathroom mirror touching up her makeup.

"Fine now that you've called."

"You're so sweet", she says flirtatiously.

"I am", he responds jokingly. "What time will you be leaving the office - where do you want to go for dinner tonight?"

"I can't make it tonight, Ben", she whines. "Wilson is being an ass. I think he's going to keep us here until midnight", looking under the stalls to check if anyone else is in the bathroom. "He's up to something - I just haven't figured out what", now reapplying her lipstick.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure - I'll tell you about it when I see you. So what are you going to do tonight?" Smiling again.

"I don't know - maybe go for a swim since I've been stood up."

"I'm really sorry. I'll make it up to you – I promise. I might even use some of my new oils", glancing down at her watch.

"Promises, promises. I haven't had a massage in –"

"I gotta go, Ben", she says hurriedly. I'll call you later if it's not too late", disconnecting the call before he can respond.

 **XXX**

Olivia sits with Fred at the large conference table listening to him talk about all of the problems of the city, from his perspective. The man can really talk.

"Olivia, I strongly believe life is better for everyone when we are connected – when the community is connected to businesses and when businesses are connected to the community."

Olivia nods.

"The most vibrant communities have people who care: parents, teachers, business owners, and, sometimes even government –"

"And the church", Olivia adds quickly.

"Yes, the church as well."

"This city is in trouble, Olivia, has been for some time – for a variety of reasons. The city was hit hard by the housing crisis, which greatly impacted the tax base. A third of our residents live in poverty and have a high school education or less. And, our officials have a history of mismanaging the meager resources we have."

Olivia crinkles her brow and listens closely.

"Education was the way out for my brothers and I and I believe it is the way out for much of the youth of this city. They need to be educated early – starting at pre-K —in order to become active and contributing members of the city."

Olivia nods, continuing to be impressed by Fred Bryson's dedication to the community.

"And, in time, increase their civic engagement and leadership so we can throw some of those do-nothings out of City Hall. No offense, Olivia."

"None taken", she says, thinking she has to tell her husband what Fred said.

As morning slips into afternoon, Olivia is still trying to understand the specific goals Fred wants to accomplish with the program, but he is a big picture thinker and cares little about the details. He has a lot of great ideas, about everything, but Olivia does not know how realistic many of them they are. His thoughts about the program are all over the place and, when he gets excited, he becomes less coherent. She has to reel him in, get him focused, or they are going to be in his office for the next 10 years.

A double knock on the door interrupts their discussion and Deanna opens the door to allow the caterer to set up lunch on the credenza. Normally she would have the caterer place the lunch in the private dining room adjacent to the office, but she knows Fred Bryson prefers to remain in his office when he is in deep discussion.

"It seems like our lunch has arrived, Olivia. I hope you have an appetite", Bryson says, glancing over at the young man who is setting up the food across the room.

"I do."

"Olivia, why don't you come with me so you can freshen up before lunch."

"That would be wonderful", Olivia says, standing from her seat. "I'll be back shortly, Fred."

"Take your time, Olivia, we have all afternoon."

Olivia follows Deanna down the hall to a restroom that requires an entry key card. Deanna pulls the key card from her pocket and hands it to Olivia.

"Welcome aboard, Olivia. This is your personal key to the women's executive restroom. You'll find everything in there you need. But if there is anything – any special products you prefer - just let me know and I'll have Kelly get it from the supply room."

"Thank you, Deanna. I'm sure whatever is in there is sufficient."

"All right – but don't hesitate to ask."

"Thank you, Deanna", accepting the card key from the woman.

"And, Olivia, I'll make sure you're out of here no later than three o' clock. Mr. Bryson can go on forever when he is excited about a new project."

Olivia smiles politely, waves the card key in front of the security device, and walks into one of the most beautifully decorated bathrooms she has ever seen. The private restroom is outfitted with amenities that rival many upscale spas. She slowly scans the labels of the high-end products lining the glass shelves and wonders if it is a coincidence that her favorite brand of personal care products is on one the shelves. After freshening up, Olivia sits in the plush, high-back chair thinking about how she is going to get Fred to focus on the matter at hand. He is an endless flow of ideas and getting him to articulate his goals for the program is proving to be a challenge. If she does not get the man to focus, she surely will not see her family again until long after Cena has graduated high school. She chuckles to herself and returns to Bryson's office when her stomach begins to growl.

"Fill up, Olivia. Deanna always orders the best lunch – healthy but good."

"That means she cares", Olivia says, taking one of the expensive fine china plates from the plate holder. "Everything looks so delicious."

Olivia fills her plate with small portions of the various salads, opting to add a piece of smoked white fish rather than the chicken, beef, and chicken that is on display. She fills a crystal glass with water before returning to the conference table. Joining Olivia at the table with his plate overflowing and a glass of iced tea, Bryson promptly resumes the meeting.

"Olivia, I have shared with you my personal story - why I want to increase my philanthropic endeavors. However, you should know that my motives aren't totally altruistic."

Olivia looks at the man slightly askance and slowly lowers her fork to the side of the plate.

"Don't get nervous, Olivia. I'm not going to pull a bait and switch on you, but I am going to be honest. I'm a businessman, Olivia, and businesses are in business to make money. And, honestly, it has become increasingly difficult to make a decent profit in this city."

"To stay in business and make money - my company – hell every company - needs a competent workforce. Current residents need to upskill – develop new skills - to function in this new economy – and business owners have to help make that happen. We must also find innovative ways to retain and recruit new and young talent. And, we have to encourage people to move into the city. I get no one wants to move into a dying city, Olivia. Families want to live in a place where they feel safe. They want to be able to take their young children out on the weekend to play and get an ice cream cone. They want good schools where their children can learn and become competitive."

"None of this happens in a dying city. And businesses cannot do business in a city that is dying. Many businesses have already left and others are threatening to leave. Families have left - are leaving."

Olivia chews slowly, listening to Bryson outline the goals for the program. The man seems more focused this afternoon.

"I want to help make this a thriving city again. A lot of development is already underway – parts of the city are undergoing a major revitalization. People from all socio-economic backgrounds are going to be the beneficiaries of the changes coming to this city, Olivia. So, increasing my philanthropic efforts is not just a personal passion, it's also smart business."

Olivia nods, now understanding how Fred Bryson has become so successful.

"So, Fred, let me see if I understand what you hope to accomplish with a philanthropic program", Olivia says, leaning forward and resting her forearms onto the table.

"You want to help uplift people out of poverty - through education – with the hope they will become productive, taxpaying citizens. You want this city to become world-class, a place where college students are willing to stay after they graduate and new and young talent want to relocate. And, you want those who live outside the city to have a compelling reason to move into the city."

Bryson smiles, nodding his head slowly.

"It's all about people – educating them, retaining them, and attracting them. The more people who live in the city the more people will shop at Bryson Markets. And, if more people shop at Bryson Markets, the more profitable the business. Did I get that right?"

"You're a smart women, Olivia Grant. You definitely got it right."

Deanna knocks twice on the door, it is three o' clock. As Olivia drives home from Bryson's headquarters, she notices that the city is becoming a mix of the old and the new: older homes now stand next to or near sprawling high-rise apartment buildings and expensive townhouses. Small, struggling neighborhood businesses reside next to trendy vegan restaurants and smoothie shops. Construction sites are sprinkled across the city. There is a lot of building happening going on.

 **XXX**

"Continue with your presentation, Carlos. We have a lot of territory to cover this evening", Wilson says, and Marion groans silently.

"Mr. Mayor, as you know the city is in the process of revitalizing parts of the downtown district that have been underserved for many years now. And, the downtown district is prime real estate for venture capitalists who want to invest in our city."

Wilson nods.

"However, those investors don't want to take the full financial hit for developing in our city – they want us to have a little skin in the game."

Wilson steeples his hands, resting his index fingers on the bridge of his nose. He has already supported the land grab those greedy bastards have made down by the waterfront, and now they want more.

"We have to show good faith, sir – show that we're willing to invest in our own city", Rivera continues. "Therefore, Mr. Mayor, I am recommending we increase the business development budget by 25% - to send a signal to investors that we are in the game."

The school superintendent's neck snaps back and he looks at the mayor in disbelief. Surely Wilson will not sign off on such an outrageous increase to the business development budget. Wilson ignores the look Hixson is giving him.

"That's makes perfect sense, Carlos. Let's do it."

"Sir, you're taking money from the children", the superintendent once again expressing his outrage.

The sun has set long ago and Marion is ready for this charade to be over. Shifting money from education to fund business development projects is criminal, but she remains silent, slyly glancing at her watch and wondering what Ben is doing.

"Is there somewhere more important you need to be, _Dr. Harris_?" Wilson growls, snapping her from her reverie. Marion stares at him blankly; she hates when he says her title in that tone.

"Excuse me?"

"You've checked your watch twice within the last hour. So again, is there something you'd rather be doing than helping your colleagues prepare the city's budget?"

As Wilson glares at her she feels the eyes of the other men on her as well. She has slipped, has been slipping since she started dating Ben. She has not been focused and she knows better. She knows how to sit with perfect posture and pretend to listen for hours to things she does not like nor want to hear. She learned that trick long ago.

"Of course not, sir. Nothing more important."

"Good answer, _Dr. Harris"_ , Wilson says, giving the woman a hard look before turning his attention to the superintendent.

"We're starting a war, Hixson – not a full-blown war yet – but a war nonetheless. And in war people get hurt – regardless of age."

"What is this talk of war – who are we at war with, sir?"

"With Grant – our new Council President. A big part of his agenda is school reform - he won't like the axe I've just taken to your budget. That was the first shot."

Wilson laughs maniacally and Marion does everything within her power not to roll her eyes. The man is using the children as political pawns and she thinks it is disgraceful.

"If Grant won't come around to my way of thinking then I'll just have to use the nuclear option - but that's for another meeting. For now we'll just start with cuts to your budget."

Wilson walks over to the bar, his signal the meeting is over, and the department heads begin slowly file out of the office.

"Thank you gentlemen – and lady", looking at Marion as he raises the glass of bourbon to his lips. "We'll meet again next week. And Marion, we'll be starting with your budget."

 **XXX**

Hildie is a gem Gwendolyn thinks as she reads the handwritten heating instructions taped to the top of the glass casserole dish she pulled from the freezer. Hildie typically prepares and freezes several meals each week that the Grants can easily pop into the oven for their dinner. They simply need to make a salad or some other vegetable of their choosing to complement the dish. As Gwendolyn sets the casserole into the oven her husband drops the spinach into the colander and turns on the water to rinse away any remaining debris from the leafy vegetable.

"Dear, I'm going to miss being here when we return to Senegal", Gwendolyn says as she glances at the clock on the stove.

"I know Gwennie, but we have to get back. There are so many people who are counting on us."

"I understand, but I really have enjoyed being here with Livvia and her family – although the circumstances were not ideal. Look at us, Calvin, we're preparing dinner for our family. Won't you miss this?"

"Well, I hardly call heating a casserole preparing meal, Gwennie."

"Don't be a wise guy, Calvin. You know what I mean."

"Well it's nice to be able to do something nice for Livvia and Fitzgerald since they are so busy. I'm glad we all can have dinner together for a change."

Calvin nods and watches the water drain from the colander.

 **XXX**

After dinner, Olivia and her mother clean the kitchen and put away the leftovers while Fitz, Calvin, and Cena gather in the family room to play a game. With bellies full, Jolie and Bowtie both sleep on the play mat.

"You better keep Hildie, Livvia", Gwendolyn says with a smile as she dries the last few dishes and puts them into the cabinet. "I always thought having help around the house was wasteful, but I now see there are definite benefits."

"I don't know what Fitz and I would do without her, mom" Olivia says, smiling somewhat reminiscently when she thinks about Avril.

"GranPop, I'm going to win again", Cena boasts with confidence as she settles onto the floor next to her father.

"I don't know about that, Cena. Your father is playing tonight and he can be a real shark", winking at Fitz.

"That's right, Princess. I might have to dethrone you tonight."

"What does dethrone mean?" Looking at her father curiously.

"It means you might not win tonight", tousling her hair as Olivia and Gwendolyn walk into the room and settle onto the sofa.

"I can't believe you are playing that same game again tonight", Olivia says, thinking of the nightly reading of _Goodnight Moon_.

"Well, we haven't played it in a few nights since we've been getting things ready over at Triumph", Calvin says.

"So how are things going over there – how's Rev. Walker doing?"

"Livvia", Gwendolyn begins with excitement in her voice. "Rev. Walker is doing fine."

"He said to tell you he expects to see you and Fitzgerald back in church soon", her father interjects and Olivia simply nods.

"He - we – all are excited the education program is almost complete. It's wonderful Triumph has been granted a charter to open a school in the fall", Gwendolyn gushes.

"That's terrific, mom", Olivia says.

"I go to school", Cena announces.

"We know, sweetheart", Fitz says, focusing on where to move his game piece.

"And how was your meeting with Bryson, Livvia?"

"It went well, actually", and a smile spread across her face. "He was happy I accepted the position."

"You're going to do great things for that company, Livvia."

"Thanks, mom. I have a lot to learn. Today, Fred and I got clear on his expectations. He has given me free rein to design the program however I choose, he just wants outcomes."

"Autonomy is a good thing", Calvin says, moving his game piece around the board and purposely landing on Cena's spot.

"I got you, GrandPop", Cena squeals with excitement. "I told you I was going to win."

"Don't count your chic -", Fitz stops the idiom because he knows Cena would not understand it. "Don't be so sure, sweetheart. I still have a chance to win."

"Babe, don't forget to leave work early tomorrow. You're taking me out for Valentine's Day", giving him a wink.

"Got everything under control", he says, moving his game piece around the board.

"Well, it seems like everyone is landing in a good place", Calvin says, standing from the floor and sitting onto the plush chair across from his wife and daughter. His old bones can no longer tolerate sitting on the hardwood floor.

"God is good", Gwendolyn chimes in with a smile.

"Yes He is Gwennie - yes He is. The Lord has chosen to shine his favor on our family and we must forever be grateful - pay it forward", Calvin says.

"Yes - yes", Gwennie says, clasping her hands together and causing the brass charms on the bracelet to jingle.

"That is why we must begin to make plans to return to Senegal - to finish our work there", Calvin says.

Olivia's eyes widen at the unexpected announcement and Fitz looks over at his wife with concern.

"I beat daddy", Cena yells after her father inadvertently placed his game piece on her spot.

"You're leaving - so soon?" Olivia asks with surprise and sadness.

"Livvia, we must get back to helping those who need us", her mother says.

"You certainly did beat me", Fitz says, still looking at his wife whose eyes are filling with tears. "I think it's time for your bath, Princess - you have an early morning. Let's put the game away for now."

"Okay, daddy", Cena says, helping her father return the game pieces to the box.

"I think I better take JoJo up to bed as well", Olivia says softly.

"Do you need some help, Livvia?"

"No, mom. I can handle it", bending and lifting the sleeping baby from the play mat, and Bowtie stirs in his sleep.

 **XXX**

Foregoing her nightly routine of massaging the lightly scented body butter onto her skin, Olivia silently slides under the bedcovers and curls into her husband's side. She has been quiet since her parents announced their plan to return to Senegal, and he knows the old feelings the news has triggered. Fitz removes his reading glasses, sets them onto his nightstand, and wraps his arm around his wife.

"I'm not ready for them to go, Fitz. I was just getting used to having them again and now they are planning to leave."

"I know", rubbing his hand up and down her arm.

"I don't know why they can't stay here and volunteer at Triumph. They've done this my entire life – left me when I needed them. It always feels like they're abandoning me."

"You know that's not true", kissing the top of her head.

"But that's how I feel. I told you I was lonely a lot as a child. I never want Cena and Jo to feel that kind of loneliness."

"They won't. You're a terrific mother and they know how much you love them."

"What do we tell Cena when it's time for them to leave?"

"We'll explain that her grandparents need to return to Senegal to help others who are less fortunate."

"They're always off helping someone else. They did it to me and now they're doing it to their grandchildren. How do they expect Cee and Jo to know who they are – have a relationship with them – if they are on the other side of the world?"

"We can plan to visit them – take the girls. Would you like that?" Kissing the top of her head. She nods her head as the tears soak his tee shirt.

 **XXX**

Fitz laid awake for hours last night thinking about the effect his in-laws' announcement had on his wife. With her starting a new career doing something she really enjoys, she should not be sad about her parents leaving, not today. He is going to make sure she has a wonderful time tonight. Stealthily sliding from under her, he rolls out of bed to get an early start on the day. Showering and dressing quickly, he walks quietly from the bedroom and heads downstairs to the kitchen where he sees Calvin sitting at the island reading the newspaper. He decides to take this opportunity to test if the man knows how Olivia feels about them returning to Senegal.

"Good morning, Calvin", Fitz says as he walks over to the coffee maker.

"Good morning, Fitzgerald", Calvin replies with his usual broad smile, folding the newspaper and setting it onto the island top. "You're getting an early start today."

"I have an early meeting", Fitz says, pouring the spicy coffee into his mug. "Where is everyone this morning?" He asks, looking around the kitchen.

"Today is Hildie's day off and my wife is in the nursery with Jolie. I suppose Cena is still upstairs with _Bowtie_ ", saying the dog's name with bitterness.

"Why do you dislike dogs so much, Calvin?" Fitz asks as he sets a frying pan onto one of the stove's burners.

"I dislike all animals", he says with disdain.

"I see", Fitz says, reaching into the refrigerator for the eggs and clarified butter. "Breakfast?" Fitz offers as he cracks four eggs into a bowl.

"No – thank you. Animals are sneaky – can't be trusted", Calvin continues.

"Why do you say that?" Fitz asks, moving over to the sink to splash a little cold water into the bowl, then drops in a pinch of salt.

"Because I have experience – firsthand", Calvin grumbles as he brings the mug to his lips.

"Firsthand - what happened?" Looking at Calvin curiously as he whisks the eggs.

"Fitzgerald, long ago, when I was around Cena's age, I was outside playing with my friends. We – I – decided to feed the neighbor's dog a few scraps and, the dog I had known forever suddenly turned on me – literally bit the hand that was trying to feed him. The mangy animal would not let go even as I screamed for help. I'll never forget the look in that mongrel's eyes - he was intent on killing me. He would have killed me if Mr. Greerstead had not come running from his house and beat the beast off me with his broomstick. My hand was mangled. It took 45 stitches to put it back together - the pain was excruciating."

Fitz stops whisking the eggs and watches as his father-in-law rubs his right hand.

"They had to put the dog down - said he had rabies - which meant I had to get those painful shots for weeks."

Fitz nods, now understanding Calvin's dislike for dogs. He knows, however, it was the rabies that caused the dog to attack his father-in-law, not the inherent nature of the dog. But he says nothing as he drops two slices of bread into the toaster.

"Did Liv have a similar experience? She's not fond of animals."

"No, but I taught her all animals are not to be trusted. They can betray you without warning."

Fitz nods again as he quickly scrambles the eggs, grabbing the toast as it pops from the toaster.

"You sure you don't want breakfast?" Plating the eggs and toast.

Calvin waves his hand dismissively and Fitz sits across from his father-in-law and immediately digs into his breakfast.

"So have you and Gwendolyn set a date to return to Senegal?" Fitz asks, and Calvin leans back in his seat and the broad smile returns.

"As soon as we wrap up the project at Triumph. Probably in another month or so. You and Livvia are doing better now so I think it is safe for us to return. A lot of people need us over there, Fitzgerald. Besides, we're excited to see how the school has turned out."

"Liv is really going to miss you both", Fitz says cautiously, studying the man's face. "I'm certain she would love if you could stay."

"Livvia is going to be just fine - she always is. She has you, our beautiful granddaughters, and she's starting a new career. She'll be so busy she will hardly know we're gone."

"Cena and Jolie will definitely miss you and Gwendolyn - they've become quite attached. I'm sure Cena will miss your morning encounters with Rufus." Calvin rolls his eyes at the mention of the neighbor's dog.

"We'll just Skype like we've always done. Technology closes the distance gap." Fitz nods, thinking the man is oblivious to how his daughter feels about them leaving.

"I better get going", Fitz says, carrying his plate over to the sink.

"Leave those dishes, Fitzgerald - I'll take care of them. You don't want to be late for your meeting."

"Are you sure?" Looking at his father-in-law with raised brow.

"Go – go. Gwennie and I have plenty of time before we have to be at Triumph", and Fitz looks at the man in panic. "Don't worry, Fitzgerald, we'll be back in plenty of time so you can take Livvia out for Valentine's Day."

"Thank you, Calvin. Have a good day."

"You as well, Fitzgerald", picking up the newspaper and resuming reading the article on gentrification in the city.

 **XXX**

Olivia glares at her husband's profile when she sees the hostess looking at the computer screen and shaking her head from side to side as she searches for their reservation. Fitz smiles confidently because he made the reservation for the new restaurant Olivia has been shamelessly dropping hints about going to the new restaurant on the waterfront everyone has been raving about. As the hostess continues to search for their reservation, the people in line behind them begin to clear their throats and sigh loudly.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Grant, we don't seem to have a reservation for you", the hostess says, looking at him, then Olivia sympathetically.

"That can't be – I made the reservation a month ago."

"I'm, sorry, sir, but –"

"Is there a problem here, Stephanie?"

"This couple doesn't seem to have a reservation and –"

"Council President Grant?" The man says, uncertain if the man standing before him is indeed the new Council President. Somewhat embarrassed, Fitz smiles and nods his head. "Your brother, Dr. Benjamin Grant, saved my life - gave me a new heart", patting his chest where his new heart resides. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir", extending his hand to Fitz. "I'm the owner-chef of this joint", he says playfully. "Stephanie, give this couple my private table, and happy Valentine's Day, Mrs. Grant", the man says before quickly walking toward the kitchen, not waiting for a _thank you_.

Once they are settled in the best seat in the house, Olivia unleashes her anger on her husband.

" _How could you forget to make a reservation"_ , Olivia says through clenched teeth.

" _I didn't"_ , he protests in a hushed voice. _"I made it last month - when we got back from the lake."_

" _I don't know what's wrong with you lately, you're getting forgetful."_

"I'm sorry", lifting her hand to his lips.

"You owe, Ben - big time."

"Why do I owe, Bennie?"

"Because _he_ gave the man a new heart. Just like the lion in The Wizard of Oz", she giggles. "And that's why we are sitting here."

"Did I say you look absolutely beautiful tonight?" He says with the smile she loves.

"You did but you can say it again."

"You look absolutely beautiful, Mrs. Grant", and they both giggle, putting the mishap behind them.

The waitress comes to their table with a bottle of red wine and they look at each other because they have not ordered anything. They haven't even looked at the menu.

"Compliments of the chef", the waitress says, pouring a small amount into Fitz' glass.

"Now you really owe Ben", Olivia smiles as he tastes the sample pour.

"This is very good. Thank you", and Olivia rolls her eyes because he rarely drinks wine. The waitress fills his glass then she fills Olivia's glass.

"Will there be anything else?" The waitress asks, looking back and forth at the two.

"Bring my husband a scotch on the rocks, please", shaking her head.

"Right away, ma'am." Olivia laughs as the waitress goes to get the scotch.

"Abby's pregnant", she blurts out, her mouth twitching nervously. She didn't mean to say it, had not planned on bringing it up tonight.

"Liv …." He says in a gentle, but warning tone.

"We haven't talked about it in a while, Fitz", she says, getting misty-eyed.

"There's been a lot going on, Liv."

"Don't you want another baby? Cee is six and JoJo will be one in May."

"I want my wife healthy", and she looks at him as the tears threaten to fall, and he relents somewhat. This night is about making her happy.

"Can we get through some of the things on our plate first?" Reaching his hand across the table and twirling her wedding set with his thumb.

"You say that about everything. You say it about moving and now you're saying it about having another baby."

"I promise - after March we'll discuss everything. Okay?" Lifting her hand to his lips. She nods, brushing the tears from her cheek as the waitress sets the drink in front of him.

 **XXX**

She commands a flourish of horns as she struts through the restaurant decked out in a red dress that looks as if it was painted on, red stilettos, and fire engine red lipstick. With a hand resting on the small of her back, her date guides her through the dining room, following the hostess to their table.

"Oh my goodness", Victoria squeals, stopping at the booth when she sees her boss and his wife sitting in the booth across from each other. The hostess also stops just past the Grants' table. "Mr. Grant - Mrs. Grant, what a coincidence", she says with faux surprise. "I guess great minds think alike", quickly assessing the couple's demeanor. Although Fitz is holding his wife's hand, they seem disturbed by something and Olivia looks as if she has been crying.

"Hello, Ms Sanchez", Fitz says.

"Hello, Victoria. You look absolutely beautiful."

"Thank you, Mrs. Grant", she says, not bothering to return the compliment. "I'm sure you're familiar with my date - Edison Davis", she says proudly.

"I am", Olivia says smiling in recognition. "Hello, Edison."

"Hello, Olivia. It's been a long time. You're looking lovely as usual", and Victoria tries not to roll her eyes.

"Babe, Edison did some pro bono work for the foundation a few years ago. We could never afford his usual fees, of course. Edison, this is my husband, Fitzgerald Grant."

"I'm quite familiar with your husband's reputation, Olivia. It's a pleasure to meet you Council President Grant", Edison says, extending a handshake. "Congratulations on your win."

"Thank you, Mr. Davis. It's a pleasure to meet you", Fitz says, accepting Edison's handshake.

The hostess clears her throat, signaling they need to move from the aisle to so other patrons can be seated. As Victoria and Edison follow the hostess to their table Olivia leans over slightly, stretching her neck to take another look at Victoria's outfit.

"What are you looking at?" Fitz asks with crinkled brow.

"That's a really nice dress Victoria is wearing – tight."

"I guess she's trying to impress someone tonight", he says, bringing his wife's hand to his lips again.

"I suppose", Olivia says half to herself.

 **XXX**

Arguably one of the most beautiful women in the city, Victoria Sanchez frequently uses her great looks, perfect figure, and seductive skills to gain ultimate power over men. Some would call Victoria Sanchez a conniving narcissist because she is relentless once she has set her sights on a target. She always selects highly successful men who have the means or position to satiate her grandiose goals. She could care less if the man is married, has children, or is a public figure who must protect his professional position. None of this matters. She wants what she wants.

Victoria came from a poor family and her schoolmates looked down their noses at her because her mother cleaned their homes and her father designed and maintained their well-manicured lawns. She wore their hand-me-downs to school and the snobby, mean-spirited children never missed an opportunity to point out that she was wearing their clothes from last season. The sting of being poor and always feeling marginalized was painful as a child - is still painful. However, she consoled herself with the knowledge that she was prettier than all of the girls in the school and looked better wearing their used clothes than they ever did.

As she matured into a beautiful young woman, Victoria began to realize the effect she has on men. She knew they were attracted to her sexually and want to be with her. She learned that the promise of hot sex is the most powerful tool she can use on a man, and most men cannot say no to this level of temptation. While she learned how to control men with sex, she has always had higher ambitions - she wanted power. She wanted to increase her social standing in the community, for she certainly was incapable of fulfilling her desires on her own accord.

Having discarded the red dress she spent a small fortune on for the short peach-colored silk nightgown and matching robe, Victoria reclines on the sofa in her small apartment, opens her tablet, and reflects on the evening. For the most part the evening was a success. Edison is always a good date although he can be cheap at times. That is why she sent him home tonight, she was not going to bed a man who whined about the price of a bottle of wine. She picks up the sweating glass from the table, takes a sip, and scrunches her face. Scotch must be an acquired taste she thinks as she scrolls through the latest family pictures Fitz has posted on his Facebook and Instagram accounts.


	39. Chapter 39 Call Me Ms Sanchez

**A/N:** Been on vacay so the update is a little late. I really needed the break. Hope you're still interested in finding out what's happening with Olivia and Fitz. Trifling heifer, trick, tramp, hussy; all words reviewers have used to describe Victoria. Too funny.

 **Dakidd,** Fitz is busy, preoccupied with learning his new job and dealing with everything going on at home. The Popes thought they were raising Olivia to be independent and all she ever wanted was a normal family. Wilson is getting desperate and desperate people do desperate things. He has to find a way to get his donors what they want while also fighting to stay out of jail. **GeeGee612** , Olivia never told her parents about her loneliness because she did not want to disappoint them. She wanted them to think she is as independent as they want her to be. **Monica** , you're right, Fitz is still trying to glue his life back together after Charlie tried to kill him and his family. One doesn't easily get over something like that. Olivia is now making an impressive salary – go Liv. Yup, there is a snake/ Delilah in their garden. Sounds like you want Victoria to be tarred, feathered and dragged through the public square. LOL. **Michelle** , Marion better get a grip on her jealousy and that other thing or she might lose Ben. Olivia has wanted another baby for quite some time but is she trying to do too much too soon? You're right, although they're now in a better place, there is still a degree of fragility to the marriage. They are definitely a work in progress. Loved the THOT comment. **kandyse4olitz** , we'll see how strong our Fitz really is. Fred is handsy but harmless. Deanne keeps him straight. **kelleekellkell** , in a few chapters we'll see how Olivia handles her parents' plans to return to Senegal. **Guest1** , fox in her hen house/ Yup. You're right, Olivia had a significant impact on Ben and Marion should not try to interfere with their relationship. She's been warned. Also, keep in mind, Marion has always been a tad jealous of Olivia's "perfect" life, even before Ben came onto the scene. Marion loves her job, but she detests the mayor. Liv isn't slacking, she's busy taking care of her family, helping Mona at the foundation a bit, and getting ready to start a new job. She doesn't have time to watch Victoria. Wilson's staff does not stand up to him because they want to keep their jobs so they can try to do good things for the city. Fitz did not forget about the reservation, he was confident the hostess would find it in the system. You know Victoria canceled that reservation. Thanks for waiting and watching for the updates. It will always come, albeit a little later than usual. Ciao. **Guest2** , you're right, Fred needs to keep his hands in his pockets if he can't control his penchant for hugging, but he's harmless. Yup, Fitz only has eyes for his Livvie at the restaurant, but can he be tempted? Fitz needs to stop posting family pictures on social media; Olivia warned him about doing so long ago. How about that Victoria trying to develop a taste for scotch? You can't fault a girl for trying, or can you?

Thanks to everyone for continuing to support this story. Always enjoy reading the reviews. Here we go!

 **Chapter 39. Call Me Ms Sanchez**

With face pressed against her neck and a hand cupping a breast through the flimsy nightgown, he instinctually kisses her neck as he sleeps. They got home really late last night because Olivia wanted to browse the shops along the waterfront after they left the restaurant. Although it was a bit chilly by the water, his two scotch on the rocks and her three glasses of red wine apparently made them impervious to the winds blowing across the bay. Wanting to lift his wife's spirits after her parents' announcement, Fitz allowed her to pull him in and out of all of the retail shops that were still open at that hour, laughing and giggling like young lovers on a date. He even agreed to wear the brightly colored socks she insisted on buying for him, saying all fashionable men wear the stylish socks nowadays. One pair, she thought conservative enough to suit his tastes, is navy blue with embroidered red elephants. The second pair is far less conservative, displaying colors reflecting the LGBT pride flag.

Enjoying the warmth of her body, Fitz pulls his wife closer as his morning erection causes him to stir in his sleep. He instinctually moves against her round cheeks and slides a hand between her legs, and she moans in her sleep. The painful erection fully awakens him and he pushes down his underwear with the other hand, allowing the bone hard penis to spring free. He strokes the flesh as he rubs the head over her the nightgown covering her butt. He moans from the sensation.

"Livvie", he whispers breathlessly as he slides down her panties, but she continues to sleep. "Wake up, Livvie", his warm breath wafting over her ear.

"Hmm?"

"Wake up, Livvie", he whispers again, this time with more urgency.

"Why?" She mutters, hugging the pillow tighter. "What's wrong?"

"Turn over."

Half asleep, she follows his command, rolling onto her back with her eyes closed. He pushes the nightgown down to her waist and runs his tongue over a hardened nipple.

"What – what are you doing?" Slowly awakening.

"Trying to make love to my Valentine", suckling like a newborn.

"It's too early for your bad jokes. Besides, Valentine's Day is over", she says sleepily, trying to turn back onto her side.

"Open, Livvie. I need you."

"Is the door locked?"

"Yes", he croaks out as he continues to suckle. He has no idea if the door is locked.

She spread her legs and he slides in effortlessly, closing his eyes for a moment before the slow dance begins. His thrusts are slow and deliberate and she wraps her arms around his waist low, moving with him. This is one of those early morning sessions they have had so many times where he needs to connect and release. So she lifts her hips, allowing him to go deeper and his thrusts quicken. Bodies slapping against the other, they ride each other hard, groaning and moaning with pleasure. She cups his face, pulling him down to connect their lips.

Oh god, Livvie. You feel so good, baby – so good."

"Right there, Fitz. Keep it right there."

She bites his bottom lip when he hits the spot, expelling a guttural growl. Bowtie sits up in his doggie bed and looks down the hall in the direction of the sound heard only by him. With legs trembling, she falls back onto the pillow with a look of satisfaction and he begins to search for that magical place. Resting his head on her shoulder, he squeezes her tightly, pumping and thrusting with abandon. Grunting with each thrust, he feels like he is losing his mind and he does not care. His heart is racing and his breathing is erratic. He feels like he is on fire, and he freezes. His stomach and butt tighten and his face contorts in pleasure as his juices flow seemingly forever. He collapses onto her, grinding slowly, needing to grab the last bit of pleasure. He smiles, trying to catch his breath and she strokes his slickened back until his breathing slows. After a few moments he softens and she taps him on the butt.

"You're crushing me, mister", she says in a strained voice. He pecks her on the lips then rolls onto his back. Fully satiated, he smiles in the dark, rubbing a hand up and down his chest. The endorphins are flowing and he is feeling really good, invigorated.

"Liv?"

"Hmm?" Cuddling into his side with the nightgown still bunched around her waist. She is falling back to sleep and he is feeling silly.

"Will you be my Valentine?" He lets out a deep throaty laugh as he runs a hand up and down her arm.

"You're not funny, babe", she says before falling back to sleep.

 **XXX**

Fitz is feeling really good when he steps off the elevator and onto the third floor of City Hall. Swinging a bag in his left hand, he is in a buoyant mood as he swaggers down the marble hall toward his office. Nothing like morning sex he thinks to himself as he approaches his assistant's desk.

"Good morning, Ms Sanchez", he says cheerfully.

"Good morning, Mr. Grant."

"We have a lot to do today, Ms Sanchez – a lot to do", whistling as he walks into his office.

Victoria eyes her boss closely as he strolls into his office carrying a bag. He is different this morning, less rigid – relaxed. Over the past six weeks Victoria has become adept at reading his body language and moods. She can always tell when he is in a good or bad mood, and this morning he is definitely in a good mood. Pressing the ballpoint pen against her red lips, she nods, thinking he must have gotten laid last night. She resumes typing, wondering what is in the bag. Thirty minutes later Fitz calls Victoria into his office and she springs to her feet immediately, grabbing her tablet from atop the workstation.

"Yes, Mr. Grant", standing in front of the desk poised to take notes.

"Ms Sanchez, what time is my meeting with Councilman Boynton this morning? My calendar doesn't seem to be updating", looking down at his phone with furrowed eyebrows.

"Nine o' clock, sir."

"Thank you", he says, looking up with a smile and tossing the phone onto the desk.

He definitely got laid last night she thinks to herself, noticing the bite mark on his bottom lip. Her eyes dart around the room trying to find any sign of what might have been in the bag.

"I'll have IT check why your calendar isn't updating", typing a note onto the tablet. "By the way, Superintendent Hixson called to cancel your 10:30 meeting."

"Thank you, Ms Sanchez", patting his hands on the desk like he is playing the bongos. "Reschedule Hixson, please", scanning the desk piled with documents.

"Already done", and he nods in appreciation. "What a lovely picture", Victoria says, glancing at the framed hand-drawn Valentine's Day picture on the credenza behind his desk. He smiles as he turns and looks at the homemade card with hearts varying in size and hues of red.

"Cena drew it for me. She even helped Jolie and Bowtie sign it", his eyes glistening with pride.

"And who is Bowtie?" She asks, feigning ignorance.

"Our dog. I got him for Cena's birthday last December. They're inseparable."

"I see. So, did you and Mrs. Grant enjoy your dinner last night? She looked absolutely lovely." He first step to ingratiate herself with him.

"Yes, it was quite enjoyable. For a while I thought I would to have to sleep with Bowtie ", still looking for something amidst the stacks of folders on the desk.

"I don't understand?" Creasing her forehead as if she is confused.

"Somehow our reservation at the restaurant got lost. Liv has been wanting to that place forever. The owner - chef saved my ass. Thank goodness for Bennie."

"Bennie?" The pretending continues.

"My youngest brother. He's a doctor – a cardiologist. Apparently Bennie performed a heart transplant on the chef. The chef gave us his personal table as a thank-you for Bennie saving his life."

"Thank goodness for your brother. Valentine's Day certainly is not the day for a restaurant to lose a reservation."

"You're telling me. Liv says I owe Bennie – big time", still looking for something on his desk.

"Mr. Grant, if you ever need me to make your personal reservations or run errands - don't hesitate to ask. You're very busy and don't need to worry about things like making dinner reservations. I can handle that for you."

"Thank you, Ms Sanchez. That's very kind of you", growing annoyed as he looks over the desk. "I might have to take you up on your offer. Liv says I've been getting forgetful lately."

"You have a lot going on, sir. It's easy to forget things when you have so much on your mind."

He nods absently, lifting papers and folders on the desk. She watches as he picks up and puts down binders and notebooks, shifting them from one pile to another. He huffs and runs a hand through his hair in frustration.

"Are you looking for something, sir?"

"I can't seem to find the latest report showing the costs for remedial education at the community college. Darrin gave it to me yesterday – it's in a blue folder."

Victoria walks over and picks up the document from the corner of the desk. "Is this what you're looking for?" Holding the folder in the air and smiling when his eyes light up.

"Thank you, Ms Sanchez. I don't know what I would do without you", taking the folder from her hand and immediately starts to flip through the pages.

"Will there be anything else, sir?"

"No - no thank you. That will be all", now concentrating on the report. Victoria turns to leave but stops just short of the door, as if she just remembered something. She straightens her back and takes a few steps toward the desk.

"Mr. Grant …" She says slowly, admiring the curls on his bent head. Not realizing Ms. Sanchez is still in the room, he looks up from the document with eyes wide and mouth hanging open.

"Yes, Ms Sanchez", he says somewhat distractedly.

"You can call me Victoria - if you like, sir", she adds quickly. "Ms Sanchez sounds so – well so formal", shrugging her shoulders and smiling nervously. His brain not registering what she said, he gives her a blank look.

"Oh – okay – sure - Victoria", he sputters before returning to the report. He cannot believe the high rate of remedial education needed for high school graduates entering the community college.

Victoria smiles to herself as she struts from the office thinking that was easy too difficult.

 **XXX**

"Good morning, Hildie", Olivia says cheerfully as she walks into the kitchen carrying Jolie, who is gnawing and sucking on her balled fist. Her baby girl is ready for breakfast.

"Good morning, ma'am", Hildie says, opening the refrigerator to retrieve Jolie's breakfast when she hears the baby's sucking sounds.

"It's pretty quiet down here this morning", Olivia says, strapping Jolie into the carrier on top of the island.

"It is, ma'am. Everyone has gotten an early start on their day. May I get you some breakfast?"

"Yes. The usual, please", walking over to the coffee maker and deciding to try the Café Touba again. "Oh my goodness, this coffee is really awful", spitting the liquid into the sink. She turns on the faucet and watches as the black liquid flows down the drain. "I don't know why I keep trying it."

"It is pretty awful, ma'am. I've tried it." The two woman laugh out loud, which is a rarity for Hildie. Jolie joins in on the laughter.

"JoJo thinks it's awful, too", Olivia says, now pouring a cup of the regular coffee.

"Your breakfast, ma'am", Hildie says, setting the plate onto the island.

"Thank you, Hildie", removing the jar of baby food simmering in the pot of water on the stove.

"I'll feed the baby, ma'am. Your breakfast will get cold."

"Thank you, Hildie." Hildie spoons the homemade baby food into the orange bowl so it can cool while the bottle of milk heats on the stove. Jolie begins to whine, kicking her feet and flailing her arms.

"Somebody's hungry this morning", Olivia says, looking over and smiling at a red-faced Jolie.

"She's teething, too", Hildie says as she grabs the bowl from the counter and hustles over to the carrier to feed the baby. Jolie eagerly slurps the puréed breakfast from the spoon, smacking her lips with each taste. "She is really enjoying her breakfast this morning, ma'am. She is getting to be such a big girl", smiling adoringly at the feasting baby.

"And a heavy girl", Olivia says, taking a bite of toast. Jolie squeals for more food and Hildie slowly slides the rubber-tipped spoon into her mouth.

"Hildie, you should know that I have accepted a position with Bryson Markets. I will be starting in two weeks."

"Really, ma'am?" Looking up at the woman in surprise.

"Yes. While my schedule will be flexible, I plan to work in the office one or two days a week. So, Mr. Grant and I have decided to put JoJo in daycare on those days."

"Oh, no", Hildie exclaims without hesitation, and Olivia eyes pop wide, shocked by the woman's uncharacteristic outburst.

"Are you all right, Hildie?" examining the the woman's panic-stricken face.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, I didn't mean to be inappropriate. It's just – well—our – the baby is too young for daycare."

"Hildie, there are babies younger than JoJo who are in daycare."

"I understand, ma'am – but - perhaps they are there out of necessity", slowly rocking Jolie while feeding her bottle.

"True - and I have a need to put Jo in daycare a few days a week. My parents are returning to Senegal soon and I don't want to burden my mother-in-law – not again", she says under her breath.

"I can watch the baby, ma'am. After all, I'm here all day."

"That's kind of you to offer, Hildie, but you already have your hands full around here."

"I assure you, ma'am, it wouldn't be a bother at all", looking pleadingly at Olivia.

Olivia stares at the woman for a moment, then walks her plate over to the sink. She knows Hildie has always had a soft spot in her heart for Jolie, but she is not sure if Hildie should maintain the house and watch Jolie.

"Let me discuss your generous offer with my husband about, Hildie", rinsing the plate and setting it into the dishwasher.

"I assure you it's no problem at all, ma'am."

"Thank you, Hildie", crinkling her nose as she lifts a sleeping Jolie from Hildie's arms. Jolie has released her breakfast in her diaper. "I'm going clean up this little one and lay her in the crib before I leave for my errands."

"Of course, ma'am."

 **XXX**

As Olivia walks up the steps of the sprawling house she cannot remember the last time she was here, which is odd since she spent so much time here before and after she and Fitz got married. So much has happened over the past nine months. Now that they have a degree of normalcy in their lives, she wants to check on her in-laws. She has not seen Maura and Gerry since Cena's birthday party and that was over two months ago. She inhales deeply and presses the doorbell, thinking maybe she should have called before coming over. She glances over at the driveway where Maura's car is parked and wonders if Maura and Gerry are for the morning. She reaches to press the doorbell again when the door swings open, and she gasps, falling back on her heels. With eyes wide and mouth hanging open, the two women stare at each other for what seems like an eternity.

"Hello, Olivia", Nora speaks first as she squeezes the doorknob tightly.

 _"Nora?"_ Her voice rising slightly and eyes still wide. "I had no idea you were home."

She is ill-prepared for the encounter. Although she knew at some point she would have to see her sister-in-law, she certainly was not expecting to see her today standing in the doorway of Grants' family home.

"I just wanted to return quietly - stay under the radar", dropping her head and staring at the floor.

"Nora – who's at the door?" Maura calls out as she walks down the hall. _"Olivia?_ I had no idea you were visiting today", stopping behind her daughter and bringing a hand to her décolleté.

Olivia remains frozen in place, her eyes slowly traveling from daughter to mother. Nora chews on the nubs masquerading as fingernails and Maura places a protective hand on her daughter's shoulder.

"I'm sorry - I should have called before coming over. I just wanted to - I'll come back another time", turning to leave.

"Nonsense, Olivia. You're family—you don't need to call. Come in - come in."

With downcast eyes, Nora steps aside, trying unsuccessfully to disappear into the woodwork. She does not want to risk any unwelcome contact with her sister-in-law. Their last encounter was not pleasant, to say the least. Olivia slowly enters the house, following Maura down the hall to the family room. She glances around the room where nothing seems to have changed in all of the years she has been coming to the house, long before she started dating Fitz. The same or similar drapes hang at the windows. Gerry's well-worn leather chair is in its usual place, and all the wood furniture is polished to a high shine. She remembers as a teenager always longing to have a big and rambunctious family like the Grants. But as an adult, she know everything is not always as it appears. She wonders if Gerry is home.

"Sit down, Olivia", Maura says, flitting about the room fluffing pillows. "Can I get you some tea? It is a bit chilly out today."

"Yes, please", setting her purse onto the table as she sits onto the sofa.

"I'll be right back in a minute. Nora, would you like tea?"

"No thanks, mom", her body pressed against the doorframe, reluctant to enter the room.

Maura glances over at Olivia then her daughter before hurrying into the kitchen. An uncomfortable silence fills the air when the two women are left alone.

"How are Cena and Jolie?" Nora asks in an almost childlike voice.

"They're doing fine. Cena is getting so big – she's taking dance lessons. And Jolie, well she just wants to do everything her big sister does." Nora smiles, tugging at her sweater sleeve.

"I can't wait to see them", quickly dropping her head and twisting her fingers when she sees Olivia's body recoil. "I'm so sorry about everything you and Fitz have been through over the past few months. That man was horrible. It all just sounds horrible."

"Thank you, Nora. We're all doing better now."

"That's good to hear", shifting her weight from leg to leg. "Mom kept me updated on everything. She says your parents are here. I really like your mother."

"They've been a huge help. Fitz and I couldn't have gotten through this without them." Olivia stares at her sister-in-law, whose body is pressed against the doorframe, thinking the woman looks smaller—younger than her years.

"Nora, come sit down", patting the sofa cushion next to her. Nora hesitates awhile before slowly walking over to the sofa and sitting several inches away from Olivia. "How are you doing, Nora?" Looking at the young woman sympathetically. Nora stares down at her lap and picks at the imaginary lint on her sweater sleeve.

"I didn't realize how incredibly flawed I was, Liv. But I'm doing better. I've learned a lot about myself."

"That's good. I'm happy for you", the corners of her mouth turning up slightly.

"I'm so sorry, Liv – for everything. You were always so supportive - and - I disappointed you. I hurt you - I hurt a lot of people."

Olivia nods her head slowly as she gazes intently at her sister-in-law. She honestly does not know what to say to Nora. It would be disingenuous of her to say all is forgiven because she has not reached that point where she can forgive Nora. Mercy will have to wait for another day.

"Tea", Maura announces, as she hurries into the room and sets the tray onto the table. Nora wipes the tears from her cheeks and glances at her mother as she pours the tea. Olivia wonders out loud how long Nora has been home; Fitz is going to want details.

"Nora, how long have you been back home?" Accepting the saucer and cup from Maura.

"Two weeks", glancing over at her mother again. Olivia tries to maintain her composure as she sips the steaming liquid. She cannot believe Maura and Gerry have kept Nora's return from the family for two whole weeks. When were they planning to tell everyone?

"Gerry and I spoke with Nora's doctors and they said there was no medical reason for Nora to remain at that facility any longer. So we bought our daughter home", squeezing Nora's hand. "We didn't tell anyone because we wanted to give her time to adjust to being back home. We didn't want her to be overwhelmed by visitors."

"I see", Olivia says, nodding with a polite smile and thinking more lies and deceit.

"How are my grandchildren, Olivia? It seems like it has been ages since I have seen them. We must come over soon to see them." Glancing at Nora from the corner of her eye, Olivia sets the saucer onto the table and plasters on a fake smile because right now she is not interested in Nora being a part of her life.

"They are doing fine, Maura. Cena is practicing like crazy for her upcoming dance recital."

"Oh my, I cannot wait to see her dance on stage. And Jolie – how is she doing?"

"Jolie is teething – and getting heavier by the day."

"And Gwendolyn and Calvin - how are they?"

"Fine, actually. They've been busy helping to get the new school started at Triumph."

"Well that ought to satisfy their need until they return to Senegal."

"I suppose. They're returning to Senegal once they're finished at Triumph."

"I see. Then we must all get together before they leave."

"I must be going, Maura. I just wanted to stop by to check …. I have a few more errands to run before getting back home to JoJo."

"Of course", Maura says, standing quickly to her feet. "I will walk you to the door." Olivia grabs her coat and purse and looks over at Nora.

"I am glad you're better, Nora."

"Thank you, Liv."

"Give my grandbabies a kiss until we can get over to see them. And tell the Council President I said hello."

 **XXX**

Olivia looks down at her watch when she steps off the elevator and hurries down the marble hall toward her husband's office. She does not know how she is going to break the news to him that Nora is home. She cannot believe Maura and Gerry have kept Nora's return a secret for all of this time. Victoria looks up from her typing when she hears the unmistakable clickety-clack sound of a woman's heels on the marble floor. Trying to suppress her surprise when she sees Olivia Grant approaching the reception area, she bangs harder on the keyboard. She wonders what the woman is doing here since she rarely comes to the office.

"Good afternoon, Victoria", Olivia says with a polite smile.

"Mrs. Grant - this is a surprise."

"A surprise? Why a surprise?" Setting the large white paper bag onto Victoria's workstation. Victoria glances at the bag with disdain.

"I didn't have you on Mr. Grant's meeting schedule today", fumbling with her mouse and clicking on the Council President's calendar.

"I don't need an appointment to see my husband, Victoria", staring intently at the woman.

"Of course not, ma'am", and Olivia blanches at the label.

"Is he alone?"

"Yes, he's getting ready for lunch."

"Good, because I bought his favorite", grabbing the bag from the desk and breezing over to the office door. With a hand on the doorknob, Olivia stops and glances over her shoulder at Victoria.

"And Victoria, Edison Davis is a good man. He would be a good catch for you", winking at the woman before walking into the office and closing the door.

Victoria is fuming, livid really, as she glares at the closed door. How dare that bitch presume to know what or who is good for her.

 **XXX**

"Liv?" Fitz says in surprise when he sees his wife enter the office and close the door behind her. "Is everything all right?" Springing to his feet immediately.

"Can't I surprise my husband with lunch?" Holding up the bag and dangling it in front of his face.

"Anytime", snaking a hand around her small waist and kissing her deeply. Still feeling amorous from their early morning lovemaking, he roams his tongue in her mouth. She moans, scraping her fingernails through the hairs at the nape of his neck.

"We can have round two", he mutters, kissing down the side of her neck. "I told you this desk is big enough", smiling mischievously.

"I'm sure your assistant would _not_ like that", running her tongue across the bite mark on his bottom lip.

"She won't hear a thing. That old door blocks out all noise", trying to unbutton her blouse.

"So horny lately", swatting away his hand and squirming from his embrace. "We're eating lunch, mister."

"You're such a tease", smacking her butt as she walks over to the conference table and starts pulling out their food.

"How did your meeting with Hixson go this morning?" Removing her coat and tossing it onto one of the chairs situated around the table.

"He had to reschedule", smiling when he sees what she bought him for lunch. "Moe's?" His face lighting up as he unwraps the huge sandwich. "You got me their famous corned beef special."

"I know what you like, babe", pecking him on the lips before sitting down in her chair.

"You certainly do", winking as he rolls up his sleeves preparing to enjoy the messy delight. "So what did Mona say?" Biting into the sandwich.

"I had to reschedule with Mona. I'll meet with her next week", and they both laugh out loud as she stirs the split-pea soup.

"This is so good", he says with a full mouth. "I haven't had Moe's in - in forever."

"Babe, why is your desk such a mess? You would bite off my head if I left something out of place on your desk at home." He glances over at the disorganized desk and shakes his head.

"Those are all policy documents and budget reports. I still have so much to learn, Liv. I reference most of those documents every day. There's no point in filing them away."

"A messy desk is so out of character for you."

"Did you see where I put the picture Cee made for me?" Pointing to the framed Valentine's Day drawing on the credenza behind his desk.

"I did. Mom and dad helped Cena to make it. They said poor JoJo had paint everywhere."

"How are you doing?" Furrowing his eyebrows.

"I don't want to talk about my parents right now, Fitz." He nods slowly as he sucks on the straw. "How are your policies coming along?"

"I have to meet with a few more people before I finalize my thinking. Everything is a damn battle with these people. Honestly, at times, being a politician can be quite frustrating."

"Hang in there, babe. You have a lot to offer this city."

"I'm sure everyone is _not_ going to be happy with my agenda", taking another bite from the sandwich.

"It's not your job to make everybody happy, babe. It's your job to improve the lives of the people who live in this great city."

"You sound like a politician", biting into the dwindling sandwich. "There are a lot of different opinions on how that should happen. Wilson is first in line."

"Maybe you should meet with him – try to come to an agreement before the hearings begin", stirring her soup.

"The man hates me, Liv."

"Babe, you know you have to work with people who aren't fond of you."

"Maybe we can go away with the girls for a long weekend in April - after the budget hearings begin." He always changes the subject when he no longer wants to talk about a matter. "And, you can pay since you make so much more money than me. I'm going to be a kept man", he says playfully, leaning back in his chair.

"I don't know, babe. I'm just starting a new job. I have a lot to do."

"Well think about it", wiping his mouth and letting out a loud burp.

"Fitz", looking at him disapprovingly.

"What? It's Moe's", standing and removing the trash from the table. "Now that you're working in the city we can have lunch together more often."

"We'll see", pressing the lid onto the soup container. "I'm not going to be in the office often – one or two days a week at the most." He nods, dropping the trash into the wastebasket and picking up the budget report for the school district. "Babe …." She says slowly, turning in her chair to assess his demeanor.

"Hmm?" Flipping through the budget report in preparation for his 1:30 meeting.

"I stopped by your parents' house this morning – I wanted to check on Maura – see how things are going", she adds quickly.

"You didn't say anything about going to my parents' today", looking up from the report with raised eyebrows.

"It was kind of spontaneous – spur of the moment really. I've been wanting to visit Maura for a while." He nods, thinking he should visit his parents soon.

"Is everything okay? Was my father there?"

"No, he wasn't – but …." When he hears the hesitation in her voice he stops reading and glances over at his wife again.

"But?"

"Nora's home", she says quickly, and his eyes widen.

" _Home – since when?"_ Nostrils flaring.

"Two weeks."

" _Two_ _weeks?"_ Flinging the report onto the desk. "Why the hell am I just hearing about this?"

"I guess your parents didn't want her to be bombarded with a lot of visitors.

"Well there's no chance of that happening."

"Fitz", she says in a warning tone.

"Don't _Fitz_ me. You know how much trouble she caused", his anger is rising.

"Babe –"

"Are you all right? I'm sure it was difficult seeing her."

"To say I was surprised to see her would be an understatement. When the door opened and I saw her standing there, I froze – I didn't know what to say – what to do. It was all so unexpected", shaking her head at the memory.

"You don't have to worry about seeing her again", sitting back in his chair and pulling her onto his lap.

"Seeing Nora bought back a lot of different memories, Fitz."

"I know", kissing her on the temple. Victoria knocks on the door and Olivia starts to move from his lap, but he wraps an arm around her waist, holding her in place.

"Come in", he calls out and Victoria enters the room carrying her tablet.

"I hate to interrupt, sir, but your meeting is starting in 10 minutes", glancing quickly at Olivia who has an arm draped around his neck.

"Thank you. I'll be out shortly." Victoria smiles and closes the door behind her.

"I have to get to my meeting. Are you going to be all right?"

"I'll be fine", standing and grabbing her purse and coat. "It was just surprising."

"We'll talk about this tonight. Okay?" Buttoning his sleeves and slipping on his suit jacket. He cups her face and looks into her eyes. "I'm not going to let my sister or anyone else put my family in danger again", he says adamantly.

"Okay." She brushes her lips against his, feeling more at ease since leaving Maura's house. They walk from the office holding hands and he stop at Victoria's workstation.

"Victoria, I'll be going home today - after my meeting with Councilman Dwyer. I'll see you in the morning." Olivia ears perk up and wonders when he stopped calling her Ms Sanchez.

"Yes, Mr. Grant", noticing the lipstick on his lips and the rigidity of his body. He is upset about something.

"Wait, babe", standing on her toes and swiping her thumb over his lips. "That's better." He pecks her on the lips again and she giggles as he pulls her from the reception area. "You're incorrigible. Have a good afternoon, Victoria", she calls over her shoulder as Fitz pulls her down the hall.

"And you as well, Mrs. Grant", rolling her eyes as she resumes typing his notes.

 **XXX**

Bennie and Marion sit at the small round table in her kitchen eating takeout from the Mexican restaurant located on Creighton Street. For the past two months this has become part of their routine. He calls her when he is ready to leave work to ask what she wants for dinner. He stops at the restaurant to pick up their meal, drives to her apartment, and they eat together in the kitchen. And on the days when Bennie is running late at work, Marion is on dinner pick-up duty. Sometimes they go to a restaurant, but most nights they are too tired to sit and wait for their meal to be served so they rather eat at home.

"Ben, why does Wilson hate Fitz so much? Is it because his guy lost the election?" Picking absently at her chicken taco salad.

"I didn't realize the mayor hated my brother", Ben says before taking another huge bite from his second extra-large burrito.

Marion nods her head slowly, contemplating whether she should tell Ben what the mayor said at the last budget meeting as she watches him dig into the beans and rice. It is a good thing he is an avid runner she muses, otherwise he would surely be a fatty.

"What's going on, Mar?"

"Wilson basically said if Fitz doesn't go along with his budget plans then he might have to use the nuclear option", forming air quotes with her fingers.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Poised to take another bite from the burrito.

"I don't know – he didn't go into detail. But, it can't be good."

"My brother can handle himself, Mar", standing from his seat and taking his plate over to the sink.

"I certainly hope so", she says half to herself as she watches him squirt an enormous amount of dish liquid into the water. "You're pretty domesticated aren't you?"

"Hardly. I have a cleaning lady who comes in once a week and you know I can't cook", rinsing the plate and setting it onto the dish rack. "Are you finished?"

She nods, handing him her plate.

"Your hardly ate anything", picking a piece of chicken from her plate and popping it into his mouth before scrapping her leftovers down the garbage disposal.

"And you know I can't cook", she says somewhat proudly, and he thinks this is his opportunity to raise a topic that has been on his mind for awhile, ever since they had dinner at Fitz and Olivia's.

"Mar …" Leaning against the sink and drying his hands on the dish towel.

"What is it, Ben?" Pushing the cork back into the wine bottle. One glass is her limit tonight.

"What do you think about us learning how to cook – preparing our own meals?"

" _What – why_ _would we want to do that?"_ She asks, horrified by the thought.

"It would be healthier and less expensive than eating out all the time."

"Ben, neither of us is hurting for money", pushing the wine bottle across the table.

"Well it would be healthier. We workout but all of our efforts are offset by our eating habits."

"That's not true. We are both in good shape. I work hard for this body", not interested in continuing the conversation.

"Mar –"

"Ben, if you want to eat healthy then we can just go to that store over on Sixth. They serve all sorts of prepared healthy food."

"I know, but it's not the same as cooking our own meals."

"I don't even have pots and pans, Ben", she says, effectively dismissing the idea.

"I have pots and pans - not that I've ever used them. My mom made sure I had all of the basics when I moved into my apartment."

"Ben –" She whines.

"Let's just try it, Mar. If we're not good at it then we'll just —"

"Just what?" Reaching across the table for the bottle of wine. She needs another drink.

"I don't know", and she smiles when he presses two fingers against his temple, his telltale sign he is getting stress.

"Okay - we'll try it - but we'll do it at your place. I don't want the smell of burnt food in my apartment all week", filling her glass with wine.

"What makes you think we're going to burn our food?"

"Because we don't know what we're doing, Ben. We don't know how to cook."

"Come on, let's sit on the sofa and find something online we can cook tomorrow", pulling her from the chair and guiding her to the living room.

" _Tomorrow_ \- _why do we have to start so soon?"_ Grabbing her glass from the table and rolling her eyes behind his back.

"We can start with something easy", already scrolling through a cooking website on his tablet.

Marion sighs, sets her glass onto the cocktail table, and plops down onto the sofa next to him.

"I'll pick you up after work tomorrow and we'll go to Bryson Markets to get everything we need", obviously eager about the prospect of learning how to cook.

"Don't you think you're rushing this?" None too happy about shopping for groceries after a long day at work.

"We need to start to practice, Mar. That's the only way we're going to get good at it." She frowns because does not want to get good at cooking.

"Can we start next week, Ben? I have to prepare for that budget meeting with Wilson. I can't think about much else right now." He cocks his head to the side and stares at her skeptically.

"I promise", she says quickly, thinking he always gets her to do things she does not want to do.

"All right, we'll start practicing next week", smiling and pecking her on the lips. "Don't think you're going to weasel out of this", he says, looking back at the screen as she drains the rest of the Chardonnay from the glass.

 **XXX**

Fitz smiles when he hears his wife pull open the nightstand drawer and retrieve the jar of cream she slathers on nightly. He has watched her do it thousands of times and never tires of watching her do it.

"I love watching you rub that stuff on every night. What's the name of it?" She holds up the jar so he can see the label. "I like it. I like the way it smells – the way you smell." She crinkles her brow and looks at him suspiciously. She knows her husband and she knows he is up to something.

"Fitz, I've only being using the same body butter every night for the past six years. Now you notice?"

"I've always noticed."

"Abby gave it to me for my birthday, just before Cee was born", smiling reminiscently. "I fell in love with it – been using it ever since."

"You should let me rub it on you", moving across the bed and reaching for the jar.

"No way, mister", pushing him back onto his side of the bed. "I don't know what's going in with your libido lately", resuming her nightly routine.

"I've become a forgetful sex addict", he laughs out loud at the corny joke. He has been in a playful mood all day, well most of the day.

"Babe, your jokes are so lame."

"You used to laugh at my jokes - all the time."

"You have to get new material, babe. I can't pretend to laugh at those old jokes any longer." His brow stretches in surprise because he had no idea she no longer that his jokes were funny.

"How are you feeling today - about your parents returning to Senegal?" The tears well in her eyes and she shakes her head from side to side, trying to quell the flow. "How can I make it better?"

"You can't. I just have to deal with it - like I always have", sniffling as she rubs the body butter onto her arm.

"Your father told me why he dislikes animals – dogs in particular."

Olivia stops rubbing the cream onto her her arm and looks over at him, wondering why he is bringing up the incident that happened when her father was a young boy.

"He told me his hand was badly mangled", eyeing her closely, but she remains silent, continuing to rub the cream onto her arm. "It's difficult to overcome that kind of betrayal – even though the dog was sick with rabies."

She nods, massaging the cream onto the other arm and waiting for her lawyer husband get to the point. She knows him well.

"I can't believe Nora has been home for two weeks and my parents have said nothing."

"I told you they were trying to protect her." He nods because he certainly understand a parent's desire to protect their child.

"Liv, Nora betrayed you – betrayed us. And, like that dog who attacked your father as a boy, I realize she was also sick."

"So are you saying we should put down Nora the way that dog was put down? You do know euthanasia is illegal in this state?"

"Don't be a smartass", setting his reading glasses onto the nightstand.

"Then land your plane Attorney Grant because it seems like you're out of practice", she says defiantly.

"What I'm trying to say is I know how important it is for people to honor your interests and meet your expectations. I also know how devastated you were when we found out what Nora had been up to at the community center. She betrayed your trust – Marla betrayed your trust."

"She says she's better now. She wants to see the girls." Shifting the focus of the conversation from her because she really does not want to discuss this right now.

"That won't be happening", he snaps. "Does she think we've forgotten about how she put Cena and mom in danger when she bought that strange man to our home? I'm going to need more than her word before I let her back into our lives."

Olivia nods as she rubs the cream onto her hands thinking it will be a long time, if ever, for her to trust Nora again.

"She's my sister and I'm happy she's better, but I don't want her around my children. I have to protect Cena and Jo – keep them safe."

"Fitz, I'm just tired of all the lies and betrayals. Betrayal teaches us the importance of loyalty", she says softly, screwing the top onto the cream and setting it into the nightstand drawer. "I'm not ready to deal with Nora right now."

"And you don't have to. We won't let her back into our lives until you're comfortable – not until we're ready. Okay?"

"But what about your parents? They might not want to visit if Nora can't come with them."

"I'll handle my parents. My house - my rules", giving her an encouraging smile.

"I just want us to have some normal for awhile", crawling across the bed and resting her head on his shoulder. "We've been blessed, babe. We have a lot of terrific things happening in our lives right now and I don't want anything or anyone to disrupt all of the goodness. We have to be careful about who we let into our lives."

He nods, tightening his arm around her shoulder.

"Let's get some sleep - we both have a busy day tomorrow", kissing the top of her head before reaching and turning off his lamp.

 **XXX**

Although Olivia never uses the app for their home security system, she, however, has become more mindful about using the app on her phone to disarm the security system at the foundation. Mona always keeps the security system armed. After entering the code on her phone to disarm the system, she waits for the familiar beeps, then waves at the camera because she knows Mona will look at the camera on her phone when she hears the beeps.

"Olivia, it's so good to see you", squeezing Olivia to the point of restricting her breathing.

"It's good to see you too, Mona", trying to breathe through the close contact.

"You wouldn't believe what I've been doing all morning?" Guiding Olivia back to the private office area.

"Practicing your speech", Olivia says with a laugh.

"You're such a smarty pants", playfully pinching Olivia's shoulder.

"So I've been told –not quite in those words though. So how is the speech coming along?" Setting her purse onto the desk and removing her coat.

"I've made a few modifications – changed some words to make it sound more like my voice. I've been practicing with Tom."

"That's good", Olivia says as she sits onto the chair. "Mona, these chairs are so much more comfortable than those old wooden ones we had before."

"I still can't get over how good this place looks", Mona says, glancing around the brightly lit space. "I just love it here."

"Mona, how's your brother – how's Anthony doing?"

"There really hasn't been any change since I saw him last. I don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing", she says feeling somewhat melancholy.

"You let me know if I can do anything—if you want to go and visit him again."

"As I said before, Olivia, I've made my peace with whatever happens." Olivia nods, knowing she should drop the topic.

"So, how are you doing and how are those beautiful girls of yours?"

"I'm fine - everybody is fine. We're all in a good place now."

"That's good – that's good. Your family deserves some happiness."

"A lot of good things are happening for us, Mona. Fitz has his new career and …."

"And?" Mona tilts her head slightly, examining Olivia's face closely.

"I've been offered a job, Mona."

" _A job?"_

"With Bryson Markets."

" _With Bryson Markets? What in the world would you do at Bryson's? Surely not check out people's groceries."_

"Nothing like that. Fred Bryson had his assistant call to schedule a meeting with me."

" _The_ Fred Bryson?" Olivia nods her head excitedly.

"He's a very interesting man, Mona."

"Most billionaires are."

"Well, to make a long story short, Fred's companies have been involved in various philanthropic efforts for years, but not in a strategic or structured way. He wants to develop a formal philanthropic program that reflects his personal passions and his companies' brand."

Mona folds her arms across her chest, listening intently and trying to figure out where the conversation is going.

"So he offered me the job of designing and implementing a program."

"Wow. That's huge, Olivia."

"I wasn't sure if I was capable of doing the job, but Fred seems to have a lot of confidence in me. He said Marla always spoke highly of me."

"He knew Marla?"

"Apparently they were friends. I guess they worked together on several public-private initiatives. You remember that huge donation we got from Bryson Markets to help repair the pipes in the Springfield Heights homes?"

"I do. Very generous."

"Well, Marla was a part of that."

Mona nods and a mix of emotions pass over her face. Of course she is happy that her friend has been offered such wonderful opportunity, but she is also sad because she knows what this means for the foundation.

"I'll be able to help so many more people, Mona. Fred Bryson is highly motivated to help the community. He has far more resources than we can ever hope to get through city grants and our donors combined."

"Well the man has surely gotten enough of Tom and my money over the years. We do our grocery shopping at one of his store - every week."

"I'm really excited about this opportunity, Mona. But like I said, at first I was hesitant about taking the position."

"You're brilliant, Olivia. You won't have any problem building that program."

"It was more than that, Mona. After everything that has happened", shaking her head at the memories. "We're just getting back on our feet as a family. I didn't want to do anything to disrupt that."

"What does Fitz have to say about the job?"

"He's excited for me - of course. He doesn't want me to put my career on hold to take care of our family full time."

"He's a good man, Olivia."

"He is. I think I'll keep him", and they laugh out loud. It feels like old times.

"You better because someone else will definitely snatch up that man."

"Mona, this position with Bryson won't allow me to continue with the foundation." Mona's breathing quickens because she knows what is coming next, and just when she was getting used to managing the business.

"I understand, Olivia. This is really a good move for you. How much time do we have before we shut down the office?"

" _Shut down the office? We're not shutting down the foundation, Mona."_

"But I thought –"

"Mona, the work we do here is still needed. Access to safe, clean water is an issue for so many people in this area. I will _never_ close our foundation", she says emphatically.

Mona unfolds her arms slowly and the tension leaves her face.

"Mona, you're going to have full responsibility for the foundation now – that is if you want. You will be the new executive director."

" _What?"_

"You have to continue the good work, Mona."

"Oh, Olivia - I – I don't know what to say."

"Say yes."

"Yes, yes, yes", spinning and dancing around the office in joy, and Olivia smiles at her friend. Mona has been loyal since she started working at the foundation. She deserves this opportunity.

"We're going to have to get you some help around here, Mona. You can't continue to manage everything by yourself. Do you have anyone in mind who could backfill your position?"

"I'll have to think about it for a few days", smiling brightly.

"Do what you need to do – it's your call."

"Thank you for entrusting me with your other baby, Olivia", giving her friend another hug that threatens to cut off her circulation.

"I wouldn't take the job if I didn't think you could do it, Mona. And Mona, you'll be receiving a significant increase in pay."

"I appreciate that, Olivia. But you know it's never been about the money."

"I know – but we woman have to know our value - get paid for our skills and talents. Men get paid handsomely even when they don't bring any value to the table."

Mona nods with the biggest smile on her face, thrilled about her new role.

"Now, let me hear your speech. You didn't think I was going to leave without hearing it?" Laughing when Mona groans and rolls her eyes.

 **XXX**

Perhaps he is naïve to think he can make a difference in the city without selling out the power of his office to the highest bidder. Perhaps his wealth affords him the luxury of being naïve, of being idealistic. Whatever the reason, she has seen this story many times. She has seen newly elected and enthusiastic, wealthy and not so wealthy public servants sell out their office. They allow greed and the promise of attaining a higher political office to trump their sworn oath to improve the lives of the people who voted for them. Victoria watches the Council President each time he leaves his office for yet another meeting with a councilman, civic leader, or businessperson. He is always filled with hope and enthusiasm when he leaves, believing he can gain the support of these political players, that they can find a way work together for the betterment of the city. And, she watches when he returns hours later with shoulders slightly drooped and disappointment and frustration etched onto his face.

Darius might be teaching him about the official legislative process, but he obviously is not teaching him how the dirty game of politics is really played, and she thinks she knows why. Victoria knows the rules of the real legislative process because she has slept with many of the wealthy players, listened in on their dealmaking conversations, and sneaked peeks at and took pictures of their shady business documents. Yes, she knows how to play the game and she will teach him how to play the game because she needs him to be successful. If he is successful then she is successful.

"Victoria, I'm leaving for the day. I will see you in the morning", he says solemnly as he walks from the reception area.

"Good night, Mr. Grant", watching him slowly walk to the elevator. His body is tense. He has had another rough day.

 **XXX**

Victoria sends Darrin Sullivan, Mr. Grant's research assistant, an email the next morning at 7:29, asking him to meet her in the reception area at 7:45. She needs to discuss a few things with him before Mr. Grant arrives promptly at 8:00. With laptop tucked under his left arm and looking down at his ever-present cell phone, Darrin strolls quickly down the marble halls of the third floor of City Hall in the direction of the Council President's suite of offices. He is beyond annoyed that he has to take time away from researching issues for the President to meet with the man's secretary. The woman might be beautiful, but she certainly is not his top priority. Victoria smiles to herself when she hears the little man's footsteps scraping across the marble floor. She does not know why he does not pick up his feet when he walks.

"Yes, Victoria", Darrin says in exasperation. He does not have time for the low-level employee.

"Good morning, Darrin", Victoria says pleasantly as she turns around in her chair and gives the young man her best fake smile.

"What do you want, Victoria?" Darrin says with impatience. "I have a lot to do today for Mr. Grant. I don't have time for chit-chat."

"I understand, Darrin", feigning obsequiousness. "I just have one more thing to add to your to-do list. I need you to get me as much information as you can on these people", handing him the white sheet of paper. Darrin looks at the paper then back at Victoria with disdain.

"I don't work for you, _Vic-toria_. I am the researcher and you are the secretary – do it yourself", turning to walk away. Victoria stands slowly from her seat, steadying herself on the four-inch stilettos, and brushes her hands down her thighs to smooth her dress.

"Listen you little pervert, if you don't want Mr. Grant to find out what you do on that computer - in that little room all day when you're supposed to be researching - then you'll get me what I need."

Darrin stops in his tracks and his breathing quickens. His heart is racing as fast as a runaway stallion so he tries to quickly calculate the situation. He is not sure what Victoria knows. He is not sure if she is simply bluffing or if she really knows about the inappropriate websites he visits throughout the day. He quickly concludes he cannot risk losing his job because some low grade secretary has been spying on him. He turns to face her and the two stare at each other for a long while with contempt.

"You really don't want to test me, Darrin - ever", Victoria says without batting an eye.

"I'll do it – but just this once", trying to gain the upper hand. "I'll get back to you sometime next week", snatching the paper from her hand and quickly scanning the list of names.

"You'll get it to me by the end of the business day", Victoria says in an eerily calm voice. Darrin stares at the woman who towers over him and decides not to make the snarky comment that is hanging on his tongue.

"Fine." Storming from the reception area face red with anger.

"And Darrin – two more things", walking from behind the workstation and resting a hand on her hip.

"First, my name is Ms Sanchez – do you understand?" Staring into his fiery beady eyes.

"As you wish", Darrin says through clenched teeth.

"And two – I'm Mr. Grant's administrative assistant – not his secretary. Therefore, when I ask you to do something – don't question me – don't even think about it – just do it. Am I clear?"

"Crystal", Darrin says bitterly.

"And, Darrin", Victoria says in a cool voice, stopping the young man's movements one more time. "Have a nice day." Victoria smiles to herself as she watches the pompous young man stomp down the hall. Power is a wonderful thing.

 **XXX**

Since the anxious young man was hired to work for the Council President, Victoria has been curious about Darrin Sullivan's work schedule. Friendly with the security guards who sit at the front desk in the lobby, they informed her about the arrogant young man's unusual work schedule. He always arrives to the office hours before the other staff, locking himself into the windowless hovel down at the other end of the hall on the third floor. He is rarely seen throughout the day. Victoria needed to find out what Darrin was up to in that little office and why he needed to arrive to work so early every morning. Maybe he was up to something or maybe he was just a diligent employee. In either case, her curiosity had to be satisfied. So she began to arrive at work extra early, well before Darrin, positioning herself where the guards said she could easily peer into that little office. What she discovered the little weasel was well worth forfeiting a few ours of beauty sleep for a few mornings. This is how the game is played, and Darrin is just a low-level employee. She smiles inwardly as she types the first draft of the Council President's agenda on education reform, looking up when she hears his heavy footsteps walking down the marble floor. It is eight o'clock.

"Good morning, Victoria", he smiles politely as he passes her workstation.

"Good morning, Mr. Grant", she says cheerfully.


	40. Chapter 40 Man of the People

**A/N:** I don't own anything related to the TV show _Scandal_. **Cleo:** What we know so far is Victoria wants Fitz because she wants to improve her station in life. He has political power and is wealthy. Those are two things she can work with. Can she really have any man she wants? A woman like Victoria does not care if she destroys families, she wants what she wants. That messy desk is a signal of how much stress Fitz is under. Wonder why his AA doesn't help him to organize it? She does so many other things for him. **Clanay** : Marion is not African-American, she is a green-eyed brunette. **s kidd:** you better not let Ms Sanchez hear you call her Vickie. Haha. Is Victoria really a mover and shaker? Think about what Darrin said. **Guest1**. Marion sure does drink a lot. **Monica** : Marion doesn't have an interest in doing domestic tasks because she never had to. Hint. You're right, as an ex-Navy man, "order" is Fitz's middle name, something is definitely off. Liv noticed the messy desk. Also, Hildie is just 'the help', she was hired through an agency when they returned from Mirage. Marcella will be making an appearance in a few chapters. **Jmodavis** , Fitz is hardly naïve, he's just really, really busy. Remember, he should have taken office back in November, but Charlie … So he is three months behind schedule and he has to learn a lot to deliver his legislative agenda to the Council by the end of March. Also, he has no reason to think his AA is plotting anything nefarious. Fitz and Olivia don't have the insight that you have. Victoria needs to pack her office supplies and exit stage left. Too funny. **Guest2:** Olivia isn't naïve and she isn't overlooking anything. Remember, she trusts her husband although her antennae go up whenever she is around Victoria, which isn't often. Olivia has a life. Your little heart can handle whatever is coming. We'll learn more about Bennie in upcoming chapters. Nora is back because a few chapters back Gerry told Maura he thought it was time for their daughter to come home. I guess they have things to work out. **Symone0939** , in future chapters we will learn more about why Bennie wants to learn how to cook. **kandyse4olitz** , old hoe Victoria? You all crack me up. Nora is just embarrassed. I really enjoyed my vacation, but right now it seems like a lifetime ago. Vacations are a good thing.

Thanks to all for continuing to follow and review, and welcome to all of the newcomers. I am truly grateful. Here we go!

 **Chapter 40. Man of the People**

 _Breaking News: The trial in the corruption case of Mayor Theodore Wilson has been set for July 12. A federal grand jury indicted Mayor Wilson last November on 19 counts of corruption charges. Calls for Wilson to step down go unheeded. The mayor says he has no plans to step down._

 **XXX**

A scowl spread across Calvin's face as he reads the second installment of the local newspaper's three-part series on gentrification in the city. This movement of the middle- and upper- middle class and mostly white to the inner city is sparked by empty-nesters downsizing from their suburban homes and wanting to take advantage of the revitalization underway in the city. They want to be close to the museums, attend plays, and dine at the fine restaurants that have opened along the waterfront. They want to live within walking distance of where they now choose to play. College graduates deciding to remain in the city or relocate to the city are also contributing to the change, and everyone is not happy.

"What's the matter, Calvin?" Gwendolyn asks, looking down at her tablet admiring the pictures Nalawa sent her of the students at the new school in Senegal. She feels somewhat sad they were not able to see the school through completion.

"City officials and real estate developers are colluding to force poor families out of the most desirable areas of the city to make way for their more _affluent_ counterparts. It's _disgraceful_ ", he says, tossing the newspaper onto the granite island top in disgust as he reaches for his cup of coffee.

"It's happening in major cities all across the country, dear. It's not such a bad thing", Gwendolyn says.

"Gwennie, unscrupulous real estate developers and greedy politicians are in cahoots to run what they consider the _undesirables_ from the city – to the outskirts of the city."

"Well, I think all of the new development is a good thing. You know parts of the city have been blighted for years, business have left, and –" Calvin sucks his teeth again to express his disagreement.

"At what cost, Gwennie – at what cost?" Shaking his tightly balled fists.

"Calvin, doing nothing was not an option. The city is coming alive again – the waterfront is absolutely beautiful. A lot of jobs are being created for the people who live in the city."

"Service jobs, Gwennie", Calvin snarls. "The increased cost of housing and rising real estate taxes is making it next to impossible for people to live in the city in which they work. They have to get out of town by sun down."

"There's no need for hyperbole, Calvin", the brass charms on her bracelet jingle as she raises the cup to her lips. "I wouldn't mind living in the city if we weren't going back to Senegal."

" _What? You're kidding me. Please tell me you're joking",_ Calvin says, looking at his wife in disbelief. "You mean you want to be part of the elite who displaces those poor families?"

Fitz lips curl into a smile as the sweet smell of cinnamon and sugar fill his nostrils as he walks into the kitchen. Hildie is baking his favorite cinnamon rolls this morning. This is going to be a good day he thinks.

"Who's displacing who?" He asks, draping his suit jacket on the back of his chair

"Good morning, Fitzgerald."

"Good morning, Gwendolyn", pecking his mother-in-law on the cheek. "Good morning, Calvin."

"Good morning, Fitzgerald", Calvin says grumpily. "My wife wants to be one of those gentrified suburbanites who move into the city and displace those who have lived there their entire lives. It's shameful."

"Why is it shameful?" Fitz asks, filling his cup with regular coffee.

"Because when the _affluent_ move in the poor have to move out."

"That's not quite true, Calvin. The city is working hard to keep people in their homes – providing tax credits for homeowners and requiring developers, in some instances, to create blended communities where people from all socio-economic classes can live together."

Calvin sucks his teeth again, not buying what his son-in-law the politician is selling.

"There are positives to gentrification", Fitz continues. "When middle- and upper-middle income families move into the city property values increase."

"There are better ways to increase value other than pushing out the people who live in gentrifying neighborhoods like Springfield Heights and Tilghman. Those slumlords can increase the value of a properties by actually taking good care of them in the first place - looking after tenants in buildings they own, conducting thoughtful repairs, making buildings more sustainable."

Forking his fingers through his hair, Fitz sighs silently, wondering where the heck Hildie is. He is ready for those cinnamon rolls and does not want to debate the hot-button issue with his father-in-law before he has had his first cup of coffee of the day.

"Where's Hildie?" Taking his seat at the island.

"She volunteered to dress Jolie this morning", Gwendolyn announces.

"I see. I wonder how much longer before the rolls will be done?" Fitz asks, lifting the mug to his lips.

"I'll check", Gwendolyn says, standing from her seat.

" _No – no"_ , Fitz and Calvin screech in unison, wanting to stop Gwendolyn from getting anywhere near Hildie's magnificent pastry. Gwendolyn sneers at her son-in-law and husband as she slowly lowers her bottom back onto the seat.

"I mean – I'm sure Hildie will be down shortly", Fitz says, trying to make amends as Calvin studies the inside of his coffee mug.

 **XXX**

With spine perfectly aligned, Victoria sits erect in the ergonomically designed web chair specially ordered for her, lightly tapping her well-manicured fingernails on the keyboard, finalizing the last document for the Council President's signature. Her red lips stretch ever so slightly as she thinks about how her scheme to gain his trust is unfolding, albeit at a glacially slow pace. Unfazed by the slow pace at which she has to move to gain his confidence, each day, over the past two months, Victoria arrives at City Hall energetic and eager to perform her administrative duties and doing everything she can to help him to achieve his goals.

From the beginning Victoria knew it would take time to secure his trust, after all she was a stranger to him and he did not select her to be his assistant. She was given to him, as a welcome aboard gift of sorts. And she knew, after reading about his ordeal with Charlie Barber, he would be slow to trust anyone who is no part of his inner circle. So she manages the process carefully, slowly making deposits into the trust bank account and ever so cautious never to make unnecessary withdrawals. A man of his ilk will not be easily manipulated into trusting her. He has negotiated some of the most complicated and successful mergers for multinational corporations and can spot deception a mile away. So she coaches herself daily to be patient, to not overplay her hand. Moving too quickly will be an irreversible mistake. Too much is at stake this time and she will not blow the opportunity of a lifetime just because she could not control the zeal to achieve her goals.

Everything she read online about the brilliant and successful businessman while he was recuperating indicated he demands and respects competence and dedication from those who work for and with him. She supposes his Navy experience has influenced him in that way. To demonstrate her competence and dedication, she devised a strategy that included arriving to City Hall long before the Council President, and not leaving until he has left for the day. And, after his first week on the job, she made the executive decision to take control of his calendar, stopping the onslaught of unscheduled visitors who were making their way to his office trying to garner support for one of their pet projects. Controlling the flow of people coming to his office enabled him to recoup a large portion of his day, which he appreciated greatly. A significant deposit in the trust account. She gave him back the time he needed to focus on learning his new job. In short order she became his pit bull, his dragon slayer, enjoying the power that comes with deciding who gets to see him and who does not. Anyone who wants to meet with him must come through her, except Olivia and Darius, of course. For now, his door is always open to them. And in time, she learned how to read his moods and body language, allowing her to determine whatever she thought he needed.

She always asks what he needs, how she can help him to fulfill his plans and make his day run smoothly. No task is too large or too small for her to perform for him. After the _mishap_ with the Valentine's Day reservation, she volunteered to run his personal errands, make reservations of all sorts, and even pick up his dry cleaning, if necessary. He saw it as a kind gesture but she knew it was another way to learn more about him and to gain his trust. However, she did not push, she knows not to push. She is experienced enough to know men like him do not like being told what to do, they want to be empowered with choices. So, she left it up to him to decide whether he would or would not accept her help with personal matters.

A week has passed since Victoria demanded Darrin dig up as much dirt as he could on the people whose support the Council President will need to move forward his policies. She wants to make sure he is prepared when he meets with the blood-thirsty sharks. She does not want him to be caught flat-footed because those sharks will eat him alive. Once they realize they have something he wants they will circle and attack, eventually going in for the kill. They never do anything out of the kindness of their hearts, they always want to know how they are going to benefit from supporting someone else's agenda. Therefore, they have to be encouraged and cajoled into lending their support to a worthy cause. And, if those tactics fail, they have to be blackmailed with the threat of having the salacious details of their professional and personal indiscretions exposed.

Not wanting to play her cards too soon, Victoria held onto the research, waiting for the right time to offer it to him. Today she is going to step out on a limb, gently push him - empower him to make a different kind of choice. She will offer him another option for how to deal with the sharks. While waiting for the last document to print, she glances at the clock in the bottom-right side of the monitor, then stands from her seat. It is time. She knows he is reading another report right now because that is how he usually spends his afternoons – reading. She brushes her hands down the front of her dress, grabs the document from the printer, and slides it into the folder on the desk. She pats the deep patch pocket on the front of the dress, a tacit reminder of her true purpose for interrupting his afternoon. She knocks on the door and when he does not answer, she enters the office, smiling when she sees him reclining in the chair with his long legs stretched across the desk. He is wearing a pair of brightly colored socks that are so unlike him. He is so absorbed in whatever he is reading he did not hear her knock.

"Excuse me, sir", she says hesitantly, standing in the middle of the room holding the folder tightly in her hand. "I am so sorry to interrupt, but I need to get your signature on these documents if you're going to get them on the docket for the next Council session", walking over to the desk and setting the folder in front of him.

Startled by the sound of her voice, Fitz looks up with brow furrowed. He is acutely disturbed by what he has been reading in the latest report on school performance.

"Of course", his face relaxing somewhat. "I don't know what I would do without you, Victoria", quickly scratching his signature at the bottom of the four documents. "I'm sure Councilman Johnston would be more than a little ticked off with me if his propositions were not put up for a vote at next week's meeting. Thank you", giving her a closed-mouth smile as he hands the folder back to his assistant. He leans back in his seat and resumes reading the disturbing report.

"Sir, one more thing", she says hesitantly, not bothering to move away from the desk.

"Did I miss one?" Glancing at the folder Victoria is clutching in her hands.

"No – no - you didn't. Sir, I hope you don't think I'm overstepping - if you think I am – just …" She pretends to stutter.

"What is it, Victoria?"

She takes a quick step toward the desk, slides her hand into the patch pocket, and slowly pulls out a small device and offers it to him. Fitz looks questioningly at her outstretched hand.

"What is that?"

"A flash drive - additional information for your upcoming meetings, sir."

Unsure what she is offering him, Fitz looks back and forth between her face and the small device.

"It's all a part of the public record – all perfectly legal", she adds quickly. "All publicly available information – just packaged for your consumption."

Fitz cocks his head slightly to the side and examines her closely.

"I just want you to be prepared to highlight certain individuals' soft spots - if necessary. You always want to have the upper hand when meeting with certain individuals."

Finally realizing what she is offering him, his eyes widen as he stares into her eyes. Seeing his reluctance to accept the gift, she stammers in earnest. She is not sure if she has made a mistake offering him the information. She is not sure if she has overplayed her hand.

"You can call it an insurance policy. You only use it when - if circumstances warrant."

Slowly nodding his head in understanding, he walks around the desk, takes the device from her hand, and stuffs it into his jacket pocket.

"I think we should get back to work, Victoria", walking back around the desk and taking his seat.

"Of course", nodding her head in relief as she turns to leave the office. "By the way, nice socks", she calls over her shoulder with a smile.

As Victoria settles back into her seat at the workstation, a sense of accomplishment spread over her face. She just showed him how dedicated she is to him and he did not reject her efforts. She closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and thinks about that day last October when she was once again summoned to the Director of Human Resources office. Little did she know that meeting with Helen Elverson would be one of the best days of her life.

 _ **Flashback**_

As Victoria Sanchez walks down the familiar hall to the office of Helen Elverson, the director of Human Resources, she hopes the woman is not going to terminate her this . Elverson has warned Victoria over the years about her co-worker complaints about her attitude and unwillingness to do the parts of the job she does not like. With each step she wonders which of those mousey-looking women in the office is now complaining about her. Or maybe it is one of those silly men who is always trying to take her on a date to one of the two-star restaurant chains. She inhales deeply, lifts her head high, then knocks on the door.

"Good morning Mrs. Elverson. It is so good to see you again", putting on her best fake smile

"It's good to see you as well, Victoria. You're looking lovely as usual. Have a seat, please", Helen Elverson smiles politely, sweeping her hand toward one of the metal chairs in front of her desk. Victoria sits onto the metal chair and crosses her long legs and the director leans back in her chair eyeing Victoria closely.

"Thank you", smiling somewhat nervously. "Is there something wrong, Mrs. Elverson?"

"No – not at all, Victoria."

Victoria sighs silently, although she hates her job, she cannot afford to get fired. She is barely making ends meet as it is on her meager salary.

"As you know, Victoria, we have a new Council President who will be starting soon - after he and his family recover from that terrible ordeal", Mrs. Elverson says, shaking her head from side to side. Victoria nods because she, like everyone else in the city, followed the incredible news story of how Charlie Barber tried to kill the newly elected President of the City Council and his family.

"I just don't understand why someone would want to plot to harm to another human being. It sounds like Charlie Barber was a really sick man", thinking it is the appropriate thing to say.

"Apparently so. In any case, we around here must get ready for when Council President Grant is ready to assume his elected position. We want to make sure he has everything he needs on day one", Mrs. Elverson says, studying the attractive woman closely.

"Of course – of course."

"I'm sure you're aware that Mrs. Shipman, the administrative assistant to the late Council President Briggs, has decided to retire – with the scandal and all ..."

"There has been talk about Mrs. Shipman retiring", Victoria says, wondering why the woman is telling her all of this.

"Victoria, you have worked for the city ever since you graduated from high school, and for whatever reason, your career has not gone very far. But, I have an opportunity for you - one that will help your career – give it a boost. I have a position that will put you on the path to retire from the city with a generous pension."

Victoria smiles politely but wants to laugh in the silly woman's face because unlike Helen Elverson, she did not come to City Hall to establish a career or work until she is old and ready to retire. She could care less about a pension. She came to City Hall to find a successful politician who would take care of her in the manner in which she deserves. She will not settle for less.

"That sounds so mysterious, Mrs. Elverson", playing the demure assistant."

"I won't keep you in suspense any longer, Victoria", Mrs. Elverson says, smiling at the young woman. "I have arranged for you to become Council President Grant's administrative assistant when he takes office. Would you like that, dear?"

"Of course, Mrs. Elverson", Victoria says without hesitation. "I would love the opportunity to support the new Council President."

"That's good, Victoria. Let's consider your new assignment a welcome aboard gift for the Council President", Mrs. Elverson says, leaning back in her chair and smiling with satisfaction at Victoria's eager face.

 _Providence, pure providence_ , Victoria screams to herself, as she hurries down the hall to remove her few belongings from the small desk in the overcrowded office where she has worked since her last scheme fell apart. And, with each passing day their city – her life - was beginning to feel smaller and smaller, and there were with fewer opportunities remaining to help her to achieve her goals. So, for the past few months she has been considering moving to another city, finding her way in another place where no one knows her, a place where should could start over. But now she has a new lease on life. She can start afresh and finally get everything she has always wanted, everything she deserves.

 _ **End Flashback**_

While waiting in Restaurant 52 for Olivia to arrive for their lunch date, Marion brings the glass of wine to her lips, ruminating about Ben and Olivia's _friendship_. She knows her jealousy is irrational but she cannot seem stop herself, cannot rein in that green-eyed monster. While she knows how madly in love Olivia is with Fitz, she is not sure if Ben still has feelings for Olivia – if his old feelings are truly dead. Although Ben has told her he no longer has those kinds of feelings for Olivia, Marion cannot help thinking that the man she is falling for might be in love with another woman. She shakes her head in despair, now questioning the wisdom of tricking Ben into admitting his past feelings for Olivia. Perhaps her world would be a whole lot easier if she had only let it go. But she could not let it go, she could not ignore what she feels whenever she sees Ben in a room with Olivia reminiscing about the past and telling inside jokes. She does not know how Fitz tolerates it.

Marion sighs and takes another sip of wine thinking, except for that brief break, Ben and Olivia have been friends forever. Although she has never had a best friend, she knows a best friend is someone with whom you share everything. A best friend is the person who knows you best. She hates that Olivia probably knows more about Ben than she does or maybe ever will. Although she pretends to be okay with the relationship, their closeness is a perpetual thorn in her side, but she shields her jealousy because she does not want to risk losing him. She has toyed with the idea of asking him to end his friendship with Olivia, but deep down she knows who will lose if she asked him to choose. It is all so sad because she really likes Olivia, a lot. If Ben had not told her about his past feelings for Olivia, Marion is sure they could also be best friends. After all, Olivia is really a terrific person. In fact, she is the most genuine person she has ever met. She is loyal to the people she loves and would never intentionally hurt a fly. She is self-confident and knows what she wants out of life. It is unfortunate she cannot shake the nagging thought that, if given the opportunity, Ben would drop her in a minute and run into Olivia's arms. Marion raises the glass to her lips again, wishing she had the self-confidence to not worry about such things, but nothing she does seems to work. Old fears of rejection and abandonment still maintain a tight grip on her.

"I am so sorry, Marion for making you wait", Olivia says half out of breath as she rushes to their table.

"Sit down, Olivia", Marion says, waving her hand dismissively. "I haven't been here very long. You look terrific by the way."

"Thank you, Marion. You look terrific as usual."

"How are the girls, Olivia?"

"Wonderful. Cena is doing well – dancing up a storm and Jolie is trying to keep up even though she can't walk yet. You have to come to Jolie's first birthday party in May – expect an invitation."

"Of course I'll be there. You really do look terrific, Olivia – glowing actually. Are you?"

"No – not at all", she says sadly, and Marion, who is keenly perceptive, quickly notices the change in Olivia's demeanor.

"Is something wrong, Olivia?" Marion asks with genuine concern.

Olivia hesitates a moment, nervously massaging her right temple with two fingers, not sure if she should share such a personal and sensitive matter with Marion. She closes her eyes trying to keep the tears at bay.

"Marion –"

"May I get you something to drink, ma'am?" The waitress asks with ink pen poised and ready to take Olivia's drink order. Olivia looks at Marion's almost empty wine glass and decides to order a glass of red wine.

"A glass of your house Shiraz, please."

"Shiraz it is", the waitress repeats as she scribbles the order onto the pad. "I'll be right back with your wine, ma'am."

"And I'll have a refill of this", Marion says, holding up her glass in the direction of the waitress.

"Right away, ma'am."

"So what's the matter, Olivia?"

"Marion, I don't talk about this to _anyone_ – except Fitz, of course", fidgeting with the white linen napkin. Marion nods, realizing whatever is troubling Olivia is quite serious, so she waits for her to continue.

"Marion, I want to have another baby - so much – but …" Now fidgeting with the silverware.

"But what, Olivia?"

"Fitz really doesn't want me to get pregnant again."

"That's odd", Marion says somewhat confused. "Fitz strikes me as the kind of man who would want a house full of children running around. I see how he is with Cena and Jolie."

"He does – he did. It's just … when …. Marion, when I was pregnant with Cena and Jolie I became depressed – _really_ depressed", looking at Marion intently to ensure she understands the seriousness of her depression. "It's called antenatal depression. Without going into all the gory details, let's just say I was not at my best for a while."

"Oh, Olivia, I am so sorry. I had no idea", Marion says, sliding her hand across the warm burled wood table and resting it on top of Olivia's.

"Fitz doesn't want me – us – to go through that again."

"That man loves you, Olivia."

"And I love my husband, Marion – with all my heart. But, I want to expand our family. The girls are getting so big."

"Olivia, Cena just turned six a few months ago and Jolie isn't even one yet."

"I know", Olivia smiles sheepishly. "I just love children, Marion, and Fitz has always wanted five."

"Your drinks, ladies", the waitress interrupts, setting the glass of Chardonnay in front of Marion and removing the empty glass. She then sets the glass of Shiraz in front of Olivia.

"Thank you", Olivia says softly, reaching for the glass.

"Are you ladies ready to order?" The waitress glances between the two women.

"I'll have the salmon salad", Marions says quickly.

"And I'll have the same", Olivia says.

"Two salmon salads coming up", the waitress says as she turns and walks away.

"Fitz obviously is not willing to risk your health to satisfy a desire of his."

"I know", Olivia says sadly as she stares into the pool of red liquid.

"Have you two consulted a specialist?"

"Fitz said we could discuss it after things calm down at Council – after he submits his policy plans."

Marion nods, thinking about the threatening comment Wilson made about Fitz. She does not think this is a good time to share the man's remarks with Olivia.

"Things are quite hectic at City Hall these days, Olivia. The budget is due at the end of the month."

"I know", raising the glass to her lips. "I'm sorry to lay my problems on you, Marion. I did not invite you to lunch to watch me cry in my wine."

"That's what friends are for. Now tell me, what has you looking so terrific because you really do look wonderful." Quickly changing the subject, which causes a big smile to spread across Olivia's face.

"I have a job, Marion", she says excitedly.

" _A job?"_

"Yes – a job. I cannot believe it. I have not worked for anyone else since my first job out of college."

"Where - doing what?"

"Bryson Foods", she squeals, unable to contain her excitement.

" _Bryson Foods?"_ The name triggering the commitment she made to Ben to prepare a home-cooked meal. She dreads having to go food shopping.

"Yes", Olivia says, stomping her feet on the floor. "Fred Bryson offered me a job with his company. He wants me to design and launch a philanthropy program. Can you believe that? He's very committed to the city."

"Wow, that sounds quite interesting, Olivia. Congratulations."

"Your salmon salads, ladies", the waitress says, setting the oversized plates in front of the two women.

"And could you bring us another round of drinks?" Marions asks. "We're celebrating today."

"Right away, ma'am."

"Marion, I haven't had two glasses of wine at lunch in forever."

"Well, you're no longer nursing Jolie and we're celebrating", raising her glass and clinking it against Olivia's.

"What about your foundation? Are you closing it?"

"I will never close the foundation, Marion. Mona is going to run the foundation from now on. She's been running things for awhile anyway."

"I'm really happy for you, Olivia", Marion says, sliding the fork into her mouth.

"Marion, this opportunity with Bryson Foods will enable me to move more quickly with the Wraparound Program. Fred -

" _Fred?"_ Marion says playfully with an arched brow and Olivia chuckles.

"You sound like my husband", setting the fork onto the side of the plate and picking up her wine glass. "Fred insists I call him by his first name."

"I see."

"Well, the financial support Fred is offering will allow us to launch the program much sooner than I thought we could. The program supports the goals he wants to accomplish. Are you still in?"

"I'm in", Marion says, and the two women clink their glasses again.

"So how are things going with you and Ben? I think you're so good together", Olivia says as she stabs at her salmon.

"Things are going well – we're good", silently admonishing herself for resenting Olivia. The woman has certainly had enough hardships to last a life time.

 **XXX**

Fitz sits on Cena's bed with his back against the headboard and Cena snuggles into his side as he reads _Goodnight Moon_. Five minutes into the third reading of the nightly bedtime story, he looks down at Cena, whose eyes are drifting close. He looks to the right and smiles as Jolie sleeps in her usual position, arms spread above her head and legs open wide. He looks at Bowtie, who is lying at the foot of the bed with eyes also half closed. Seeing everyone is asleep or nearly asleep, he skips over a page and continues to read.

"Daddy, you missed a page", Cena says sleepily, snuggling closer into her father's side.

"Oh – I'm sorry sweetheart", dutifully turning back to the page he intentionally skipped.

After a few more minutes, he finishes reading the remaining 12 pages of the story and smiles as he watches his two girls sleep peacefully. He pulls the covers over Cena's small shoulders and kisses her on the cheek. Then, he lifts a sleeping Jolie from the bed and Bowtie lifts his head and watches Fitz as he returns the well-worn book to the bookshelf across the room. He turns out the lamp on the nightstand and quietly walks from the room and down the hall to the nursery. Bowtie takes his position in his doggie bed outside of Cena's bedroom. As Jolie's drool rolls down the side of his neck, Fitz closes his eyes and says a silent prayer as he remembers the night they almost lost their baby.

He flicks on the night light and carefully places Jolie into the crib. He stands at the side of the crib for a few minutes smiling as he watches her rolls into her standard sleeping position. Even though they no longer allow blankets and toys in the crib, he inspects the bed for anything that might cause her harm, as he does every night. He kisses his baby daughter on the forehead, turns out the light, and walks down the hall toward their bedroom, patting Cena's sentry on the head along the way.

 **XXX**

"Lights out for three again", glancing at his wife who is walking from the closet with an armful of his suits and shirts.

"How long did JoJo last tonight?" Dropping his clothes destined for the dry cleaners tomorrow onto the chair.

"One reading for Jo, two-and-a-half for Cee, and three for Bowtie", tugging at the bedcovers on his side of the bed. He frowns because for some reason Hildie has begun to tightly tuck the bedcovers again.

"Miss Jo is trying so hard to be a big girl. She wants to do everything Cee does", digging into the pockets of his pants and jackets because he always leaves an ink pen or scraps of paper in the pockets. "When do you think Cee going to tire of that story – she's six after all?"

"I'll read it to her as long as she wants", Picking up the phone from the nightstand to check his schedule for tomorrow.

"I'm taking a few of your suits and shirts to the cleaners tomorrow. Do you have anything else you want me to drop off?"

"No, that should be good", not bothering to look up from the phone.

"What's this?" Holding up the flash drive she found in a jacket pocket.

"A flash drive", he says nonchalantly.

"I know it's a flash drive. But why is it in your pocket? Do you need it?"

"I guess I forgot about it – stuck it in there earlier - after Victoria gave it to me." Olivia rolls her eyes.

"What's on it?" Looking at him from across the room as he types on his phone.

"Research."

" _Research – what kind of research?"_ Olivia asks, holding the small device in the air.

"I haven't looked at it – but she says it's oppo research."

" _What?"_ She shrieks, not believing her ears.

"What's the matter?" Looking over at her in surprise.

" _What's the matter?_ _What do you mean what's the matter?_ Your assistant is giving you negative information about your colleagues and you ask me what's wrong. Why would she do something so stupid?"

"I guess she was trying to be helpful", looking back down at his phone.

"Is she now what - a political strategist?"

"Liv –"

"Don't Liv me. You have moral standards for what you will and will not do. You don't win at all cost. You don't intentionally hurt others. That's not who you are – who we are. We experienced that personally during the campaign", looking at him intently.

"I didn't even open it, Liv", he says tiredly. "Besides, I don't need my assistant to get me information on anyone. I have ways of getting whatever information I need." She squints at him disapprovingly as she thinks about him investigating Fred Bryson.

"The people voted for you because they were tired of the back room deals – the mudslinging. They wanted someone who is clean – someone who is going to look out for their interests – not someone who is going to play games and use trickery. Man of the people, remember?"

"Liv –"

"You won by an overwhelming majority – the people have placed their trust in you – you can't take that for granted, Fitz. You ran a clean campaign and you have to legislate the same way.

"It's no big deal."

" _No big deal? How can you say this is no big deal? Why would she think you would ever entertain using that kind of information?"_

"Calm down, Liv."

"Tell your assistant she needs to stay in her lane. _We_ don't need her kind of help."

"Yes, ma'am", he says, saluting and giving her that silly smirk she loves so much.

 **XXX**

All of the reports Darrin has provided him so far about the performance of the schools and School Board's spending practices seem to confirm what Henrietta told him. Even with the increased funding the superintendent said he needed for the past four years, the schools are still plagued with chronic low test scores and high drop-out rates. The state is threatening to take over the School District unless performance improves. In addition to low test scores, concerns have been expressed that the superintendent has been diverting money allotted for classroom supplies to further the education of the children to give staffers salary increases. Others say the superintendent has been padding the pockets of his friends. The School District is in financial crisis but the superintendent has found a way to increase salaries. Fitz runs a hand through his hair and shakes his head in frustration. The superintendent will have to explain how he has been spending school funds. He looks up from the document when he hears a knock at the door.

"Yes, Victoria", looking up from the document with a frown on his face.

"Superintendent Hixson has arrived, sir", assessing the distressed look on his face.

"Send him in, please", standing and sliding on his jacket. Hixson smiles at the attractive woman as she escorts him into the office and Fitz walks from behind his desk to greet the man.

"Good morning, Superintendent Hixson. So glad you could make it today", Fitz says, extending a handshake.

"And good morning to you as well, Council President Grant. We finally get a chance to meet. So sorry I had to reschedule our last meeting – an unforeseen matter", shaking Fitz' hand.

"That's quite all right. I have more than enough work to keep me occupied", Fitz says, flashing his politician's smile.

"I'm sure that is true", glancing around the office thinking Marla never invited him to the office.

"May I offer you something – coffee, tea?" Sweeping a hand toward the credenza across the room holding the refreshments.

"No – no – nothing for me. Thank you."

"Well have a seat, please", gesturing to one of the chairs in front of the desk.

The superintendent lowers his tall lean frame onto one of chairs and sets his portfolio onto the other. He smiles at the family photographs on the desk and those that line the credenza behind the desk.

"You have a handsome family, Mr. President."

"Thank you", Fitz says, smiling at their wedding photo facing him on the desk. "I'm a lucky man."

"Indeed", replies the superintendent.

"Chauncey – may I call you Chauncey?"

"Of course", the superintendent says, curling his lips upward without baring his teeth.

"And call me Fitz." Hixson nods with the same smile on his lips. "Chauncey, I asked you here to gain your perspective on the challenges facing our schools. You've been the superintendent of schools for the past four years – is that correct?"

The superintendent groans to himself thinking here comes another new official trying to understand why the city's schools are failing.

"That is correct. What specifically would you like to know, Fitz?"

Fitz sighs to himself thinking it is going to be like pulling teeth getting information out of the man. He is a Wilson appointee and loyal to the mayor.

"Specifically, I would like to understand the performance issues that are plaguing our schools. The latest numbers show test scores continue to drop – have been dropping for the past three years."

Fitz reaches for the folder containing the report Darrin provided him on the School District and the superintendent shifts uncomfortably in his seat, thinking the new Council President is going to lay the performance problems at his feet. He is so tired of explaining why the children of this city are not learning. Everybody knows what the damn problem is.

"Fitz, I'm not sure how much _you_ understand about _our_ city", Hixson says in a lofty tone.

Fitz is unperturbed by the man's condescending and patronizing tone. He is used to individuals taking the first shot across the negotiating table, hoping to throw him off balance. It did not work when he was negotiating and it will not work today, so he leans back in his chair and waits for the pompous man to answer his question. Realizing the Council President is not shaken by the underhanded comment, the superintendent continues.

"The School District has been in financial crisis for decades and the children have not been meeting test standards for decades as well. Money is the lifeblood of any school system, and right now our schools are woefully underfunded. The way our state funds its schools is based on property taxes, which puts children in poorer districts at a disadvantage, before they ever step into a classroom."

Fitz nods in understanding.

"As you know, property values vary a lot from neighborhood to neighborhood and from district to district. Unfortunately, the property values in our city have been depressed for years. With the money we get from federal, state, and local governments, we can only spend about $9000 per pupil, which is far less than what is needed. Two-thirds of ourstudents at the two elementary schools and the one middle-upper high school come from low-income families, and a third are learning English as a second language. One nurse commutes between the three schools and the two elementary schools share an art teacher and a music teacher. We don't have a lot of the extra things that other districts may have simply because we can't afford them. In fact, we might have to layoff of the nurse, the art teacher, and the music teacher before the next school year begins."

Fitz continues to nod. Hixson is confirming everything he has read in the reports.

"Now, in affluent suburbs like Church Falls, where your daughter goes to school, well the picture is quite different." Fitz shifts uncomfortably in his chair because the man has struck a nerve. He hopes his face is not red.

"The Church Falls School District spends roughly $29,000 on each student. Class sizes there are small and every student has an individualized learning plan. Nearly all teachers at the Church Falls schools have a decade of experience and earn, on average, more than $90,000 a year. Children have at least one daily break for "mindful movement," and lunch is cooked on-site, including a daily vegetarian option. So, when you ask why the children of _our_ city are underperforming, the answer is our school district simply has less to work with — fewer businesses, lower property values."

Hixson stares a Fitz tight face and continues.

"So what happens when this school-funding imbalance persists - when many of our country's poorest students also attend its poorest schools?" The question is rhetorical of course. "The achievement gap between this nation's wealthiest and poorest students grows dramatically, it doesn't shrink. So, that is how we get children who are the same age - in the same grade - being educated so differently. That is why the children of _our_ city are underperforming."

The superintendent leans back in the chair, folds his large hands in his lap, and stares Fitz in his blue eyes. He is tired of these new people asking him about the performance problem. Fitz nods repeatedly, concluding today is not the day to ask the superintendent about how he is spending the School District's budget.

"Tell me about your thoughts on charter schools", Fitz asks. "What is your position on school choice?" And the question startles the man.

"Fitz, parents currently have choice within the public school system. Parents can send their children to a neighborhood school, magnet school, online school, or home school them. Charter schools are part of the public school system, but they take funds from the traditional schools. Every year we lose enrollment to charters. Since our school system is funded based on the number of students served, when enrollment drops, so does total district revenue. Charter schools only further degrades the quality of education we can provide the children who attend traditional neighborhood schools."

Fitz nods, thinking the traditional schools should be able to operate on a smaller budget, since they are responsible for fewer students. But he decides to save this thought for a later discussion.

"If I am to be honest, Fitz, part of the reasons we have charters is because the traditional public school system is failing to do its job. Parents are demanding better quality education for their children, so they enroll their children into a charter school. Charter schools hold out the prospect that they can do better for children, but that is not always the case. There are many poor performing charter schools."

Fitz pinches the bridge of his nose. The whole school choice matter is more complicated than he realized, and the matter certainly will not be resolved today.

"Thank you Chauncey for agreeing to meet with me today. This has been very educational – no pun intended", he smiles weakly.

"Anytime, Fitz", the superintendent says with a broad smile. "We look forward to increase the district's funding under your leadership", knowing the mayor has already cut the school budget significantly. The two men shake hands and Hixson turns to leave, but stops before exiting the office.

"Is there something else Chauncey?" Fitz asks as his headache builds.

"Yes", pressing a finger to his pursed lips. "If you want to better understand why our children aren't performing well – why they are flocking to charter schools – then you should meet with the head of the teachers' union. The union has a lot of say about what happens in the classroom. Funding is a problem, but so is who we put in front of our children." Fitz nods as the man leaves the office.

" _Victoria"_ , he yells out to his assistant. Hearing the urgency in her boss' voice, Victoria springs from her seat and hurries into his office.

"Yes sir", wondering what is wrong because he never yells.

"Schedule a meeting with the head of the teachers' union."

 **XXX**

Bennie pulls up to the no parking zone in front of City Hall and waits for Marion to exit the building. He glances at the clock on the dashboard thinking she is perpetually late. They agreed to leave work early today so they could go shopping for groceries and practice preparing their first meal at his apartment tonight. If she does not come out in five more minutes he will circle around the block because he does not want to remain parked illegally, even though his brother is the new President of the City Council.

While Mayor Wilson sits in the back of the black city-issued SUV waiting for his driver to return, he watches as Marion hurries from City Hall. He wonders why the tough, but always cool doctor, is in such a hurry. He leans forward and watches as Marion approaches the waiting car and quickly realizes it is not a _what_ but a _who_ that has Marion rushing like a bat out of hell. So Marion has a boyfriend he thinks when he sees her slide into the car and immediately kiss the man sitting behind the steering wheel. Marion looks happy and Wilson wonders who the new man in her life is. Based on the man's clothing, Wilson assumes he is in the medical field. Unlike Marion, Bennie is not too interested in clothes. When he leaves the hospital, he usually wears a fresh pair of scrubs or changes into work-out clothes before heading over to the gym.

"I'm so sorry I'm late. My meeting went longer than planned", Marion says hastily as she buckles her seatbelt. "I know you hate when I'm late."

"Calm down", he says, smiling at her adoringly. "I'm fine. I've only been here a few minutes."

"You're are?" Pressing the back of her hand against his forehead. "Are you feeling all right?

"I am", leaning over and giving her a kiss.

"Well, let's go grocery shopping", she says with a smile.

Daniel, the mayor's driver, slides behind the steering wheel holding the phone Wilson left on his desk and notices the mayor is focused on the car in front of them.

"Your phone, boss", Daniel says, turning around to give the mayor his phone.

"Daniel, take down the license plate of that car in front of us", Wilson says, pointing to the car parked in front of City Hall.

"You mean that blue Tesla? That's a beautiful car –expensive too", Daniel says with a nod and a smile.

"Have D - O- T run the plates. I want to know everything about the owner."

"You got it boss", Daniel says, picking up his phone from the passenger seat and snapping a picture of the license plate as the car carefully merges into traffic. "I'll have that information by the time you're finished with your meeting, sir.

"Let's get going, Daniel. I don't want to be late."

Mayor Wilson leans back against the black leather seat practicing his response to the people who are increasing the pressure on him to privatize the police department in the next fiscal year. The only thing they want to hear when he is going to transfer the police department to them, everything else is just noise.

 **XXX**

Ben and Marion walk from the parking lot to the front door of Bryson Markets ready to buy everything they will need to prepare their first meal together.

"Do we need one of these?" Ben asks, pointing to the line of shopping carts outside of the supermarket's doors.

"No, this little basket should hold everything we have to get", Marion says, picking up one of the red plastic hand carriers stacked at the entryway. When they enter the store they stand just inside the sliding glass doors looking around. They immediately begin to feel overwhelmed.

"Have you ever done this before?" Ben asks, looking at Marion who is holding the little plastic basket in front of her and standing as stiff as a board.

"Of course not", she says with incredulity. "Have you?"

"I think my mom used to bring me with her sometimes when I was a kid."

"Which way do we go?" She asks.

"Let's look at our shopping list first to see everything we need", Ben says, sliding the phone from his pocket. They continue standing in front of the sliding glass door looking at his phone screen until they are interrupted by an annoyed-looking woman.

" _Excuse me. Are you going in or coming out?"_ The woman barks in frustration as she tries to enter the market with her cart. Ben and Marion step aside and for 10 more minutes continue to look at the screen.

"Okay, let's go this way", Ben says, pointing to the right, in the direction of the produce department. "I once read you should only shop at the perimeter of the market."

"Why is that?" Marion asks curiously.

"Because that's where all the healthy stuff is."

"Suppose we need something from down one of those other aisles?"

"Then we'll venture down one, but only if necessary", he says definitively. "We're going to need shallots, peppers, and bok choy", he says. "You get the peppers and I'll get the shallots."

Marion nods and walks over to one side of the produce section and Ben goes to the other side. She walks slowly, carefully studying the array of vegetables, most of which she has never seen in their uncooked state. She stands in front of the assortment of peppers and frowns. She never knew there were so many different kinds of peppers and thinks the colors are beautiful. Not sure of what kind of peppers they need, she fills four plastic bags with an assortment of peppers and 15 minutes later she looks around for Ben.

"I have peppers", she says, holding up the four plastic bags.

"Do we need that many?" Frowning as he looks at all of the peppers.

"I don't know, they're so pretty. Aren't the colors beautiful, Ben?" Placing the bags into the basket. "Did you get the scallions?"

"Is it scallions or shallots?" Reaching into his pocket for his phone.

"Just get both, Ben. We don't have time to keep looking at the list" He nods and fills one plastic bag with shallots and the other with scallions and places them into the basket.

"Let's find the bok choy", he says, scanning the array of leafy vegetables.

"Do you want bananas for your smoothie?" Marion asks, wandering over to the fruit.

"Sure", he says, still trying to find a sign for the bok choy.

Marion grabs two bunches of bananas and places them into the basket.

"Did you find the bok choy?"

"Here it is", grabbing the leafy vegetable and dropping it into the basket. "Let's get the chicken."

"Maybe we should get some mangoes and grapes?" Marion wonders out loud.

"Why?"

"To eat, silly", filling a plastic bag with mangoes and grabbing a large bag of grapes. She drops the items into the basket as they search for the chicken."

"Let's go down there – down that aisle", Marion says, pointing down the aisle where snacks are sold.

"I don't think we need anything down there, Mar", pulling the phone from his pocket.

"Let's just be adventurous, Ben. Oh my goodness, Ben, look at the selection of beer they have. Do you want to get some?"

"Sure – why not. They have pretty wide selection here", grabbing a couple six packs from the refrigerator. "These aren't going to fit in that little basket", he says, and they both look at the little basket trying to figure out what to do.

"Why don't you get a cart", says the woman they saw at the front door, who is shaking her head in disbelief. Ben and Marion look at each other as if the women's suggestion was the brightest thing they had ever heard.

"I'll wait here while you go get a cart, Ben." He nods, and walks away quickly in search of a cart. He wonders if he has to go back outside to get one.

Marion strolls up and down the aisles where the wine is sold searching for the Chardonnay. She grabs two bottles of her favorite white wine and decides to try a few other brands, lining them all on the floor. Ten minutes later Bennie comes back with a large red shopping cart.

"Whatcha got there?" Looking at the bottles of wine she is holding in her arms and the ones lined on the floor next to her.

"Just a few bottles of wine", she says, smiling brightly.

"We still have to get the chicken, Mar", and she nods.

They transfer all of their foodstuff, beer, and wine into the cart and, or the next two hours Bennie and Marion walk up and down all of the aisles making sure they get everything that is on Bennie's list. They also bought many items that were not on his list. Three hours since they entered the store and they are exhausted as they stand in the check-out line watching the total increase each time the cashier scans an item.

"I can't believe we spent over $500.00 on food. Who would have thought food was so expensive?" Bennie says, sliding behind the steering wheel.

"I'm hungry, Ben", Marion whines, folding her arms across her chest and sulking. "We have all of this food and can't eat any of it. That's why I don't cook. It's too much work."

"Well, I guess it's too late to cook tonight", looking at the time displayed on the dashboard. He cannot believe they spent three hours in the supermarket.

"I don't feel like waiting in a restaurant, Ben. It's getting late", Marion says grumpily. "This is all on you, _Dr. Grant_." Bennie presses his fingers against his temple because he knows she is upset when she calls him by his title.

"How about we order take-out?" Looking over at her apologetically. "I can order now so it's at the apartment when we get home. Would you like that? Do you want something from that Mediterranean place down on Coulter you like so much? You really like their food."

She shrugs her shoulders in frustration and he quickly voice dials the restaurant and orders their dinner.

"We can put away the groceries while we wait for our dinner to arrive."

" _You_ can put away the groceries and wait for our dinner to arrive."

 **XXX**

"Hurry, Ben. I have to go to the bathroom", Marion urges him as he sets all the grocery bags onto the floor outside of his apartment door and digs into his pocket for the keys. When the door swings open she rushes into the dark apartment. "Which way?" Looking at him in desperation when he turns on the lights.

"Straight back – through the bedroom."

Ben walks back and forth from the apartment to the hall collecting all of the grocery bags while Marion uses the bathroom. This is the first time Marion has visited his apartment and he is somewhat embarrassed by the sparsely decorated space. When Marion finishes in the bathroom, she looks around Ben's large, but sparsely decorated bedroom. The only things in the room are the king-sized bed, two nightstands and two lamps. At least he makes his bed she thinks as she opens what she assumes is his closet door. Her eyes grow wide and her mouth falls open as she looks around. What she sees is absolutely staggering. The door is actually a portal to a virtual sporting goods store for runners. Ben has all types of running gear, in all colors and for each season, all meticulously organized by color and season. Dozens of pairs of running shoes, organized in boxes, line the floor. Running suits, jackets, gym bags, sweatbands – everything a runner needs - are meticulously hung on rods and folded on shelves. Amongst all of the athletic gear, she sees the one expensive suit he wore on their first date and a few pairs of khaki pants and polo shirts hang next to it. Several sets of scrubs are neatly folded on a shelf, seemingly waiting for him to put them on. She pulls opens the drawers and finds lots of undershirts, underwear, tee shirts, all folded neatly and organized by color.

Marion shakes her head and wonders if he has an addiction to athletic gear as she roams down the hall back to the public space. She walks around the huge, open public space and realizes it is just as sparse as the bedroom, but the space is absolutely beautiful.

"Ben –"

"I told you I hadn't decorated - I'm hardly ever here", looking at all of the grocery bags and wondering where he is going to put everything. He has never had this much food in the apartment.

"It's a gorgeous apartment – the views are amazing", Marion says, walking over to the huge windows that face the park. "Ben, the hardwood floors are beautiful – not a scratch. I can really decorate this place nicely. It has so much potential."

Ben nods as he carefully pulls each item from the bag and organizes them on the counter.

"I can't believe after three months this is the first time I'm seeing your apartment", Marion says as she walks into the kitchen.

"I told you, there's nothing to see."

"You need furniture, Ben", sitting down at the kitchen counter. "This is such a beautiful apartment, it's criminal not to decorate it – liven it up with some color. We should go furniture shopping - make this place look like someone actually lives here."

"Okay, we'll go to Feingold's", carefully placing items in the cabinet with the labels facing forward.

"Feingold's? I don't think I've ever heard of that furniture store", watching him put away the food.

"It's in Church Falls. Everyone in my family buys furniture from there." Marion rolls her eyes thinking they probably sell old-fashioned furniture.

"I wonder when our food is going to get here." Marion asks when her stomach begins to growl.

 **XXX**

"Babe, I think Hildie is trying to bribe you", Olivia says as she rubs the body butter onto her arm.

"Bribe me? Why do you say that?" Looking at his wife curiously.

"Because she baked your favorite cinnamon rolls yesterday morning."

"That's because she likes me, Liv", he says seriously and Olivia shakes her head and rolls her eyes.

"That might be true, but she also wants to get on your good side. She wants you to agree to let her watch JoJo when I go back to work."

"She wants to watch JoJo?"

"She does. She asked me if she could when I told her I was returning to work. I told her I would have to discuss it with my husband – and that would be you, mister", looking over her shoulder and giving him a smile.

"So what do you think?" Watching as she lifts her leg and massages it with the cream.

"I don't know, babe. Hildie already has a lot to do around here – cooking, cleaning …."

"It would mean we wouldn't have to get JoJo up and out of the house early. We can maintain her schedule."

"I know, but –"

"And we can shield her from illnesses she will undoubtedly pick up from other children."

"It sounds like you've already made up your mind", turning around on the bed to face him.

"I do like the idea of JoJo staying in our home, Liv – until she gets a little older that is", he adds quickly.

"You don't think it will be too much for Hildie?"

"She wouldn't have volunteered if she thought it was too much. Besides, you said you would only be in the office a couple days a week."

"And I'll be in the field some days – meeting with people."

"But you'll be at home most days – right?"

"I suppose", not really sure how her schedule is going to unfold. "I just want what's best for Jo."

"I think her staying home for now is best", he says, looking at her closely. "Are you okay with that?"

"I guess so", she says slowly, still thinking.

"Then we can tell Hildie she can do it?" He presses on.

"I guess so. Yes - she can do it", dipping her fingers into the body butter again.


	41. Chapter 41 Cooking Lesson

**Chapter 41. Cooking Lesson**

Donning blue medical scrubs and a pair of red running shoes, Bennie exits the elevator on the third floor of City Hall, hoping he does not run into Marion because that will ruin everything. He walks quickly down the marble hall toward the President of City Council suite of offices. He needs to see Fitz, he needs his brother's help.

"Hello – excuse me", he says, trying to get the woman's attention who seems to be focused on whatever she is typing. "Excuse me", he repeats a little louder, causing Victoria to look up from the monitor. She smiles politely when she sees the handsome man standing in front of her workstation.

"How may I help you, sir?" Surreptitiously sweeping her eyes over his body. Although he is wearing hospital scrubs, she can tell the man spends a lot of time working out.

"My name is –"

" _Bennie"_ , Fitz shouts as he walks from his office with a wide smile and open arms. The two men hug, slapping each other on the back.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your day –"

"Nonsense - you're my brother – you can never interrupt me. Come on in – come in. Victoria, I don't want to be disturbed", he says as he closes the office door.

Victoria nods her head now seeing the resemblance between the two men. She wonders why she did not know his brother was coming here today.

"Sit down, Bennie. Do you want something to drink – water, coffee, tea?"

"Nothing for me, Fitz", sitting down at the conference table. Fitz grabs a bottle of water from the credenza and joins his brother at the table.

"How are things going, Bennie? I haven't seen you since – well since you and Marion were over for dinner. Is everything all right?" Looking at his brother curiously. It is unusual for Bennie to call him mid-morning wanting to meet him at City Hall.

"I'm good – everything's fine. I guess you heard about Nora – she's back home."

"I know", Fitz' countenance darkening. "Liv stopped by to see mom - and Nora - of all people - opened the door. Needless to say Liv was shocked." Bennie nods his head.

"I wonder why mom and dad kept her return a secret."

"Liv said they didn't want Nora to get stressed."

"Well, I'll call mom in a few days and find out when it's okay to stop by to visit Nora."

"I don't want to see her anytime soon, Bennie", Fitz says angrily.

"She's our baby sister, Fitz – she needs our support."

"Bennie, you don't know half the shit she did. I don't want her around my family. Liv is still upset."

"Just give it some time, brother."

"You didn't come all the way over here in the middle of the morning to talk about Nora", changing the unpleasant subject and taking a sip of water.

"I need your help, Fitz", Bennie says nervously, pressing two fingers against his temple.

"Of course - anything", Fitz responds without hesitation, watching his brother engage in the nervous habit he started as a child. "What do you need?"

"I need you to help me to cook - prepare a meal. I want to cook dinner for Marion tonight but I have no idea where to begin", he adds quickly.

"Wow, you must really like Marion because you know absolutely nothing about cooking. Are things getting serious between you two?"

"I don't know – I guess – maybe", Bennie stutters. "We've been seeing each other for about three months now - the make or break period", he says sheepishly.

"Well, it sounds like you really like her."

"Last night we were supposed to prepare our first meal together, but after we finished shopping for groceries it was much too late to cook. I – we had no idea it would take so long to buy food."

"The supermarket can be a daunting place if you're not used to it", Fitz says, reflecting on the time when he and Cena shopped together while Olivia was away at Mirage.

"You're telling me. We were at Bryson's for three hours last night."

"Bennie, you can't learn how to cook in a few hours – it takes time."

Bennie looks down at the table, brushing his hand back and forth on the warm wood. The disappointment on his brother's face makes Fitz realize cooking dinner for Marion is really important to Bennie and, therefore, it is important to him.

"What did you have in mind – what do you want to cook?" Bennie slides out his phone and shows Fitz the recipe for the dish he wants to prepare.

"Wow, that's pretty ambitious of you, Bennie", handing the phone back to his brother.

"Can you help me – show me how to make it? Bennie says in desperation. "Besides, it's your fault I'm in this predicament."

" _My fault? What are you talking about?"_

"Marion was so impressed by your culinary skills I started thinking I should learn how to cook, too."

"Bennie, it took me a long time to learn how to prepare a meal like that. I even took a few cooking classes."

Bennie looks at his brother in surprise.

"Ask Liv - she'll tell you. She even went to class with me. The class is quite exciting - you get to learn techniques from some of the area's top chefs."

Bennie nods, thinking a cooking class is not going to help him tonight. Fitz looks at his brother's crestfallen face then down at his watch.

"Okay – I'll help you prepare dinner - I owe you anyway", Fitz says, standing from his seat and throwing the empty water bottle into the waste bin.

"Owe me - for what?" Bennie asks with a look surprise on his face.

"The chef-owner of that fancy new restaurant down on the waterfront – "

"Chef Trudeau? I gave him a new heart last year. He'd been eating way too much of his own creations – he's a real character."

"Well he saved me my ass. I took Liv there for dinner on Valentine's Day – it was almost a disaster. Somehow our reservation got lost and there was not an available table in the place – of course. I thought Liv was going to kill me on the spot, but the chef recognized me – I guess from the campaign - and realized I was your brother - the doctor who saved his life. So I owe you."

"Thanks, brother", Bennie says, smiling in relief."

"Let me finish up a few things here and I'll meet you at your place in an hour."

 **XXX**

Fitz sweeps his eyes around the apartment and sees his brother still has not bothered to decorate. The place looks as empty as it did on the first day Bennie moved in.

"Bennie, when are you going to get some furniture in this place? How long have you been living here anyway?"

"Marion and I are going to shop for furniture next week. We're going to Feingold's." Fitz nods his head in approval as he walks toward the kitchen.

"Maybe you and Marion should take cooking classes together", Fitz says, rolling up his sleeves preparing to get to work.

"Marion really doesn't have a lot of interest in cooking. In fact, she doesn't care if she ever learns how to cook – and I'm okay with that", Bennie says, pulling the food from the refrigerator he and Marion bought last night. Fitz nods as he washes his hands.

"Let me see the recipe again, Bennie. Do you have shallots and peppers?" Slowly nodding his head up and down as he reads the instructions.

"Got 'em right here", Bennie says, proudly holding up four bags of peppers and a bag of shallots." Fitz looks at his brother in surprise.

"My god, Bennie, why did you buy so many? You'll never use all of those peppers."

"We didn't know how many to get", Bennie's face flush with embarrassment. "Marion also liked the colors."

"We're only going to need two. Rinse one red and yellow and I'll show you how to slice them."

Bennie slides a red and yellow pepper from the plastic bag, walks over to the sink, and holds the peppers under the running cold water. Fitz opens and closes the cabinet doors looking for the pots and pans.

"Bennie, you're not prepping the peppers for surgery, you can stop rinsing them now", Fitz says with a chuckle as he sets a pot and pan onto the stove. Bennie nods and sets the peppers onto the counter.

"Where's your cutting board?" Fitz asks, looking around the kitchen.

"I don't know if mom bought one", looking at his brother apologetically.

"You should start a list of kitchen utensils you're going to need."

"Here it is", Bennie exclaims, pulling the wooden cutting board from the bottom cabinet and setting it onto the counter in front of his brother.

"This is how you slice bell peppers", Fitz directs, setting the fat yellow pepper on its side and cutting off the top. He halves the pepper then slices it into strips. "Now you try it."

Ben holds the knife precariously in one hand and sets the red pepper onto the cutting board with the other hand.

"Watch your fingers, Bennie, you're going to need them at work tomorrow", Fitz chuckles again.

Bennie ignores his brother's lame joke and focuses intently on slicing the red pepper. Fitz looks at him with a raised brow, thinking the rate at which Bennie is slicing the pepper he is going to be here all day.

"I'm going to chop the shallots while you finish with that pepper. One of the keys to cooking, Bennie, is prepping everything you need before you actually start to cook. You want to have all of your ingredients ready to go when you need them."

Bennie simply nods, not looking up as he continues to concentrate on the task of slicing the pepper. Fitz slides a couple of shallots and the ginger root from the plastic bags.

"Why did you did you decide to prepare this dish?" Quickly chopping the shallots and ginger.

Still focused on slicing the pepper, Bennie does not bother to respond. Fitz pulls the bok choy from the plastic bag and looks over his shoulder at his brother as he holds the leafy vegetable under the running water. He wonders if Bennie heard him, so he repeats the question.

"So, why did you want to prepare this dish, Bennie?"

"I can't talk right now, Fitz, I'm trying to slice this pepper."

Fitz smiles, shaking his head as he sets the bok choy in the colander to drain. He wonders where Bennie stored the chicken broth, but he dare not interrupt him while he is still slicing the pepper. After opening and closing a few cabinet doors he spots the container of broth, the seasonings, and the rice he is going to need. He shakes his head when he sees his brother still likes to organize everything with labels facing forward and in alphabetical order.

"Okay, the pepper is all cut up", Bennie exclaims, looking down at his handiwork with pride.

"Nice job, Bennie, you made each slice the same length and width. Now let me show you how to slice the mushrooms", Fitz says, grabbing a handful of shitakes from the container and rinsing them under the running water.

"Do you always have to rinse the vegetables?"

"Yes, you wanna to remove any debris. Get your knife any do what I do – and watch your fingers", he cautions again. "That knife is really sharp."

Bennie nods, carefully sliding the chef's knife through the mushroom's flesh, making perfect slices. Fitz wonders how Bennie can make such perfectly even slices.

"That's good, Bennie, you're getting the hang of it. Now you're going to chop a clove of garlic. Smash it with the knife like this", Fitz says, placing the knife's blade onto the clove of garlic and banging his fist on the blade. "Smashing it makes it easier to peel."

Bennie nods and smashes the garlic the way Fitz did. He smiles, thinking cooking is going to be fun.

"Next, you're going to sauté all of the vegetables", and Bennie looks at his brother in panic.

"Don't worry, I'll show you how to do it."

"Pour about two tablespoons of EVO – extra virgin olive oil - into the heated frying pan. Once the oil is hot, you're going to drop the vegetables into the pan. Start with the peppers first, after about a minute add the mushrooms, shallots, then the bok choy. Always start with the vegetable that will take the longest to cook. The garlic and ginger go in last."

Bennie nods and begins to drop the peppers into the frying pan one slice at a time. Fitz watches his brother with furrowed brow.

"Bennie, you can put them all in at once - then stir them around quickly with the spatula."

Bennie timidly slides the peppers into the hot frying pan, smiling when he hears the sizzling sound. He is really cooking.

"I'm going to get started with the chicken while you sauté the vegetables. Always remember to rinse your meats before cooking", Fitz instructs as he holds the chicken breasts under the running water. "What time do you expect Marion to arrive?" Patting each breast dry with the paper towels.

"Around 5:30", Bennie says, amazed how the vegetables are beginning to transform. Fitz nods and glances over at the clock on the stove.

"We have plenty of time. We'll get everything ready before I leave."

"Take the vegetables out the pan, Bennie. You don't want to over-cook them. They'll finish cooking in the oven with the chicken."

Bennie nods as he carefully scrapes the vegetables onto a plate and sets it on the countertop. He leans against the counter and watches his brother season the chicken breasts.

"How do you know how much seasoning to put on each side?"

"You'll learn in time - better too little than too much. You can always add more at the table but you cannot take away."

Bennie nods again, wondering if he should be writing down his brother's cooking tips. He watches intently as Fitz begins to pound the chicken with the mallet. He never knew what the mallet was used for.

"When did you know you were ready to get married?" Fitz stiffens, but continues to pound the chicken. He is not sure where Bennie is going with the question.

"You want to pound the chicken to flatten it – but don't overdo it - got it?"

"Got it", Bennie nods, watching his brother bring the mallet down onto the chicken breast again.

"You're going to brown the chicken on each side. Add a little more oil to the pan, Bennie", trying to hurry his brother along. Bennie nods and slowly drizzles the oil into the pan. "You can pour it, Bennie – not too much though – about two tablespoons", Fitz says, sneaking a peek at his watch.

Ben nods again, carefully pouring the oil into the hot pan as Fitz stands next to him holding the plate of chicken breasts.

"Hold this, Bennie", Fitz says, giving his brother the plate. "The oil has to heat a bit more before you can add the chicken. I'm going to start the salad. So – are you thinking about -?"

"No – nothing like that. I'm just curious."

"But it seems like you really like Marion if you're going to all of this trouble to cook for her", Fitz says, washing his hands before dumping the mixed lettuces into the colander.

"I guess I do", Bennie replies, somewhat embarrassed. Fitz nods as he rinses the lettuces.

"Put the chicken in the pan, Bennie. You're going to brown them quickly for about a minute on each side – just enough to give them some color. They'll finish cooking in the oven with the vegetables."

Bennie nods, carefully setting each breast into the hot pan.

"And Bennie, always - always, wash your hands after handling any kind of meat – before touching anything else. And, don't reuse platters that have held raw meat until you wash them thoroughly. This platter holding the chicken, you have to wash it before using it again. You don't want to contaminate anything – get Marion sick", he smiles. "Use the fork to turn over the chicken, Bennie."

Bennie nods as he turns over the chicken to brown the other side.

"That's good – that's good. Let them cook for another minute." Bennie looks at his watch again, waiting for a minute to pass.

"I owe you an apology – Fitz - Liv too. I never apologized."

"Bennie, you don't owe me anything."

"I do", Bennie says, looking into his brother's tense face. "My therapist helped me to understand that I mistook our - Liv and mine - friendship for something more than what it was." Fitz' eyebrows raise because he had no idea his brother had been in therapy.

"Take the chicken out, Bennie", handing him a platter lined with paper towels. Amazed how he transformed the raw chicken to an almost edible food, Bennie smiles as he places each piece of chicken onto the platter.

"This looks good, brother. Everything smells so good."

"We're not done yet. You'll have to finish it in the oven. Do you have a baking dish?"

"I don't know", looking around the kitchen. "Maybe mom bought one when I moved in." The brothers open and close cabinet doors until Fitz finds a baking dish.

"This ought to work", setting the glass dish on the counter.

"My therapist helped me to realize while I loved Liv – I wasn't _in love_ with her. Back then we were both in similar situations. Liv was lonely because her parents relocated to Church Falls and she didn't know anyone – have any friends. I was lonely, too – not because I didn't have friends – but because I didn't feel like I fit in our family. Dad, you, and John were so outgoing and athletic—and well – as you know - I wasn't. I preferred spending time alone and reading - for the most part. But dad wasn't having it. All of his sons were going to play some kind of sport – come hell or high water. More than once I felt like ending it all."

"Bennie – I had no idea things got that bad for you."

"Liv saved me, Fitz – not that she knew it – but she did. When she suggested I get my butt up and start running - she changed my life."

Fitz smiles, happy that Bennie and Olivia had each other during what was a difficult time for both of them.

"So it was easy for me to mistake our bonding and similar circumstances for something more. We spent a lot of time together back then and at some point I confused our friendship for something else. She had no idea really - never sent those kinds of signals. Our relationship was always platonic."

"I know", Fitz says softly.

"But - if I'm to be honest - I will always love Liv – but as my best friend", he adds quickly. "Are you okay with that?" Staring into his brother's eyes.

"I understand, Bennie, and I'm okay with it", giving his brother a hug.

"So, I'm sorry. We – I – wasted so much time - I don't want that to ever happen again."

"It won't", Fitz gives his brother a reassuring smile as he opens the container of chicken brother. "We're going to make the sauce for the chicken. Put two teaspoons of that cornstarch into the frying pan and stir it quickly. Then pour half of the broth into the pan and stir it until it begins to thicken, then turn the flame on low and let it simmer. After you're done, we're going to make a quick lime vinaigrette for the salad."

"You mean you don't use the stuff in the bottle?" Thinking his brother rattled off the instructions for the sauce really fast.

"God no, Bennie. I'll start squeezing the limes. Do you have a whisk?" Bennie shrugs his shoulders as he stirs the sauce. Fitz opens and closes drawers until he finds what he is looking for.

"Mom really set you up with a lot of the basics. You just need a few more things." Bennie nods, focusing on stirring the sauce and watching it begin to thicken.

"That's good, Bennie", looking over at the sauce. "Pour it into that saucepan and let it simmer on the lowest setting until you're ready to serve the main course."

Bennie follows his brother's instructions then joins Fitz at the counter to help make the vinaigrette.

"Okay, what do I do next?" Bennie asks, rubbing his hands together with excitement.

"You're really liking this - aren't you?" Fitz says as he quickly chops a clove of garlic and adds it to the lime juice along with the salt, coriander, and sugar.

"I am. I can't wait until we do it again." Fitz nods, thinking he is creating more than a meal – he is creating an Iron Chef. He wonders if Bennie likes risotto.

"I'm going to slowly drizzle in the olive oil, Bennie, and you whisk quickly until the mixture starts to thicken."

Bennie nods and begins to stir the mixture.

"You have to whisk it, Bennie", taking the whisk from his brother's hand to demonstrate the technique.

"I see", Bennie says, taking the whisk from his brother's hand and rapidly whisks the mixture. He smiles when he sees liquid begin to thicken into a vinaigrette. "This is really cool, Fitz. I think I'm going to like cooking."

"I knew I wanted to marry Liv when I didn't want to be with another woman – and I had my share of women while in the Navy."

Bennie nods as he continues to whisk the dressing.

"But more importantly - I didn't want Liv to be with anyone else. The thought of her being with someone else was driving me crazy so I let her make an honest man out of me" Bennie nods again, watching his brother pour the vinaigrette into a jar.

"You're going to pour this over the salad just before you serve it. Make sure you shake the jar to blend all the ingredients again before pouring it onto the salad. Then you're going to transfer the salad to this nice serving bowl. Got it?"

"Got it", Bennie says, getting excited. Fitz looks at his watch again. He has to get home soon. "Do you still feel that way? You and Liv have been married for awhile."

"I love Liv with all of my heart – nothing or no one will ever come between us. Put the chicken in the oven, Bennie."

Bennie opens the oven door and heat warms his face. He sets the baking dish onto the top shelf and Fitz sets the timer.

"When I leave, all you have to do is cook the rice – I'll show you how to do it - and take the chicken out the oven when the timer goes off. And Bennie, don't forget to turn off the rice when the timer goes off – you don't want to burn it. It smells something awful when it burns. And don't ask me how I know", he says, flashing that crooked smile.

"Okay", Bennie says, pressing two fingers against his temple. He is getting nervous again.

"You're going to be fine", Fitz says, patting his brother on the back. "Let's clean up this mess and you'll be good to go. What are you having for dessert?"

Bennie's face drains of color. The recipe did not mention anything about dessert.

"You finish cleaning the kitchen and I'll run down to that bakery at the corner and pick up something.

"Thanks, brother", Bennie says in relief.

"What does Marion like?"

"She likes those miniature fruit tarts."

Fitz nods as he walks from the kitchen.

"Wait – wait", Bennie yells out, running behind his brother. "Make sure they're dairy-free – Marion is lactose intolerant."

Twenty minutes later Fitz exits the elevator with two white boxes, one contains four miniature fruit tarts and the other a Black Forest cake that Olivia and Cena really love. Holding a box in each hand, he rings the doorbell with his right elbow.

"Here you go, Bennie. Four dairy-free fruit tarts. "I can't come in –but you're all set. Remember, you going to spoon the rice onto the platter, place the chicken breasts and vegetables on top of the rice, then pour the sauce over the chicken. It will look just like the picture. Got it?"

"Thanks, brother. You'll never know how much this means to me."

"We're brothers", giving Bennie a hug. "Call me if you have any questions – I gotta get home."

"Thanks for the cooking lesson, brother."

"Anytime. And Bennie - don't burn the rice."

 **XXX**

Bennie is feeling good, really good. The chicken casserole is in the oven, the rice is cooking, and the salad simply needs to be dressed. Everything should be done by the time Marion arrives. He cannot wait to see the look on her face when she realizes he cooked dinner for her. He walks to the living space, turns on the music, and then dances his way back to the kitchen to set the dinner dishes onto the counter. He really has to get a table so they can have a proper place to eat their meals. Fifteen minutes later the doorbell rings, and with a big smile on his face, he dances his way over to the door.

"Ben, what's going on? I can hear the music in the hall", Marion asks, wondering what is going on.

Ben pecks her on the lips, pulls her into the apartment, and spins her around as he dances. Marion follows his lead as they laugh and dance to _Poison_ blasting through the speakers.

"Something smells good", she says, moving to the pulsating beat with him.

"I cooked dinner", moving his feet and hips the way he learned long ago.

" _You did what?"_ Laughing and dancing with him. "I'm impressed", continuing to glide around the apartment as the next song starts. The music is blasting and they are dancing and laughing as if they do not have a care in the world. Two songs later they are still dancing around the large open space and laughing.

"I didn't know I would be walking into a nightclub when I came here", Marion says over the loud music. "I guess all of this open space actually serves a purpose", slowing down and trying to catch her breath. "Ben, I had no idea you could dance. You're a really good dancer."

"Liv taught me", still bouncing to the beat - a long time ago. "We used to dance with her mom and dad all the time. Mr. Pope loved his old school music – Marvin Gaye, The Four Tops … Once Mr. Pope started playing those albums on that old turntable the four of us would dance for hours."

The smile slowly fades from Marion's face and she stops dancing. Her jealousy is rising. The gaiety is over. He has ruined the moment.

"What's the matter?" Bennie asks, seeing the change in her demeanor.

"Nothing. I just have to go to the bathroom", rushing from the room.

"Well hurry out, I've been slaving over a hot stove all afternoon", he says playfully, continuing to dance around the room for a few more minutes. _Shit_ freezing mid-stride when he smells an odor coming from the kitchen. _"Dammit"_ , he shrieks, running into the kitchen, hoping he has he burnt the rice.

Marion leans against the counter in the bathroom and stares at her reflection in the mirror. She knows she is going to ruin whatever she has with Ben if she does not get ahold of her irrational jealousy. He is happy and proud of cooking his first meal. And she is going to ruin the evening because Olivia taught him how to dance when they were teenagers. She bangs her fist on the counter trying to control her anger.

"Mar, what're you doing in there? Dinner is going to get cold."

"Coming", she calls out, swiping the tears from her cheeks.

As she makes her way toward the kitchen, she hears the melodic sounds of smooth jazz and she smiles. She stands in the doorway watching him light the candles and feels like an absolute fool. He is here with her. He did all of this for her.

"Ben, everything looks so beautiful. I can't believe you did all of this."

"Have a seat, madam", he says with a big smile, bowing as he pulls out her chair. "I wanted to do something special for you", kissing her on the neck. He fills a glass with her favorite white wine and places it in her hand. She thinks a drink is exactly what she needs right now.

"Ben –"

"We'll start with the salad, then the main course, and top it off with your favorite dessert."

" _You made dessert, too?"_ Her eyes widening in surprise.

"Not exactly. Fitz bought it", he admits.

" _Fitz?"_

"I cannot tell a lie, Mar. My brother spent the afternoon here showing me how to prepare this meal. Then he ran down to the corner bakery and bought dessert, too."

"Oh, Ben, that is so sweet", standing from her seat and sitting on his lap. "Everything is wonderful - you're wonderful", kissing him deeply. "I have to thank Fitz, too", she says with a big smile.

"I hope you don't thank him the same way you're thanking me", he laughs, pulling her in for another kiss.

 **XXX**

Fitz sits at the granite island top and texts Bennie the link to Cook's, the demonstration cooking school. Classes sell out fast and he wants Bennie to register before it is too late. After pressing the green arrow to send his brother the message, he sets the phone onto the island and watches as Olivia feeds Jolie. He is trying to figure out how to tell her he has to go to California.

"Do you want me to finish feeding Jo so you can eat a hot meal for a chance?"

"That's okay, babe. You finish eating - we're almost done here - right Miss Jo?" Jolie smacks her lips and gives her mommy a toothless smile.

"I have Black Forest cake for dessert", he says, laying the groundwork for the unpleasant news he has to deliver.

"Yeah, I want cake", Cena yells.

"What's the occasion?" Olivia asks as she slides the spoon into Jolie's mouth.

"You can have cake after you finish your dinner, Princess." Cena nods and quickly shovels the rest of her food into her mouth.

"Slow down, Cena. You're going to make yourself sick", Olivia warns her excited daughter. Fitz rubs the top of Cena's head and kisses her on the cheek. Then, he inhales deeply before delivering the news.

"I have to go to Cali - California - in two weeks", he says quickly.

" _What?"_ Olivia says, turning to look at him in surprise. He has not traveled since – well since forever.

"I want to go to Cali, daddy", Cena yells. She does not even know where California is.

"Not this time, Princess. Daddy is going on businesses. Two days tops", he says to Cena but the message is really intended for his wife.

"Why – why do you have to go to California?" Olivia asks, crinkling her brow.

"I need to meet with some of my clients—"

" _Your clients?_ I thought Geoffrey was handling everything at Grant Enterprises."

He hates when she cuts him off, does not allow him to finish his thought.

"You know I had to separate myself from the business, Liv. What I was going to say, I need to meet with some CEOs, former clients, about city business—get their take on economic development opportunities for the city. These CEOs run some of the largest technology companies in the world - they know what it takes to stimulate growth."

Olivia nods, sliding a spoonful of mashed potatoes into Jolie's mouth.

"When do you have to go?" She asks sadly.

"Two weeks."

" _Two weeks? Why am I just hearing about this?"_ Glaring at him.

"I've been busy, Liv. I just need to talk to these guys to finalize my thinking on policies to increase the economic viability of the city. This is the only time I could get on their calendars."

She frowns and nods slowly, not liking what she is hearing.

"I saw Bennie today", he says, trying to change the subject.

"You did?" Looking over her shoulder and holding the next spoonful of mashed potatoes midair.

"He stopped by the office."

"That's unusual", giving her husband a curious look. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine. He wanted me to help him to prepare dinner for Marion tonight."

" _What?"_

"Bennie wants to learn how to cook – stop eating out so much. He was inspired by his big brother's cooking skills."

Olivia rolls her eyes and Jolie bangs her hand onto the highchair tray and smacks her lips repeatedly, and everybody looks over at her.

"Mommy, JoJo wants more mashed potatoes", Cena yells, and Olivia slides the spoon into Jolie's mouth.

"I went over to his apartment for a few hours this afternoon and helped him cook. Apparently they went shopping for groceries last night. They bought a lot of food, Liv."

"Aww, that was sweet of you, babe. I think Ben and Marion really like each other."

"Look", he says, walking over to Olivia with his phone. "Bennie sent me a picture. He did a pretty good job pulling everything together."

"Wow, that's pretty impressive, babe", nodding her head as she looks at the picture.

"I keep telling you, Liv, I'm a man of many talents", kissing her on the cheek and running his tongue around her ear. Jolie bangs her fist on the tray again and puckers her lips. She wants a kiss, too. Fitz pecks his baby girl on her potato-covered lips and she and Cena laugh out loud.

"Daddy, you have potato lips", Cena giggles.

"I do, and I'm going to give you potato lips, too", tickling his older daughter and gliding his mashed potato-covered mouth over hers.

"No – daddy – no", Cena squeals and Jolie bangs her fist onto the tray again, laughing as she watches her father rub his lips over her sister's face. Fitz snaps a picture of a mashed potato-covered Jolie and posts it onto his Instagram account.

"Who's ready for dessert?" He says, holding the box in the air by the thin string.

"I am – I am", Cena squeals, clapping her hands, and Jolie claps her hands, too.

Olivia gives her husband a look that says _don't think that I've forgotten about the California trip._

 **XXX**

With one foot planted on the edge of the desk, Fitz reclines in the comfortable leather chair in his office on the third floor of City Hall reading over the teachers' union contract that expires in a few months. Having drafted, negotiated, and executed numerous business contracts for some of the top multinational companies, he is flabbergasted by what he is reading. The deal the city made with the teachers' union three years ago is one of the worst agreements he has ever seen since he started practicing law. For some reason, the city agreed to all of the union's demands when they fundamentally knew they could not pay for the contract. He shakes his head in dismay and glances down at his watch. The head of the teachers' union should be arriving within the hour. Fitz sighs, thinking how he has watched the pugnacious union leader for years, on local newscasts, preening himself for once again getting a contract that benefitted his union members. He never imagined that one day he would have to negotiate with the colorful, yet vicious man.

Harrison Ventnor, the president of the teachers' union, is a bombastic showman who has never seen a television camera he did not like. He fights dirty and hard for his members, using unscrupulous tactics he calls negotiating. From what Fitz has witnessed, the man clearly knows nothing about Labor Law, but he has a lot of political clout that he does not hesitate to wield. Ventnor's political is derived from the significant campaign contributions his 18,000-member-strong union has made to aspiring and current politicians. The teachers' union supports politicians at election time, who in turn agree to support union-friendly legislation.

Victoria knocks on the door and announces the head of the teachers' union has arrived. Fitz flashes her a polite smile and asks her to show the man in. He does not bother to put on his suit jacket, he senses this is not going to be a pleasant meeting.

"Come in Mr. Ventnor. It's a pleasure to finally meet", Fitz says, extending a handshake.

"And you as well, Council President Grant."

"Call me, Fitz", flashing his politician's smile as he sizes up the big, burly man who is known for wearing garish three-piece suits.

"And call me Harry", the rotund man says, displaying a tight, closed-mouthed smile.

"May I offer you something to drink, Harry?" Fitz asks, walking toward the credenza that houses the beverages.

"Water, please", Harry responds, quickly glancing around the spacious office thinking the décor is definitely not his style. He did not like the décor when Marla was president and he does not like it now.

"Have a seat, Harry", Fitz says, handing the man a bottle of water before taking his seat behind the desk.

Harry sits in one of the chairs in front of the desk and sweeps his eyes over the family photographs on the desk and credenza behind Fitz' chair. He does not bother to acknowledge the photographs as he unscrews the bottle of water, and tosses the plastic top onto the desk. He takes a long swig of the cool water and smiles. Fitz watches as the bottle top spins around and around until it finally settling onto the desk. Although subtle, Harrison Ventnor has just taken the first shot.

"This is good – refreshing", Harry says. Fitz returns a crooked smile and leans back in his seat. It is time to get down to business.

"Harry - as you know the city is in crisis - teetering on the brink of bankruptcy."

Harry sets the bottle of water onto the desk, leans back in his seat, readying himself to hear the usual spiel about how broke the city is. It does not matter who sits behind that desk, the story is always the same.

"The school district is already facing a budget shortfall - even before negotiations with your union are scheduled to begin."

"Fitz, the district wants to extend the school day and school year, increase co-payments for health insurance, institute a pay scale based on teacher performance rather than years of experience and level of education. They want us to do more and pay us less."

"The trade unions, firefighters, police – are all being asked to do more, Harry. It's just where the city is right now."

"Fitz, I'm sure you didn't ask me here to discuss the other union contracts", taking another swig of water, and Fitz nods his head in agreement.

"Harry, some question if the teachers' performance warrant an increase in salary. The state is not satisfied with the performance on standardized test, in fact, the numbers are declining. No longer satisfied with the quality of education their children are receiving, more and more families are opting to send their children to charter schools."

Harry grimaces.

"Fitz, from the first charter school legislation, unions and charters have been at odds because, unlike traditional schools, where my members teach - charters are unregulated - not held to the same standards as traditional public schools", waving his hand in the air dismissively.

"Charter school operators argue they've been able to succeed to a large extent because they don't have to consult a union on how to run their schools."

"Nonsense", Harry protests. "Besides, some charters have begun to join our union. They want the protection."

"Not many are joining", Fitz retorts. "In fact, most charters are resisting unions, which some say diminishes your political power", staring at the man hard.

" _You keep telling me what other people think and are saying - what the hell do you say, Fitz?"_ Leaning forward in frustration and glaring at the Council President. He is tired of playing games _. Are you trying to break my union - is that what you're here to do?"_ Harry lashes out angrily.

"I want to do no such thing. I want us to find a way to work together – for the good of the city and the children. The city cannot afford another deal like the last one, Harry. Taxes had to be increased to pay for your contract."

"Not my problem", Harry says nonchalantly, grabbing the bottle of water from the desk and leaning back against his chair.

"The state – families – are not satisfied with what they're getting for their investment. Families and businesses have been leaving the city for decades – in part - because of the poor product your members are producing - you've seen the data."

Harry shrugs his shoulders with disinterest.

"Don't you care about the children of this city – care that they are properly educated?" Fitz asks with incredulity.

"I care about my dues-paying members", Harry retorts. The Republican-dominated statehouse has been expanding charter school and choice programs and making budget cuts leading to teacher layoffs. We've had enough and we want what is due to us. Besides, my union has an understanding with officials we helped to elect, and nothing's going to change. We always get what we ask for, _Fitz_. So you better get onboard and be prepared to dig deep when the contract talks begin in a few months", Harry says brusquely.

Realizing the soft approach is not going to work with Harrison Ventnor, Fitz ups the ante. Harry might be tough, but Fitz has played hardball with a lot tougher.

"Your business model is no longer sustainable, Harry", Fitz says flatly, without batting an eye. "The schools are called dropout factories. Many freshmen never make it to graduation. Test scores have continued to drop over the past decade – the list goes on and on."

" _That's because right-wing conservatives like you have co-opted the charter school idea and used it as a way to get around unions. You damn Republicans have been trying to dismantle - do away with traditional public schools - which means you want to do away with the teachers' union. Well that ain't gonna happen. If the city can find money to help renovate the waterfront then they can find the money to pay our educators. You and that man upstairs on the fifth floor, who my people helped to elect, better go to the state or float a damn bond"_ , Harry shouts with finality as he pulls on the hem of his brightly colored vest.

"That won't be happening – not this time. The jig is up - the city won't be floating a bond or raising taxes to pay for your teachers."

"Are you threatening me, Grant?" Harry demands with bluster.

"No threat – just a fact", Fitz says, leaning forward and resting his forearms on the desk.

" _You come riding in here on your white steed trying to tell us how to run our schools when your child doesn't even attend a public in this city. Who the hell do you think you are?"_

Fitz does not take the bait, but he is weary of the chorus singing that damn song about his children not attending the city's public schools.

"It's over, Harry."

" _Then I'll take my 18,000-members and we will walk – I'll shut down the whole damn school district. So you better be prepared to explain to all of those parents why their children won't be in school and getting an education."_

" _If you walk, I'll put you and all 18,000 of your members out of work – permanently. I'll make sure every damn school in this city becomes a charter – no union allowed. The days of holding this city hostage with the threat of a strike are over."_

Harry's portly body tenses and he squeezes the water bottle until the plastic crackles loudly.

" _You don't know who you're fucking with, Grant",_ quickly regaining his composure before standing stomping toward the door.

Fitz stands abruptly from his seat, sending his chair flying against the credenza behind him, causing the family photographs to shift. Victoria looks up from the document she is typing when she hears the commotion inside the office.

" _And Ventnor",_ Fitz yells out, stopping the man before he leaves the hand gripping the brass door knob, Harrison Ventnor turns and looks at the red-faced Council President.

" _Don't you ever fuckin' mention my children again."_

Ventnor swings open the door, allowing it to slam against the old Second Empire table he has always hated, and Victoria looks up at the obviously upset union president as he storms through the reception area. She jumps from her seat and rushes into Fitz' office.

"Is everything all right, sir?" Victoria asks in concern as he stares out the window with hands stuffed deep into his pants pockets.

"Everything is fine, Victoria", he says without turning around. "Can you let me know when Councilman Moton arrives?"

"Of course", she says, turning slowly to exit the office.

"And Victoria, close the door please."

Victoria looks at him again with concern then slowly closes the door behind her. Once the door is closed, he pulls open the desk drawer and slides out the small brown bottle. He pops a pill into his mouth and downs it with a swig of water from the glass on his desk. He closes his eyes and thinks _12 minutes_.

 **XXX**

Olivia leans back in the chair in their home office and rolls her neck from side, trying to remove the kinks. She has been sitting at the desk all morning, researching corporate philanthropies and, with each passing minute, she discovers how little she knows about how to start a corporate philanthropic program, and that makes her nervous. She is quickly learning that designing a philanthropic program is so different from managing her small foundation. While both are rooted in the desire to ease the burden of those in need, she sees the difference lies in the method that philanthropic entities and small non-profits use to reach that outcome. The Olivia Grant Foundation is focused on fixing specific problems that prevent families from having access to clean and safe water. She has obtained funding to repair the wells for senior citizens and replace the old lead plumbing in some homes in Springfield Heights. But multi-millionaire dollar philanthropies are about so much more than fixing defective well pumps or replacing corrosive lead pipes in homes. They are about systematically seeking out root causes of issues and developing permanent solutionsthrough strategic, large scale and collaborative efforts. Philanthropies are not about making sure these kinds of problems do not happen in the first place.

She expels a heavy sigh, stands from the comfortable chair, and looks out the window, allowing the sun to warm her face. Establishing Bryson's philanthropic program is going to be a major undertaking and she is not sure she has what it takes to pull it off. She wants to call Fitz to discuss her uneasiness with him, but she knows he is busy working on preparing his legislative policies.

 **XXX**

Councilman Darius Moton has been in meetings all morning with the Appropriations Committee and now he is hungry – ready for his weekly lunch meeting with the Council President. Ignoring Victoria as usual, he walks past her workstation, knocks on the office, and then enters the office.

"Enjoy your lunch, Councilman Moton", Victoria says under her breath without looking away from the monitor.

"Okay, Grant, let's get to it - I'm starving", Darius says, rubbing his hands together as he eyes the lunch spread on the credenza.

"Hello, Darius", Fitz says solemnly, standing from his seat and walking across the room toward the credenza. He watches as Darius pile his plate with a few sandwiches, green salad, and orzo salad and shakes his head in amusement. He cannot understand how Darius can eat so much food at lunch, surely the man dozes off in his office around three o' clock.

"What's the matter with you, Fitz – not hungry today?" Darius says in a jocular tone as he sits at the conference table ready to eat.

"I met with the head of the teachers' union this morning – it wasn't pleasant."

"Ventnor is an ass", Darius says, biting into one of the sandwiches.

"That's putting it mildly", Fitz says, setting a sandwich and orzo salad onto his plate. His stomach begins to growl because he has not eaten since breakfast. "The man doesn't give a damn if the children of this city "get educated, Darius. He only cares about his members' dues and the power he can wield.

"The teachers' union was one of Wilson's largest contributors, Fitz. Ventnor has a lot of power - he directs his members who to vote for", Darius says, stuffing a forkful of salad into his mouth.

"Some charter schools are beginning to erase the achievement gap, Darius. That's all that should matter", Fitz says, wiping his mouth with the coarse paper napkin.

"You have to understand, Fitz, politicos and union leaders derive power and resources from keeping things the way things are. They're not interested in the children fulfilling their potential outside the district system - that will disrupt their influence. You're lucky you don't have to worry about that." Fitz crinkles his brow wondering what Darius meant by that statement.

"Well I told Ventnor not to expect the city to acquiesce to his threat to strike – the money just isn't there", Fitz says biting into his sandwich.

"That's a powerful union, Fitz", Darius reiterates. They help to get a lot of politicians elected."

"So nothing changes then", Fitz says angrily, and Darius remains silent.

"How's your policy agenda coming along – you only have a few more weeks to submit it to the Council."

"I have a few more meetings to take before I finalize my thinking", Fitz says, smiling as he scoops a forkful of orzo into his mouth.

"Well you better get moving – you won't get an extension. Wilson damn sure won't sign off on that."

"Got it teach." The two men laugh out loud as Victoria knocks on the door before entering the office.

"Sir, I'm sorry to interrupt, but if you're going be on time for your meeting with Councilman Howry, you'll have to leave within the next 10 minutes."

Fitz frowns and looks down at his watch, wondering where the hour went. After this morning's clash with Ventnor he needed this break with Darius.

"Thank you, Victoria", he says, walking his unfinished lunch over to the waste bin. He wipes his hands onto the napkin and grabs his suit jacket from the valet. "Same time next week?" He asks, looking over at Darius who is stuffing the last of his sandwich into his mouth.

"You know I would never miss a free lunch", Darius says as he stands from the table, leaving his leftovers for Victoria to discard. He pushes past the Council President's assistant, who is waiting in the doorway with her hand on the doorknob.

"Hold on, Darius, I'll walk out with you - Howry's office is near yours."

"After your meeting with Howry you have a 30-minute break before your next meeting, sir."

"Thank you, Victoria."

"You'll need your portfolio", she says with a smile, pointing to the leather case sitting on one of the piles on his desk. He nods and hurries back to the desk to retrieve the leather case.

"I don't know what I would do without you", giving her a wink before jogging from the office to catch up with Darius.

 **XXX**

After a stressful day at the office, it feels good to just sit around with his family and do absolutely nothing – think about nothing of consequence. The pressures of the new job are beginning to take its toll on him, in ways he never imagined. Everything seems to be a battle and it is no wonder why nothing ever seems to get done in government. It seems like those who were elected to office are all playing some sort of game, and at the expense of those they are supposed to serve. It is disheartening at times. Some days he ponders if he made the right decision, giving up his business to run for public office. Everything would have been so different if he had continued to run Grant Enterprises. Charlie Barber would not have tried to kill his family and he would not be carrying around daily the guilt for not protecting his family. He knows the stress is not about the job.

Olivia has been watching her husband all night and she knows something is wrong – something is off with him. She slides her hand across the sofa cushion, intertwining her fingers with his, silently asking with her eyes: _are you all right, do we need to talk_? He gives her hand a reassuring squeeze and a weak smile, attempting to signal that he is fine, but she knows otherwise; his eyes reflect the truth.

"Livvia - how is the new job going? Are you getting the program underway?" Gwendolyn asks, lifting her after-dinner tea to her lips.

"I have quite a bit to learn about corporate philanthropy, mom. I have a meeting in the city next week with Diatell, the CSR Think Tank. I want to discuss some of my ideas with the director."

"I'm sure you'll have that program designed in no time", her mother adds.

Fitz lifts his wife's hand to his lips, giving her a genuine smile of encouragement. He knows she is feeling unsure about her new role.

 _"Look, Cena"_ , Calvin says with a proud smile as he points to the television screen. Cena stops practicing her routine Miss Ebony taught them for the upcoming dance recital and looks at the television.

"Wow", Cena says, transfixed by the airborne ballerina who lands on her feet then jumps at a rapid pace across the stage. Wondering what has captivated Cena's attention, her parents and Nana look up at the screen.

"Do you know who that is, Cee?" Olivia asks, looking at her daughter who is mesmerized by the young woman spinning her body on one foot. With eyes and mouth wide open, Cena shakes her from side to side, continuing to stare at the television screen.

"That's Misty Copeland – she's a ballerina", Olivia says, smiling at the look on her daughter's face.

"She's dancing on her toes, mommy."

"She is. She has to practice a lot – just like you and Asha."

"She's so pretty."

"She is", Gwendolyn agrees, smiling at the television screen. "It looks like she's going to be dancing at the Seattle Ballet Company in July."

When the commercial ends, Cena resumes practicing her dance routine, trying to incorporate into her routine the moves she saw the ballerina perform.

"Babe", Olivia whispers to her husband, who is now staring down at his tablet with a slight smile on his face.

"Hmm?" Posting a picture on Instagram of Cena prancing around the family room.

"We should take Cee to Seattle in July to see Misty Copeland perform."

"Okay", he says without looking up, posting another picture of Cena online.

"Maybe we can treat Asha – bring her with us", Olivia continues.

"Cee, would you and Asha like to go see Misty Copeland perform?"

"Yes, daddy - yes, daddy", Cena replies, jumping and spinning excitedly and causing Bowtie to jump up and down. Jolie claps her hands because Cena and Bowtie are excited about something.

"Well I guess we're going to Seattle in July. Maybe we can stay a few days – make it a mini vacation. Would you like that?" Giving his wife a genuine smile.

"I would like that very much", pecking him on the lips. Gwendolyn smiles, then looks away as her son-in-law deepens the kiss.

"Can you call Frank to make the arrangements?" He asks in a whisper, stroking his hand up and down the back of his wife's neck.

"Do you think we need to use our travel agent – it's only Seattle?" She asks, still whispering.

"It'll be easier. You're a busy executive - you don't have time to search the internet for flights and hotels. Frank can also get our tickets to the show."

"Okay, but I have to get permission from Kelly - Asha's mother - to see if she is okay with Asha traveling with us."

Fitz nods as he posts the picture of Cena, Jolie, and Bowtie jumping up and down with joy.

 **XXX**

Mayor Wilson closes the black folder and tosses it onto his desk in disgust. He feels like he is being attacked from all sides. The Feds are coming after him with trumped up charges of selling his office for favors, Grant is trying to undo everything he and Marla built, and now his Director of Public Health is sleeping with the brother of his archenemy, which means she is conspiring against him, and that is not acceptable.

Wilson walks over to the bar and pours another drink, his third of the evening. Raising the heavy crystal tumbler to his mouth, he takes a long swig of the amber-colored liquor then walks over to the window. He grimaces as he stares into the darkness. He is fighting for his freedom and he will not tolerate a member of his team sleeping with the enemy. He takes another swig and closes his eyes, savoring the smooth liquid as it flows down his throat. He has to keep his emotions in check, think strategically about how to handle Dr. Harris - too much is at stake.

Across town in her quaint apartment, Victoria prepares to engage in her nightly routine, spending a quiet evening with the man with whom she spends her days. She takes a sip of scotch then sets the glass onto the small table next to the sofa. She climbs onto the seat 'cushion, leans back against the armrest, and sets the opened tablet onto her bent knees. She taps the Instagram icon with her long, well-manicured finger and a smile spread across her face when she sees the latest pictures he has posted. Cena, Jolie, and Bowtie are all jumping up and down in a room that appears to be the size of her entire apartment. She reaches for the glass and takes another sip, continuing to scroll. She can only imagine the size of the rest of the house. One day she will have a house like that, but one that is bigger and better.

She stops scrolling and smiles when she sees his face with a big toothy grin, holding both of his girls on his lap. Staring into his blue eyes, she picks up the sweating glass, takes a long sip, and slowly runs her tongue over her top lip. She stares at his handsome face and slides her hand between her legs, slowly rubbing the wet fingers up and down her clitoris. Resting the tablet onto her stomach, she spread her lips wide with the other hand and closes her eyes, imaging his warm, wet mouth pleasuring her. She inserts a finger deep inside and gasps, slowly thrusting in and out of her wetness, and she moans in pleasure. It feels good.

She lifts her bottom from the cushion and the peach-colored silk robe falls open, revealing her full, round breasts and taut stomach. She massages the hardened nipples and opens her legs wider, thrusting her long finger deeper and deeper. The feeling is amazing, it always feels amazing. She loves the control she has over her body, the power she feels dictating her own pleasure – deciding when she is going to cum.

She rubs her flattened hand up and down the swollen nub, moving her hips faster and faster. Writhing and moaning with pleasure, she strokes with more intensity, she is ready. Silent screams escape her throat and her body jerks as she releases. Her firm thighs twitch uncontrollably as she collapses onto the cushion. She feels wonderful, gloriously really. Unaware the tablet with the smiling face has fallen to the floor, she brings her wet fingers to her mouth, inhaling her scent, as she slowly sucks the essence from each digit. Thoroughly satisfied, she smiles as she wraps the silk robe around her body and curls into a ball. She has to get to sleep, they have a busy day at the office tomorrow.


	42. Chapter 42 March Has Been a Long

**A/N:** **Reader575** , yeah, a few more stumbling blocks are in their way, but all will be good. The stumbling blocks will be there until they learn/remember the lessons Avril taught them at Mirage. You know what they say about repeating mistakes until you learn. Hint. BTW, gotta finish this story so I can catch up on my fav, _Desert Princess_. You write that story so well. Love me some Amir Fitz and Amira Olivia. **Sister1256,** we'll see how slick Ms Sanchez really is. There is always someone slicker. Hint. **Guest 1,** sorry but I had to laugh at your comment about waiting three weeks and this is all you got. It reminded of the tee shirts my mother would buy nieces while on vacation. "My grandma went on vacation and all she bought me was a rotten tee shirt." I really do appreciate that you wait for updates. You'll find out what's going on. I have left many hints. I get the chapters out as soon as I can. So much is going on. **Guest 2,** Fitz is taking pills prescribed when he was discharged from the hospital. **Gabby,** I can't land the plane because it has not reached its destination. You might have to parachute out. I appreciate all feedback. No worries. **Cleo,** you always crack me up. Victoria _best not_ ever cross your path. Fitz is taking the pain pills prescribed for him after the accident. Remember, he started popping them when he and Liv went to their lake house in the mountains, after he had the panic attack. Here's a little insight, Fitz has never fully recovered emotionally from the attempt to murder his family. A man doesn't easily get over something like that. He feels he is always supposed to protect his family, no matter what. **Monica** , your recap/analysis as usual is on point. You know this story as well as I do. You're right, Fitz and Olivia have worked hard for everything they have, but Victoria simply thinks she can use her looks to get what she wants. I wonder how that has been working for her. Hmm. 'Hide those yearbooks, Ben' – too funny. Also, I spent a lot of time on the cooking lesson because these two brothers needed to really reconnect – put the past behind them relative to Liv. What better way to do so than in the kitchen. The two brothers are going to need each other in the future. You're right, Marion has Ben and Liv frozen in time, but maybe that's because she is frozen in time. Hint. **Guest 3** , Keep in mind the timeline, it's important. I can't rush time. Well I can but the story won't sense. It takes time for certain events to unfold and for people to heal especially when someone has tried to kill you and your family. **Guest 4** , as Olivia told Mona what Rev. Walker told her many, many chapters ago: "we are either going through something, coming out of something, or getting ready to go into something." Such is the cycle of life. Although this is fiction, it is based on the realities of life. We go through stuff. I understand your need to tap out. The title reflects the dreams Fitz had whenever he and Olivia are apart. He is always with her, even in his dreams. Remember, the story opened with Fitz dreaming about Olivia. Fitz has dream about Olivia at least three or four time so far. One more to go. **LadiiDebbie** , I also love _rub a ho Victoria_. Too funny. Glad you're enjoying the story.

 **Chapter 42. March Has Been a Long Month**

Waiting patiently for someone to open the door, Bennie gazes up at the sky, squinting as droplets of rain fall onto his face. His parents' cars are parked in the driveway, the telltale sign that someone is home. He presses the doorbell again.

"Bennie", Gerry says, scowling with his large frame blocking the entryway.

"Dad", Bennie says, stepping onto the top step and extending a wet handshake. Gerry looks at his son's outstretched hand, seemingly trying to decide if he should accept it. "Mom knows I was coming over."

Gerry nods, shakes the hand, and then steps aside, finally allowing Bennie to enter the house. Wondering why his father seems upset, Bennie walks down the familiar hall toward the family room. His rubber-soled tennis shoes squeak with each step on the hardwood floor. He looks around the immaculate room, thinking nothing seems to have changed, nothing ever seems to change in this house.

"Your mother and sister are upstairs", Gerry says gruffly, motioning his head in the direction of the staircase, never taking his eyes off his son. Bennie nods, watching his father plop into his huge leather chair on the other side of the room. He feels like he just entered enemy territory.

"Is there something wrong, dad? You seem – tense."

"What are you doing here, Bennie?" Gerry asks curtly, staring at the bag in his son's hand.

"What do you mean – I'm here to see Nora."

"I don't want any shit out of you, Bennie. I don't want you upsetting your sister."

"What are you talking about?" Stunned by his father's unexpected attack. "Why would I do such a thing?"

"Because Fitzgerald has your ear – you've always looked up to him. And Olivia –"

"Dad, please. I'm here to see Nora – to welcome her home – nothing more."

Bennie", his mother says, breezing into the family room with Nora slowly trailing behind, but stopping at the doorway. "You're wet - get out of that jacket and let me get you a towel."

"I'm fine, mom. I don't need a towel", standing and giving his mother a hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Well take off your jacket. Would you like a cup of tea?"

"No thanks, mom", allowing his mother to pull off his wet running jacket.

"Well I'm going to hang this on the coat rack in the hall", Maura says, holding the wet jacket in front of her as she walks from the room.

"Hey, Nora - it's good to see you", smiling as he walks over to his sister with open arms. Tugging at her sweater sleeve, Nora hesitantly steps into his embrace and Bennie is taken aback by how frail she feels.

"You too, Bennie", Nora says softly, wiping away the tears with the back of her hand.

"Welcome home, sister", kissing her on the cheek as he guides her over to the sofa. He is surprised how quiet his usually smart-mouthed sister is; she has changed.

"Will you be staying for lunch, Bennie?" Maura asks.

"No – mom - I can't. I have to get back to the hospital. I just wanted to stop by and welcome Nora back home", gently squeezing his sister's hand.

"Of course", Maura says, flitting about the room as Gerry glares at his youngest son.

"I have something for you, Nora", Bennie says, opening the plastic bag and pulling out the long cellophane package. "You remember how much we loved eating these as kids?" Nora's eyes light up as they always did whenever her older brother brought home the licorice candy.

"I haven't had these in forever", Nora says with a big smile, taking the pack of licorice from her brother's hand and quickly ripping open the cellophane.

"Me either", he agrees.

"That's because you're a health nut", sliding a piece of red licorice from the pack. "I hear Dr. Bennie has a girlfriend—a lady doctor - and she's quite stylish", Nora giggles like a little girl.

"Her name is Marion. I would like for you to meet her when you're ready."

"I would like that", Nora says, giving her brother a weak smile.

"How is Marion doing? I haven't seen her since…."

"She's doing fine, mom."

"Well - tell her I said hello. We must have you two over for dinner soon."

"I'll tell her, mom. Well, I gotta get going."

"Thanks for stopping by, Bennie", Nora says shyly. "And thanks for the Twizzlers", taking another bite of the licorice candy.

"Come in the kitchen for lunch, Nora. Gerry, are you going to have lunch?"

"I'll be in after I see Bennie out", following his son down the hall to the front door. "That was kind of you, Bennie - bringing Nora something she likes."

"She's my sister, dad."

"Well your brother acts like she's a goddamn pariah. I won't have him upsetting her."

"Fitz just needs some time, dad", sliding on his jacket and walking toward the door. Wiith hand on the doorknob, he stops as if he just remembered something, so he turns and looks up at his father's set face. "By the way - what do you know about Mayor Wilson?"

Startled by the unexpected question, Gerry folds his arms across his chest and frowns.

"What do you mean? He's the mayor of the city."

"Well, he's got it in for, Fitz. Marion says he has some kind of scheme to take down

Fitz."

"What do you mean take down Fitzgerald?" His jaw twitching.

"I don't have any details – I just know what Marion has told me. I thought you might have heard something at one of your meetings."

"I've heard nothing – know nothing."

Bennie looks at his father's agitated face for a moment, nods is head, then exits back into the rain.

 **XXX**

Victoria reaches for the telephone positioned on the desk next to the monitor and calls Clara, Councilman Darius Moton's administrative assistant, to cancel his weekly lunch meeting with the Council President. She reassures Clara next week's lunch meeting is still on at the same time. Smirking as she slowly returns the receiver to its base, she pushes back her chair and stands when she sees the caterer pushing the food cart toward the reception area.

"Hello, Ms. Sanchez", the young man smiles, ogling the woman the way he does each week when he delivers her lunch order.

"Hello, Mark", smiling kindly as she walks over to the Council President's office. "You can set up the lunch in the usual place", pointing to the credenza across from the conference table.

Ten minutes later Mark is wheeling the cart from the office, smiling at Victoria as he passes by her desk. He has a crush on her but he knows he does not stand a chance with a woman like that, but a boy can dream.

"Thank you, Mark. I'll see you next week", she says in a sing-song tone, giving him a huge smile as she waves good-bye.

"Hello, Mark – bye Mark", Fitz says as he jogs past the young man waiting at the elevator. "My meeting went longer than expected", he says to Victoria, loosening his tie as he hurries into the office. "I'm sure Councilman Moton is ready to chew off his right arm."

"Mr. Grant – Mr. Grant", Victoria calls out, rushing into the office after him.

"The councilman isn't here?" Fitz says, surprised that Darius is not in the room. He looks around the room, then at the food spread on the credenza, then at Victoria. Darius is never late for lunch, something must be wrong.

"I'm sorry, sir - but Carla – Councilman Moton's assistant - called to cancel for the councilman. He apparently had to attend a last-minute appointment."

He frowns as he gazes at the array food across the room. This is the first lunch Darius has missed a lunch since they started meeting almost three months ago; he must have gotten a better lunch offer. Victoria smiles as he runs his fingers through his hair. He is a man of habit and right now he is completely thrown off because his lunch date is not here.

"I'll let leave to eat your lunch, sir", she says, turning to leave.

"That's a lot of food for one", he says half to himself.

"Well maybe we can give some to the staff?" Watching as he rolls up his sleeves. "I'll set the leftovers in the kitchen when you're finished." He continues to frown, still pondering what could have caused Darius to cancel at the last minute.

"Victoria, why don't you join me for lunch – that is if you don't have plans. As you can see there is more than enough."

"I don't have plans, sir. I was just getting ready to go out for lunch."

"Well that settles it, we can dine together. Besides, it's raining out – you don't want to go out in the rain."

"Thank you, sir. That's so kind of you", walking into the office and sitting at the table across from him. For the next hour Victoria is in full listening mode, trying to learn as much as she can about his personal life.

"We'll have a bit of a breather once I submit my plan to the mayor and Council. March has been a long month", he says tiredly as he runs his fingers through his hair

"I don't know how much of a breather we're going to have. The hearings will begin soon after", delicately sliding the fork into her mouth.

"Party-pooper", he says with a smile, and she smiles, too. I told Liv we should go away for a long weekend with the girls after we're done with this phase – catch up on some things I've not had time to do.

"That sounds lovely", she says with a forced smile.

"Well I'm not sure if it's going to happen - Liv just started a new job. She might not be able to get away", stuffing a forkful of salad into his mouth.

"I see", not at all interested in discussing his wife. "So what do you like to do on your time off ?"

"Spend time with my family - of course – and cook."

"Cook? I didn't know you cooked. What do you cook?"

"Almost anything - really. But lately I've been exploring cooking sous vide style", stuffing more salad into his mouth.

"Sous vide?"

"Sous vide is a culinary technique in which vacuum-sealed food is immersed in a water bath and cooked at a very precise and consistent temperature."

"I see."

"Liv bought me the machine, even though she complains about all of the small kitchen appliances I already have."

"You sound like a professional chef", raising the glass of water to her lips.

"Hardly, but I know my way around the kitchen. How about you – do you like to cook?"

"I can cook – but nothing like sous….

"Vide - sous vide."

"Nothing like sous vide", she smiles.

"I've used the technique to prepare soups, fish, and meat that I then pair with Liv's favorite wines."

"Don't you like wine?" Feigning ignorance, and he frowns slightly.

"Sometimes I'll have a glass with, Liv - but I prefer scotch", cutting the grilled salmon with the side of his fork. "In fact, Liv is the only one who drinks wine when we all have dinner together."

"All?" She asks, setting the glass of water onto the napkin.

"Liv's parents – my in-laws. They've been staying with us since …." His relaxed countenance fades and his eyes are now filled with sadness. She knows he is thinking about the car accident – Charlie Barber.

"So how much longer are they going to stay with you – your in-laws?"

"I don't know – it doesn't matter - I love my in-laws. Besides, we have more than enough room. Having them live with us gives the girls an opportunity to get to know them before they return to Senegal."

"They live in Africa?"

"They're missionaries for our church – Triumph Tabernacle."

"I didn't know you were a member of Triumph."

"It's Liv's family's church - we were married there. I joined shortly thereafter", sliding the salmon into his mouth.

Victoria nods, thinking Olivia really has a lot of influence over him. She has to give the woman credit.

"It sounds like you have a terrific relationship with your in-laws. So no in-law jokes?" She asks with a light chuckle.

"No in-law jokes", he says taking a sip of water. "But I do have a few other jokes. Would you like to hear one?" Smiling eagerly.

"Of course", she says blithely, really enjoying their time together.

Each time he delivers a punchline Victoria throws her head back in laughter and playfully slaps him on the arm.

"Mr. Grant, I think you might've missed your calling. Who would've thought you were a comedian."

"Liv says I need new material - but I still think my jokes are funny", taking another sip of water from the bottle.

"Well, sir - I think they're absolutely hilarious", and he beams with pride.

"You should call me, Fitz. Mr. Grant sounds so formal", repeating her words back to her, and they both burst into laughter.

"Okay – Fitz it is – but just when we're alone. We want to remain professional", and he nods in agreement. "Now - give me your best joke. What is the one joke that will make my cheeks hurt?"

 **XXX**

After leaving her meeting with Donald McGinn, the founding director of the Diatell Institute, the Corporate Social Responsibility Think Tank, Olivia is once again excited and invigorated about developing Bryson's philanthropic program. For the past few days she has been somewhat despondent, questioning if she has what it takes to build such a large-scale philanthropic program. However, after meeting with Donald for the past few hours she is fired up and ready to go. Donald gave her a lot of good information and has invited her to come back to the Institute anytime to discuss her ideas with him and use their resources. He even gave her the passcode to the members-only page of their website so she can access the online resources whenever she wanted. Today is definitely a good day she thinks as she snakes the SUV through the downtown traffic in search of the Convention Center.

Stopped at the traffic light, she watches the wipers swish the rain back and forth on the windshield and reflects on the arduous process she undertook to learn about corporate philanthropy. She shakes her head, now realizing how off base her approach was. She spent hours on end scouring through all of the standard resources - books, philanthropy websites, etc. before finally stumbling onto the Diatell Institute website. Well maybe her process was not off base after all because it led her to Donald, who has just become her new best friend. She smiles as she rushes into the Convention Center hoping to hear Mona speak at the local International Women's Day event.

Standing at the back of the packed room, Olivia looks over a sea of well-dressed women sitting at round tables draped with white tablecloths. She listens proudly to Mona deliver her speech – her presentation is flawless. She joins the crowd in applause when Mona finishes her speech, quickly making her way to the front of the crowded room when Mona steps down from the stage.

"Olivia", Mona says in surprise. "I didn't know you were here."

"I just happened to be in the neighborhood and thought I would drop in to hear your speech. You were terrific, Mona", giving her friend a warm hug.

"Could you hear my knees knocking together?" Mona laughs, glad the presentation is over.

"Well, now that you mention it …." The two women laugh out loud, happy to see each other again.

"But really, Mona, you were terrific. You won't have any problem doing it again next year - and the year after - and –"

"Okay – okay. I get it", playfully waving her hand in the air. "I'm sure Tom is glad the event is over. He said he could not tolerate listening to me practice that speech one more day."

"How about we celebrate over lunch?" Olivia says with a big smile.

"That sounds good to me."

"Meet me at Restaurant 52 – I'm parked in the lot."

"All right, I need to get my purse – I'll see you there in about 15 minutes."

 **XXX**

"So how are you doing Olivia – how is the new job coming along?"

"I'm just getting started, Mona. But like you, I've been quite nervous lately."

"Nervous – you – about what?"

"Mona, starting a multi-millionaire dollar philanthropy program is new for me. Before today, I felt like I was in over my head."

"And what happened today?"

"I met with the founding director of the Diatell Institute, a Corporate Social Responsibility Think Tank. Hold on a second, Mona - I need to take this call from Hildie."

Mona watches as Olivia's eyes widen at whatever Hildie is telling her.

"I'll be there in 45 minutes, Hildie. Thank you for calling."

"What's the matter, Olivia?" Mona asks with concern in her voice.

"I'm sorry, Mona - but I have to go. Jolie is not feeling well. Hildie says she's been cranky all morning and now she seems to be running a fever", grabbing her pocketbook from the seat and standing quickly. "I owe you a raincheck, Mona."

"Go – go. Take care of our baby. And call me later to let me know how she's doing", Mona calls after Olivia who is already dashing through the restaurant's dining room.

 **XXX**

Olivia arrives home in record time to find an anxious Hildie waiting at the front door with a screaming Jolie who is bundled in a snowsuit, mittens, and knit hat. The poor baby looks like she is going to the Antarctica.

"Our baby is not feeling well", Hildie says nervously, placing Jolie in her mother's arms and hanging the diaper bag on Olivia's shoulder.

"I've called Dr. Jordan - he's expecting us", Olivia says, turning around and heading back out the door while trying to console a screaming Jolie.

"Shall I call Mr. Grant, ma'am?" Hildie asks, clutching her chest.

"No – not yet. He's busy with work. I'll wait to see what the doctor says."

 **XXX**

Olivia sits in the examination room nervously wringing her hands watching Dr. Jordan examine her screaming baby. She feels helpless as Jolie's small body thrashes around the examination table when Dr. Jordan sticks the otoscope into her ear. He nods as he examines the Jolie's ear canal.

"Olivia, Jolie is going to be fine in a few days. She has that bug that is going around and a slight ear infection. You get her dressed then meet me in my office."

As Olivia tries to dress her baby, Jolie cries and squirms on her mother's lap. The medicine has not begun to take effect. She continues to comfort Jolie as she walks down the hall to Dr. Jordan's private office. Setting her pocketbook and diaper bag onto one chair, she sits onto the other chair, still rocking Jolie.

"Are you using the same pharmacy, Olivia?" Dr. Jordan asks, writing notes in Jolie's chart.

"Yes", looking down at her angry, red-faced baby.

"I've given Jolie a dose of medicine to make her comfortable and I'll call in the prescription to your pharmacy. And how is Fitz doing these days? I'm sure his hands are quite full now that he's a politician."

"He is quite busy these days", Olivia says, continuing to look at Jolie with concern as the baby's eyes slowly drift close.

"Well tell him I said hello. When you get the medicine, just follow the instructions on the bottle, Olivia - one dose every eight hours. If she isn't feeling better within 48 hours then give me a call. Jolie is going to be fine - she's a tough one", giving the anxious mother a reassuring smile.

Olivia nods, grabs her pocketbook and slides the diaper bag strap onto her shoulder. She wants to get Jolie home where she can be comfortable. Driving home at a more deliberate speed than when she left the city, Olivia glances in the rear view mirror at Jolie, who is bundled in her knit cap, scarf, mittens, and down snowsuit. She knows Jolie hates to be hot, but she wants to make sure her baby's condition does not worsen. She presses the Call button on the steering wheel, then says _Fitz Office_ , and the phone on the other end begins to ring.

"Council President Grant's office", the voice on the other end says.

"Hello, Victoria, this is Mrs. Grant, may I speak with my husband, please?"

"Hello, Mrs. Grant", Victoria says in a syrupy voice and rolling her eyes. "The Council President is in a meeting right now - can I take a message?" Olivia sighs and glances in the rear view mirror again at Jolie.

"Yes. Please ask my husband to stop by the pharmacy on his way home tonight and pick up a prescription for Jolie. We're just leaving the doctor's office and I want to take her home and get her in bed."

"I will give him your message, Mrs. Grant. And I hope Jolie feels better. Have good day", hanging up the phone and resuming her typing.

As Olivia drives home, she wonders if she will have to find a new pediatrician if Fitz agrees to move to the city.

 **XXX**

When Fitz walks into the house he frowns, wondering what is wrong with Jolie when he hears the ear-piercing screams. He sets his briefcase onto the table in the foyer, hangs his coat in the closet, and walks down the hall to the family room. He frowns again when he enters the room and sees Olivia pacing back and forth trying to console the inconsolable.

"What's the matter with JoJo?" Looking at his screaming, red-faced daughter.

"Babe, give me Jo's medicine. Dr. Jordan gave her a dose at his office but he wants her to take another dose before she goes to bed. She has a cold and slight ear infection.

"She has a cold?" Looking at Jolie sympathetically as he brushes her warm cheek with the back of his hand.

"Fitz", Olivia whines. "Don't tell me you forgot to pick up Jo's medicine."

"Forgot? I never knew I was to pick up any medicine."

"Fitz, I asked Victoria to tell you to pick up the prescription on your way home."

"I never got the message, Liv. Why didn't you call me on my cell?"

"Because I don't like disturbing you during the day. I know how busy you are", still trying to comfort Jolie.

"Come here, Angel", lifting Jolie from his wife's arms. "Are you not feeling well?" Kissing her forehead.

"Fitz, we're going to need that medicine tonight." He nods, kisses Jolie's warm cheek again, and places her back into Olivia's arms.

"I'll be back in 20."

"You know this is not the first time your assistant hasn't given you my message."

"We've been busy pulling together that legislation together, Liv. I'm sure she just forgot."

"I don't like that she forgot about something that's so important", glaring at him.

"Liv –"

"You need to let her know not giving you my messages is not appropriate, Fitz. She needs to give you my messages."

"Liv, just text me if you ever want to reach me", turning to walk from the room.

"Text you?" She says with incredulity. "You hate texting", shouting over Jolie's screams.

"I'm just trying to come up with a solution, Liv", he says tiredly. "I'm just so damn busy all day I don't have time to track down messages."

"That's my point – that's why I don't want to call your cell", getting more annoyed.

"Liv –"

"The solution is for your assistant to give you my messages. We shouldn't have to come up with workarounds just because she forgets or whatever. You need to make sure she knows that", she says adamantly, giving him a hard stare. "If you don't tell her then I will", walking from the room to take Jolie upstairs to the nursery.

 **XXX**

Jolie had a restless night and when it was time for the next dose of medicine she fought them something awful, not even Cena and Bowtie were able to calm the sick baby. As Fitz stands in front of the mirror knotting his tie, he stares at Jolie's reflection in the mirror as Olivia sits on the bed rocking her. Her fever is beginning to go down but she is still cranky.

"I'm staying home with Jo today - she's still miserable", kissing Jolie on the forehead. Fitz walks over to the bed and takes Jolie from Olivia's arms.

"What's the matter, Angel – you still aren't feeling well? Jolie sneezes and sprays her father's face, which illicits a laugh from Olivia. "Keeping her out of daycare did not stop her from getting sick."

"Well she's more comfortable in her own home, right, JoJo?" Rocking his baby and kissing her on her warm cheek.

"I'm going to call Dr. Jordan if she's not feeling better by this afternoon."

"Didn't he say 48 hours?" Placing Jolie back in Olivia's arms.

"I know, but –"

"Give the medicine more time to work, Liv", he says in frustration.

"What's the matter with you?" Looking at her husband's grimace.

"I'm damn glad this part of my legislative agenda is almost over."

"Fitz, your language. Little ears are in the room."

"She's doesn't know what I'm saying, Liv", sliding his phone from the nightstand.

"She hears and sees everything, babe. She's my little sponge", right Miss Jo, kissing the dozing baby on the nose.

"I'm going to get going now - call me later and let me know how Jo is doing", pecking his wife on the lips and kissing a sleeping Jolie on the top of her head.

"Aren't you going to have breakfast?"

"I'll grab something at the office. The traffic has been horrendous for the past week - there's construction everywhere.

"You know breakfast is the most important meal of the day."

"Well it won't be today. I'll make up for it at lunch - call me", kissing her again.

"I'll try, babe, I have a lot of research to do. I have to get my recommendation to Fred by the end of May."

"Well try", he says before walking from the bedroom.

"And tell your assistant to give you my messages", she yells, causing Jolie to squirm in her mother's arms.

 **XXX**

Victoria arrives to work earlier than usual so she can place the pink message slip onto Fitz' desk. She purposely withheld Olivia's message from him yesterday because she knew he would bolt from the office to go to the pharmacy. They had such a lovely lunch together and she did not want the day to end early.

"Good morning", Fitz, Victoria says cheerfully when he walks into the reception area.

"Good morning, Victoria. Can you get me a copy of the monthly budget summary report? I want to compare the numbers to last month's numbers."

"Of course. I'll bring it in shortly."

"Thank you", walking toward his office then stopping as he remembers Olivia's command. "And Victoria, please make sure I get all of my messages, especially those from Mrs. Grant. Messages from my wife have top priority over everything else."

"Of course - but is there a problem?"

"Not a problem - but my wife called yesterday with an important message and I didn't get it."

"I don't understand", tilting her head to the side and feigning confusion.

"Liv said she left a message for me to stop at the pharmacy after work and I didn't get it. I'm sure it was just an oversight."

"There must be some mistake - I left the message on your desk yesterday while you were meeting with Councilman Dawson." He gives her a confused look "Perhaps it's still on your desk",

They go into his office and Victoria pretends to fumble through the papers on the desk for a few moments before sliding the pink slip from under the pile of papers

"Here it is", waving the paper in the air. "Looks like it got lost under all of those reports" walking over to Fitz and handing him the slip of paper.

"Victoria - I am so sorry", looking somewhat embarrassed.

"Apology not necessary. Things have been quite hectic around here lately. By the way - how is Jolie feeling today?"

"A few more doses of medicine and she'll be back to herself."

"That's good. I'm glad to hear that", turning to leave with a smile on her face.

"One more thing, Victoria, I'll be traveling to California next week so I'll need you to make airline and hotel reservations."

"California?" Looking at him with surprise. She had no idea he was planning a trip to California.

"Yes – San Jose' – Silicon Valley. I'm going to meet with two CEOs about how to stimulate economic growth in our city."

"I see", typing notes on her tablet. "And how long will you be in California?"

"Two days."

 **XXX - Bennie and Marion's Commitment**

While the idea of preparing their meals is an appealing alternative to eating takeout or going to one of those fast casual dining restaurants every night, the reality is Bennie simply does not have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen. His schedule leaves little time for cooking dinner in the evenings when he gets home. Moreover, his skill level is such that it takes him way too long to put a meal on the table, which is frustrating for Marion.

"I visited Nora yesterday", Bennie says, washing their dinner dishes. "It was kind of weird."

"Weird – why weird?" Marion asks as she drops the take-out containers into the trash bin.

"She was different - quiet. My parents are very protective of her right now."

Marion nods as she wipes the crumbs from the table.

"I would like for the two of you to meet when she is up to it", looking at her for any sign of resistance.

"Of course – let me know when. I'll get the oils while you finish the dishes. Where are you hurting tonight?" She calls over her shoulder as she walks from the kitchen.

"My deltoids and trapezii are killing me", he says, setting a plate onto the dish rack.

"Well get undressed while I get the Ben and Gerry muscle rub."

He nods, turns off the light, and walks to the bedroom. He smiles when he sees she has created a tiny space in the closet for him to hang his clothes.

"I'm almost out of ylang-ylang ", she calls from the bathroom, holding up the small brown bottle to the light.

Ben smiles because he has no idea what ylang-ylang is or any of the other oils she mixes together and massages over his skin. He pulls the wallet from his back pants pocket, steps out of the pants, and hangs them next to his shirt.

"And take everything off - and I mean everything", she hollers playfully from the bathroom as he walks back into the bedroom.

He tosses the wallet onto the nightstand, sits onto his side of the bed, and stares at the nightstand drawer for a long while. He does not want to violate her privacy but he wants to know - he needs to know if she is seeing other men. They have been dating for three months and they have not discussed the terms of their relationships. He has not asked if she is dating other men because he is not sure if he has the right to ask.

"I'll be there in a minute. I want to add a little more peppermint to Ben and Gerry", she chuckles.

He looks over his shoulder, making sure she is still in the bathroom, and then slowly slides open the nightstand drawer. Pushing around the few items in the drawer, he looks for the other gold foil packet that was in there on their first night together. Flush with anger and hurt, he slams the drawer shut.

"What was that, Ben?" Marion asks, standing in the doorway dressed in a skimpy nightgown and holding the tray of oils.

"Nothing – I almost knocked over the lamp", he lies easily, unable to look at her.

"Ben, I said to take off everything. Why do you still have on your under clothes?"

"Maybe we should do this some other time. I'm kind of tired."

"When has being tired ever a problem? You always say the massage helps you to fall asleep. In fact –"

" _Just do it if you want, Marion. You don't have to make such a big deal about it"_ , pulling off his undershirt and tossing it across the room. Her head snaps back and she frowns because he has never used that tone with her. She wonders what happened to change his demeanor.

"Is something wrong, Ben?" Looking at the undershirt on the floor across the room, another sign the usually fastidious man is upset about something.

"I'm fine", he says grumpily, letting his underwear drop to the floor and rolling onto the bed.

Marion sets the tray onto her nightstand and presses the Pandora icon on her phone. The relaxing spa music fills the room immediately and he closes his eyes tight. She straddles him, squeezing a generous amount of Ben and Gerry into the palms of her hands, then slowly rubs her hands together to warm the oils. She presses her hands onto his back and he recoils from her touch.

"Relax - Ben. You're so tense", massaging the oils into his deltoids, slowly kneading the tight muscles. "You're really tight tonight", warming more oil onto her hands and gradually working her way to the trapezii. She skillfully rubs the back of his neck, shoulders, and down his shoulder blades; smiling when she feels him start to relax.

She drizzles the warm oil down his spine, gently massaging his lower back with the amount of pressure he likes; his breathing slows. She massages down the back of his strong thighs, down to his legs and feet. He moans.

"Turn over", and he turns onto his back.

Works every time she says to herself as she squeezes more oil into her hands. She slowly massages down his shoulders and his chest, making her way down to his taut stomach. She massages the external abdominal obliques, then rectus abdominis, smiling as he starts to harden. This part gets him every time she thinks as she works her way down to his thighs. She applies a bit more pressure to remove the knots. He is fully erect and she licks her lips, ready to take him into her mouth.

"What happened to the other condom?" He asks tightly.

" _What?"_

"Where's the other condom that was in the drawer? There were two in there the first night we were together and I damn sure haven't used it. I now have my own", fully deflated as he sits up in the bed staring at her in anger.

" _What are you talking about?"_ She asks defensively, matching his tone.

" _Don't pretend you don't know what the hell I'm talking about. Answer the damn question, Marion."_

" _I don't answer to you",_ she says defiantly, rolling off the bed and standing with a hand on her hip.

" _Are you fucking somebody else? Because if you are then let me know so I can get tested."_

" _You bastard. Get out - get out of my house - now!"_

"Gladly", pulling on his boxers and stomping toward the closet. Marion stomps into the living and angrily plops down onto the sofa. A few minutes later Ben comes from the bedroom fully dressed and red-faced.

"You have no right to ask me those kinds of questions, _Dr. Grant_."

He stops in his tracks because whenever she uses his title, and in that tone, he knows she is hurt, angry, and ready to fight. He runs a hand through his hair and lets out a heavy sigh.

" _It's not like we have a real relationship anyway. You've been coming over here for the past three months and I don't know what the hell is going on between us. So you don't get to ask me those kinds of questions because I damn sure haven't asked you."_

He sees the anger on her face and immediately feels like a fool. Of course she would want to know if they are in a committed relationship, hell, he wants to know.

"I'm not seeing anyone else – only you. I only want to be with you", he says solemnly.

She turns and squints at him, trying to see if there is sincerity in his eyes. And she smiles internally, thinking it only took him two months to look into the drawer to check if the condom was still there.

"Well what took you so long to say it?"

"Because I'm an idiot?" Smiling sheepishly.

"You certainly are - and you're not too swift either. I threw that condom away a long time ago, hoping you would notice it was gone", she giggles. "At least I know you're not snooping through my things."

"You sneak", he says, smiling as he walks over to the sofa.

"Well, I wasn't going to waste my time with you if you didn't care if I slept with other men."

"I don't want you seeing anyone else and I don't want to see anyone else", gazing into her eyes without pretense.

"You better not - now get back in bed and let me finish my work."

"Kiss me first", he says, pulling her close. She opens her mouth, moaning at the feel of his warm tongue.

 **XXX**

Fitz walks into the bedroom after finishing the nightly reading _Goodnight Moon_ and placing Jolie in her crib. He tosses his watch onto the nightstand and pulls at the tightly tucked bedcovers and sighs with frustration because Hildie has begun to tightly tuck the sheets again. Finally pulling back the sheets and covers, he climbs into bed and checks his schedule for tomorrow.

"And by the way, Liv - I found your message under the piles of folders on my desk. Victoria had given it to me after all."

Olivia finishes rinsing out her mouth, sticks her head out of the bathroom door, and looks at her husband.

"What?"

"I said I found your message to pick up Jo's prescription."

"Did you find it or did Victoria find it?"

"What do you mean?" Looking at her bemused.

"Did you find my message or did your assistant find it?"

He furrows his brow, thinking about the question. He has been so busy lately sometimes he does not know whether he is coming or going. So much is competing for his attention.

"Well – I guess Victoria found it on my desk."

"Found it on your desk? Fitz, you never misplace anything."

"Liv, you saw what my desk looks like. Apparently I didn't notice the note before I left the office. I must've set a pile of documents on top of it."

"That's my point, you never used to have piles of anything. We're going to get your desk cleaned up after this budget thing is over. By the way, a good assistant would've made sure you had such an important message about your child", sitting on the bed and pulling the body butter from the nightstand.

"Victoria is good at her job, Liv, giving his assistant the benefit of the doubt. "She's bought order to that office - just like Sandra did at Grant Enterprises. You know how things were before I hired Sandra. Victoria keeps that office running like a well-oiled machine. My first few weeks there were like a madhouse – people coming in and out without appointments. She changed all of that – for the most part."

"What do you mean for the most part?"

"Darius is the only person who seems to skate past her."

"I see."

"She keeps me on track – makes sure I'm where I'm supposed to be and that I have what I need."

"I guess that's what a competent assistant is supposed to do - not _strategy_."

"Come here, smartypants", pulling her around the waist and pinning her onto the bed. "I don't want to talk about work at home – I told you that. And definitely not in our bedroom. Okay?"

"Okay – okay - no talk of business in the bedroom", she says, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him deeply.

 **XXX**

Fitz looks down at his watch and expels a long sigh, he is meeting with Darius, Johnston, and the activists shortly to hear their reactions to his school choice policy. He has worked hard to learn about the decades-old debate and is proud of the work he has done drafting a policy he believes is the best option to put forth to the Council. And, when he returns from California he will finalize his economic development policy and then maybe he can take a break.

Leaning back in his chair he smiles as the late morning sun warms his face, reminiscing about when he lived in California and the many outlandish situations he and his old Navy buddy Ty found themselves, usually after drinking way too much scotch. He shakes his head, amazed either one of them made it out of the Navy before being kicked out. His smile broadens as he recalls the weekend he and Olivia spent in Monterey, before they were married. Maybe he can convince her to go back with the girls after he submits his legislative agenda. The knock on the door shakes him from his reverie.

"Fitz, Mark is here to set up the lunch for your meeting", Victoria says, studying him closely and wondering why he is smiling.

"Thank you, Victoria. You can let him in now."

"Your guest should be arriving shortly."

"Thank you", glancing over at Mark as the young man sets up the food on the credenza. Fifteen minutes later Mark has placed all of the food and drinks on the credenza and is rolling the food cart from the office.

"All set, sir. Have a good day."

"You as well, Mark."

"I'll see you next week, Victoria", Mark says, smiling at the object of his desire.

"Take care, Mark", returning the young man's smiles as he pushes the cart into the hall. Her smile quickly disappears when she sees that ragtag crew get off the elevator and walk toward the reception area. She does not know why Fitz bothers with that motley bunch.

"Hey, Victoria – remember me?" Jason asks, grinning from ear to ear.

"I'm afraid not. And you are?"

"You know who we are", Marcella says, stepping forward and placing a hand on her hip. Victoria rolls her eyes, stands from her seat, and brushes the front of her dress.

"I'll let the Council President know someone is here to see him."

"I can't stand her", Marcella says.

"Don't worry about her – we have business to take care of today", Rashid says.

"Come on in gang", Fitz calls out, grinning broadly as he walks toward the office door.

"Hey, Mr. G.", Jason says, eyeing the food on the credenza.

"Hello, Mr. Grant", Marcella says, shaking her head. "It's good to see you."

"You as well, Marcella", giving the young woman a hug.

"And how are Mrs. Grant and your beautiful daughters doing?" Glancing over at Victoria.

"They're all doing fine. I'll let Liv know you asked about her." Victoria rolls her eyes. "Marcus – Rashid – it's so good to see you, too."

"It's good to see you as well, Mr. Grant", Marcus says as he extends a handshake.

"Mr. Grant", Rashid says flatly, accepting Fitz' handshake.

"This seems like old times", Fitz says, still smiling. "Victoria, please show Councilmen Moton and Johnston in when they arrive."

"Yes, sir", glancing around the office at the crowd before returning to her workstation.

"Why don't you all help yourselves to lunch, the councilmen should be here shortly."

"You don't have to tell me twice", Jason says, setting his copy of Fitz' school choice policy onto the conference table.

"Darius – you're just in time - we're just beginning to get lunch. You remember everyone"

Holding his rolled copy of the policy tightly in his hand, Darius nods grumpily as he looks around at the activists. His demeanor does not go unnoticed by Fitz.

"Johnston can't make it", he says flatly, as he nods at the young activists.

"Okay - let's eat then we can discuss the policy."

 **XXX**

"Mr. Grant, this is not why we supported you", Rashid says, waving his hand at the document and desperately trying to control his anger. Jason looks at the two men as he bites into an oatmeal and raisin cookie. "Discontinuing funding for charter schools plays into the hands of the school district and the teachers' union."

"I'm not advocating for funding to be halted for charters, Rashid. I'm simply saying we need to put a moratorium on new charter schools until -"

 _"Until when?"_ Rashid snaps. "Public schools need to be disrupted. They're nothing more than failure factories. Traditional public schools have historically failed our children miserably and continue to do so. If they were successful, there wouldn't be a need for charter schools today. And now you want to put a moratorium on charters - take away a parent's right to choose - where to send their children?"

"I agree - traditional schools - for the most part - are not effective. But charter schools have their problems, too. There's little or no oversight on what they're doing and why they're doing it. They aren't getting the results they tout. Children aren't graduating at a faster rate than they are from traditional public schools. Some charter schools hire teachers who don't have bachelor degree or aren't certified. That's why I'm recommending a moratorium until we can study their effectiveness", Fitz explains.

" _Our children don't have time to wait for another damn study",_ Rashid shouts, banging his fist on the table, causing Marcella to jump. She knows how passionate Rashid is about the topic, that is why their organization agreed to support Mr. Grant's candidacy.

"We need good schools - no matter what you want to call them", Marcella finally interjects.

"This can't be personal, Rashid", Marcus says, trying to diffuse the situation. "It has to be all business."

 _"It is personal. These are our children who aren't getting educated, Marcus. Have you forgotten?_ "

Marcus nods in agreement.

 _"What we have in traditional schools is insufficient"_ , Rashid continues. _"We have to close the achievement gap - and fast. And, parents don't need any politician or administrator telling them where to send their children or what is best for their children. What happens to those who have already submitted an application to open a charter school?"_

"As stated in the policy, applications currently in the pipeline will be considered."

" _This is not acceptable"_ , Rashid shouts, throwing the document onto the table and storming from the office.

Marcus follows Rashid and Marcella looks at Mr. Grant sympathetically before hurrying from the room to catch up with Rashid and Marcus.

"Take care, Mr. G", Jason says, grabbing a few cookies from the tray before running from the room.

Fitz runs his fingers through his hair in frustration. He certainly did not expect that reaction.

"For once I agree with that Rashid", Darius finally speaks. "This is nothing more than Republican drabble", Darius says angrily, shaking his rolled copy of the school choice policy in the air.

Startled by Darius' comment, Fitz stares at the fire-breathing man.

"The people of this city voted for you because they believed you would help to make a difference in their lives - in the lives of their children. And you do what – stab them in their backs?"

"Did you even read the damn thing?" Fitz shoots back, standing from his seat.

"When you get out in chambers and try to sell _this_ , you better damn well be ready to explain to your constituents why their hope has turned his back on them."

"I haven't turned my back on anyone. I'm trying to do what's best for the children. I'm not just a legislator, Darius. I'm a parent – a father. I can empathize."

" _No you can't"_ , Darius snaps, causing Fitz to look at his friend in surprise. "You can't empathize with any of these people because you can't understand their circumstances. You can afford to send your children to whatever school you choose – and you do I might add. Most of the parents who actually _live_ in this city don't have that luxury."

"Say what the hell is on your mind, councilman", Fitz barks back. The war is on.

"I always do", Darius stands, glaring back at the Council President. "You don't know these people – you have no idea who they are. Yes, you talked to them at a few town halls when you were campaigning, but you don't know the day-to-day challenges they face because they have to live in a crumbling city and send their children to dysfunctional schools. At the end of the day you get to go home to the nice suburbs and leave the stench of this city behind you."

"You don't know what the hell you're talking", taking a step toward the councilman.

" _I know exactly what I'm talking about. You're disconnected from the city, which means you're disconnected from the people who put you in this big beautiful office."_

" _I don't have to explain a damn think to you, councilman, but I will tell I am not disconnected from anyone. I'm not disconnected from Mrs. Ramirez who stopped by his office because she simply wanted to talk to someone about getting her son into a different ESL class. I am not disconnected from Tamara Johnson who came here to talk about getting her son into a safe school so he could learn and become the scientist he has dreamed of becoming since he was five. And I'm not disconnected from Mr. Clearfield, who came here for help because his daughter is brilliant and so damned bored and can't sit still in class because she already knows what the hell they're teaching her. The damned teacher wants to put her on Ritalin. Can you fuckin' believe that? So, I know these people as you put it, and I talk to every last one of them when they stop by. Victoria knows to let them in if I'm available."_

Darius rolls his eyes at the mention of the assistant's name.

 _"I don't have to be fuckin' destitute to care about those who are less fortunate than me._ _And I don't have to live in the city or send my children to a school here if I choose not to._ _S_ _ending my child to a school in the city would not make a damn bit difference in the performance of the schools._ _Why the hell does it seem like everybody has choice except me?"_

" _So don't get on your high horse and judge me or my family. You need to ask yourself where the hell you were when Marla and Wilson were stealing money from the children. You live in the city—have been the chair of the Appropriations Committee for years. Why the hell didn't you know they were stealing from the children – from the city? Why the hell didn't you see what was going on?"_

Victoria knocks on the door and quickly enters the office, closing the door behind her. "People can hear you two", she says in a hushed voice, shooting daggers at the councilman. The two men continue to glare at each other.

"Thank you, Victoria", Fitz says, modulating his voice as he walks over to his desk. "Everything is fine", and Darius rolls his eyes as the woman closes the door.

With chest heaving and sweat beading on his forehead, Darius throws his copy of the school choice plan onto the table and it lands next to Rashid's copy. Fitz chuckles mirthlessly to himself as he stares at his hard work thrown onto the conference table, thinking the Old and New Gs finally agree on something. Darius storms from the office and through the reception area. Victoria immediately jumps up from her seat and hurries into the office.

"Is everything all right, Fitz?" She asks when she sees him looking out the window with hands stuffed into his pockets. "Can I get you anything?"

"I need a minute", he says without turning around. Victoria stares at his back for a moment, before turning to leave.

"Close the door behind you Victoria", she nods, looking at him with concern.

Once the door is closed he slides open the desk drawer and pulls out the brown plastic bottle. He looks at the bottle and shakes his head. With hands shaking, he unscrews the top and shakes a pill into the palm of his hand. He looks at the pill then quickly pops into his mouth, downing it with the glass of water on the desk. Twelve minutes.

 **XXX**

Olivia drags the new suitcase she bought for him from the top shelf and lets it drop to the floor. The handle feels like a hot iron, which jettisons her back to five months ago to that sunny day on the mountaintop. She slides to the floor, staring at the suitcase and the tears begin to stream down her face. She does not want to think about that day – about that time when she almost lost her family.

"I think I hit a record tonight - four readings", Fitz says with a lilt in his voice as he walks into the bedroom. He glances around the room then walks toward the closet where he finds his wife crying. "Hey - hey. What's the matter – what's wrong?" She shakes her head from side to side, wiping the tears from her face with flattened hands."Tell me what's wrong", he insists, sitting on the floor next to her. "Why are you crying?"

"It's that stupid suitcase", kicking the new suitcase she bought last week because his other case was destroyed in the accident.

"Is something wrong with it?" Looking at the case then back at her and trying to understand why she is so upset. She kicks the suitcase again, sending it flying across the floor, stopping in front of the shoe rack. "You have to tell me what's wrong so I can make it better", brushing her tear-stained cheek with his thumb.

"It's silly – I'm being silly", trying to stand to her feet. "I need to finish packing your things."

"Tell me", he insists, gently pressing her back to the floor and looking into her eyes. She shakes her head before confessing.

"That stupid suitcase - it just made me think about …."

"About what?" Brushing the hairs away from her face and staring at her with concern in his eyes.

"Your other suitcase – it was destroyed in the accident."

His eyes widen and he believes his heart might have stopped beating for a split second. He thought - no hoped - she was not still affected by what happened. But she is - he is - and the guilt he feels everyday deepens.

"Shall I stay home - not go tomorrow?" Wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"No - no. Of course not. I just had a moment. Let's finished getting you packed", walking over to the suitcase and rolling it into the bedroom.

 **XXX**

He could be anywhere and maybe he should be home with his wife and children. And yet here he is walking down the halls of the ultra-modern technology company in Silicon Valley because he needs the perspectives of some of top men in business, men who have started companies and grown them into empires. He needs the perspectives of business people outside of his city because he is not sure who he can trust back home.

"Well – well - well. Look who the cat dragged in", the tall brunette says in a playful tone, but her ice-cold blue eyes belie her cherry voice.

"Melody", he says flatly. She is the last person he wanted to see, but it was probably inevitable since she is Ty's business partner.

"It's been a while, Fitz. It's good to see you", smiling tightly as she sneaks a glance at his left hand. The bastard is still married.

"And you as well", giving her a polite, close-mouth smile.

"Life looks like it's been treating you well. I couldn't believe when I heard you were now into politics - a deputy or something like that", she says mockingly.

"City Council President", he corrects her with a smile.

"I see. So what brings you to California?"

"I have a meeting with Ty."

"Well that's apparent", she says bitingly, like she is his mother admonishing him for stating the obvious. He sighs internally, thanking the heavens he no longer has to deal with her shit.

"Gretchen, please let Mr. Granger know Fitzgerald Grant has arrived."

"Yes, Ms Davenport", the pretty young blonde receptionist replies as she reaches across the console and presses the extension for the company's CEO.

"Thank you, Gretchen", he says, flashing his phony smile, which causes Mellie to roll her eyes.

He is so damn polite, flashing that smile the same way he did the night he broke things off with her – the night he told her he was not ready to be in a committed relationship. The night he told her he was moving back to Washington to be closer to his family and start his business. She gave that bastard three years of her life and he left without looking back. To make matters worse, she heard he married some social worker only two years after being back home. She has not gotten over his rejection and wants to strangle him where he stands.

 **XXX**

Darius wants to apologize for his behavior yesterday, he was out of order when he let his discontent with Fitz' school choice policy devolve into a personal attack on his friend's personal choices. Last night he thought long and hard about his reaction, and while he still believes halting the opening of new charter schools, temporary or otherwise, is not in the best interest of families, he was wrong to make the matter personal. He knows Fitzgerald Grant is a man of character and is only in politics to help others, not to line his pockets like those who came before him.

Darius walks down the marble hall toward the Council President suite of offices, breezing past Victoria's desk as usual. He grabs the office doorknob and is immediately stopped by the voice he as grown to detest.

"He's not in there", Victoria announces, continuing to type Fitz' edits for the school choice policy. Darius grips the knob tighter and closes his eyes.

"I'll come back later", he says grumpily, turning to leave the reception area.

"He won't be here then either", smiling to herself, realizing Fitz did not tell his mentor he was going out of town.

"So he's not in today?" Reluctantly looking at her.

"He's not in for the next _two_ days", continuing to bang her red nails onto the keyboard.

" _Two days? Where'd he go?"_

"You mean you don't know?" Not bothering to look up from her typing.

"Don't play games with me, Victoria. Where the hell is he?"

"California", she says with a slight chuckle.

" _California? For what?"_

"He's meeting with a few CEOs of technology companies in Silicon Valley."

"Silicon Valley", Darius says half to himself, wondering why in the hell Fitz has gone to Silicon Valley. But more importantly, why the hell he knew nothing about it.

"I guess he doesn't consult you on everything after all", she laughs lightly, and Darius glares at her before storming from the reception area.

"And Darius", she calls out, now looking up from the monitor. "That shit you pulled yesterday - don't let it happen again. Don't upset him again", glaring at him with fire in her eyes.

Darius stops abruptly, slowly turns around, and looks at the woman in disgust. "Upset him? So you're fucking him now? You're such a –"

"A what, councilman. You're still a councilman - right - one of nine?" Looking at him with pity. "Besides, it's no longer your business who I fuck or don't fuck."

"He doesn't want you - he'll never want you. Do you really think would leave his wife for something like you?"

Unfazed by his faint insult, Victoria smiles deviously. "I'll be better for him than Olivia", she says with confidence, standing and balancing herself on the five-inch-heel stilettos.

"Then you're a bigger fool than I thought you were. I know Olivia Grant and you're no Olivia Grant. Do you think that man is going to leave his wife and children and do what – move you into that big house out in the suburbs?"

"You didn't think me the fool when you were crawling in my bed every chance you could sneak away from your wife. By the way, how's Yvonne and the children doing these days? Tell them I said hello when you get home."

"You keep my wife's name out of your mouth or -"

" _Or what, Darius?"_ Walking around the desk and standing nose to nose with him. She is ready for war; she has had enough of his backhanded insults. "You're a little man, Darius – and you of all people know I don't have time for _little_ men. You could have owned this city but you let Wilson blackmail you into dropping out of the mayoral race. You're pathetic", she says with venom dripping from her red lips.

"I might be pathetic – as you say – but what does that make you? Look at you – you've slept with almost every man in this city and what has it gotten you? You're still sitting behind a desk typing and ordering lunches." Her face hardens and she wants to claw out his eyes. He has hit a sensitive nerve.

"Name one quality that would make you a good wife or mother – for any man. Your time is running out, Victoria. Your looks are fading."

" _Go to hell"_ , she screams.

"Maybe so - but I'll see you when I get there. Good night, Ms Sanchez."

She watches her former lover stroll down the hall and step onto the elevator and she wants to cry. Darius Moton was supposed to be her ticket to a better life – to respectability – but he reneged on his promises when things got a little difficult. Darius was poised to be the next mayor of their city. He has the experience in Council, the intelligence, and he knows how to play the political game. But he also has a wife and children, which was only a minor inconvenience for her. After eight months of sneaking in and out of her apartment, they got sloppy and Wilson was there to capitalize on their indiscretions. Wilson presented Darius with photographs of them going in and out of her apartment at various hours of the day, and it was apparent to anyone with eyes they were having an affair.

For weeks Wilson held the sword over Darius' head, threatening to send the photographs to Yvonne and the media if he did not withdraw his name as a possible candidate for mayor. Victoria pleaded with him to call Wilson's bluff, telling him they could survive the scandal, that he could still win the election. But when it came time to choose - to show her what and who was important to him - he did not choose her. He was not willing to risk losing his reputation and his family. She was not worth it.

Once the speculations died down about why Wilson's possible opponent for mayor would suddenly take his name out of the running , Darius wanted to resume the relationship, but he also wanted to keep her in the shadows. Victoria was unwilling to play that game again, especially since there was no prize to be had. Darius Moton would never be mayor. He would always be just another member of the City Council, and that was not good enough for her. Victoria reaches into her designer bag and pulls out her compact, sighing as she examines her reflection in the mirror. She is so tired of starting over.

 **XXX**

"Fitzgerald Grant", Ty Granger, his old Navy buddy calls out when he swings open the huge glass doors.

"Ty", Fitz smiles, walking over and giving his friend a hug. Ty has always liked calling him by his full name. He said the name sounds like it belongs to someone who comes from old money.

"I see you and Mellie are catching up", looking back and forth between the former couple.

"No catching up – just the perfunctory salutation usually exchanged by mere strangers", Mellie says tersely before stomping off down the hall.

"Come on in, Fitzgerald", Ty booms, ushering his friend and attorney into the office. "Can I get you some of that expensive scotch you like?" Walking over to the full bar situated to the right of the massive desk.

"Much too early for me", waving off Ty's offer as he sits into the chair and crosses his legs, smiling reflectively at the beautiful view. He really enjoyed living in California.

"Too early? When the hell was it ever too early for you to drink?" Ty asks in disbelief as he pours himself a hefty drink before settling behind the desk.

"My life is different now, Ty."

" _Bullshit_. You never saw a thousand dollar bottle of scotch you didn't like", taking a sip of the smooth, amber-colored liquor then setting the heavy crystal-cut tumbler onto the glass desk. "You're the one who got me hooked on this shit. I couldn't stand it when you gave me my first taste."

"It is an acquired taste", Fitz says, grinning at his friend and thinking about the time his father gave him, John, and Bennie their first drink of scotch on one of their fishing trips. He hated the taste back then.

"You're damn right. I had to guzzle down a lot of it before I started to appreciate the subtle smokiness - pure velvet. Now, I can't drink anything else", holding up the glass admiringly as the sunlight reflects on its surface. "I see you're still married", glancing at the platinum wedding band on Fitz' left hand. "I don't know how you do it - one woman - forever."

"I found the right one", he smiles.

"Well you sure broke Mellie's heart. I don't know what the hell you did - but you ruined that woman for any other man. I never stood a chance after you - and lord knows I tried", Ty laughs jocularly.

"That was long time ago, Ty – I have two children now." Ty stares at the seemingly happy man, nodding slowly as he takes another sip.

"You always said you wanted a lot of kids - but I never believed that shit."

Fitz smiles tightly.

"So you're a goddamn politician, too? Damn vultures - no offense", raising his hands in surrender.

"None taken", Fitz says, shaking his head, realizing how much he has missed his colorful friend.

"What the hell happened to you - what made you join the other side? Not that you haven't made a lot of damn money to quit this rat race. I helped with that by the way."

"I earned every damn penny. You're a tough client, Ty."

"You're damn right I am. By the way, I have my eyes on another small startup company. Nothing too serious yet – I want to see how persistent these guys are before I consider investing in their company. I want to see if they are going to be relentless - not give up when things get a little tough. There has to be a reason they want to be working on that company eight to 10 years into the future. If you look at the big tech companies, we all saw a problem we _had_ to solve."

Ty walks over to the bar and pours another drink. Fitz smiles and shakes his head. Ty could always drink a lot of liquor, scotch or otherwise.

"Fitzgerald, I'm going to need your help if I decide to gobble them up."

"You'll have to talk to my business partner - Geoffrey Tynes. I told you I had to divorce myself from my business when I ran for office."

"You're missing out on a lot of excitement here, Fitzgerald. This place, Mountain View, Cupertino - there's a lot of innovating happening here. A lot of deals to be made. A lot of money to be made", Ty chuckles, leaning back and taking another sip of the expensive scotch.

Fitz is moved by his friend's exuberance about the innovation happening here. There is nothing quite that exciting happening back home. In fact, trying to accomplish just the basics in local government is depressing at times. There are so many legacy problems with the city he is not sure if he can make a difference.

"Don't stay out of the game too long, Fitzgerald. This part of the world changes very quickly. So, is this Geoffrey any good?"

"Damn good. I'll tell him to expect your call."

Ty nods, leans forward, and rests his forearms on the desk."

"So what can I do for you, my friend?"

"My city has a lot of problems, Ty. Businesses have been leaving steadily for the past 10 years. While there is some new development happening and gentrification – it's not enough to create the kind of jobs we need. I want to know what it would take for a company like yours to consider opening offices in my city. What can we do to attract companies like XyTech?"

"Fitz, Silicon Valley is not just about the location - it's more about a _mindset_. Sure, this part of California has been known as a hub of technology – going back to the 1930s. Hell - you know the Navy was doing some cool shit back then with military technology – aerospace stuff."

Fitz nods.

"It takes time to develop the _mindset_ and the culture that Silicon Valley has worked decades to foster. And, it's especially hard when you have to constantly fight state and local governments who seem to be invested in keeping things the way they are - at the expense of growth."

"It certainly can be challenging trying to address the competing agendas of all the players", Fitz says solemnly.

"So, to fuel economic growth in your city – any city - you have to give investors, companies, and general citizens a reason to want to come there. Perhaps it's because of location or the opportunity to tap into existing research and talent already there. Whatever the reason - doing so will fuel economic growth. When a major company moves to an area it automatically contributes to its growth. Employees new to the area will need housing and new businesses will sprout up to serve all the new people moving into the area."

Fitz nods.

"Another key factor for businesses deciding whether to move into a city are the schools. Most schools in the major cities across this country are abysmal. Parents want their children to go to schools that are competitive and safe. And the politics of it all – well it drives businesses and familiies away instead of attracting them. To be honest, you guys – and gals – must be politically correct - can make it difficult for businesses to do business in your cities."

Fitz nods, fully understanding what Ty is saying.

"Being a politician is a tough job, Fitzgerald – a thankless job – especially if you're in it to make a difference and not fill your pockets. But - you have to decide if you can make a difference or if you're just wasting your time. Sometimes these officials are so entrenched in how things have been done for the last 50 years they cannot see the need for change – unfortunately until it's too late."

"This has been helpful, Ty. I appreciate you squeezing me in today. And - I really appreciate your perspective."

"Anytime", Ty says, walking around his desk and giving his friend a bear hug. "I'll send you my bill." The two men laugh as they walk from the office. "How about we get together for dinner tonight? You're flying out tomorrow—right?"

"I'm sorry, Ty - but I changed my flight. I had an earlier meeting so I'm going to get back home to my family tonight."

"Damn – you are so whipped. I must meet the woman who changed your ways."

"You're always welcomed in Church Falls."

"Okay, but the next time you're in town we're going to drink some scotch – lots and lots of scotch."

"Thanks again, Ty", shaking the man's hand and giving him a hug. "Take care, Gretchen", Fitz says as walks from the reception area.

"Have a good night, Mr. Grant."

 **XXX**

"Mommy, where's daddy?" Cena asks sleepily, looking up at her mother as she climbs into the bed with Jolie to read the standard bedtime story.

"Daddy's in California, baby. Don't you remember he told you he would be in there for two days?"

"Oh", Cena says, snuggling closer to her mother.

Two readings later Cena and Jolie are fast asleep and Bowtie is lying in his bed in the hall. Olivia carefully climbs from the bed, sets the book onto the bookshelf, and then carries Jolie to the nursery. Bowtie cowers on his bed as Olivia passes. She pecks Jolie on her fat cheek, turns on the nightlight in the nursery, then walks down the hall to their bedroom. She looks at her watch and decides to take a shower before Fitz calls.

 **XXX**

It has been a long day and all he wants is a hot shower and 10 hours of sleep, quickly punching in the code to disarm the security system. He is relieved Olivia did not forget to set the alarm before going to bed. He sets the suitcase on the floor by the table then hangs his coat in the closet. Carrying the bag filled with gifts, he quietly creeps up the staircase, stopping at Cena's bedroom to kiss her goodnight.

"Goodnight, Princess", he whispers in her ear and pecks her on the cheek."

"Goodnight, daddy", she says sleepily, turning over in the direction of her father's voice "You went to California?"

"I did.

"I wanna go to California", she says sleepily. He smiles and kisses her on the top of the head.

"Go back to sleep, sweetheart. We'll talk in the morning."

Cena nods, turns onto her side, and goes back to sleep. He pats Bowtie on the head when he leaves the room and walks down the hall to the nursery. Surveying the crib, he makes sure there are no toys or blankets in the bed. He kisses the sleeping baby on the cheek, turns out the night light, and then drags his weary body to down the hall to their bedroom.

He steps into the shower and adjusts the bank of knobs that control the flow of water, and no words are exchanged, none are needed. They smile at each other through the steam and she steps back, creating space for him, inviting him in. He leans in, pressing her against the glass shower wall, and runs his tongue over her full, slightly parted lips. A moan escapes from down deep and she grazes her fingernails through the wet hairs at the nape of his neck. He suckles her breast, and she presses his head closer, signaling him to suck harder.

She parts her legs, reaches down, and spread the other lips wide. She licks her lips. Breathing hard, he takes his hardness into his hand and slowly glides the head up and down, and they gasp from the sensation. Writhing with pleasure, she moves up and down, rubbing her clitoris on the stiff head, and he closes his eyes. The sensation is dizzying, it is always dizzying. Her breathing quickens. Draping an arm around his waist, she slides the other hand down to his sac and gently massages.

"Livvie", he exhales softly.

She wraps her wet hand around his hardness, gliding it up and down, and he starts to leak into her hand.

"Oh god, Livvie. It feels so good."

With a tilt of her head, she smirks slightly as she places her foot onto the bench, opening herself fully to him, the way he likes it. She runs her tongue over her lips, slides him inside, and he kisses her deeply. Completely connected, they move as one, with the fervor of two estranged lovers. Tonight is not about slow, intimate lovemaking. Tonight is about releasing the mental and physical stress that has been mounting over the last few weeks.

"It feels so good - baby. You feel so good", she moans as his hardness brushes her clitoris with each thrust. "Don't stop. Please - don't stop", clawing his back as he pumps the way he knows she likes it. "Right there. Just. Like. That."

"Cum for me, baby", his warm breath wafting over her ear.

The sensation is unbearable and a yelp escapes her throat that will surely waken Calvin and Gwendolyn. Bowtie ears perk up and he looks down the hall in the direction of the master suite. With legs wobbling, she tries to grab ahold of the slick, soapy walls. He holds her close. The thrusting does not stop. He is in ecstasy.

He sucks in a lung full of air and squeezes her tighter, her vibrating walls feel amazing - are driving him out of his mind. His face contorts from the pleasurable pain and his buttocks tighten, expelling a low growl as he releases deep inside. He contnues to grind, savoring the last of the sensation. His face relaxes and he rests his head on her shoulder, allowing the water to pulsate against his back and stream down his buttocks and legs. He takes her face between his hands and kisses her deeply, kissing every inch of her mouth and down her neck. Softening, he slowly slides out and rests his forehead on hers.

"I love you, Mrs. Grant - more than anything", and she smiles happily because her husband is back home.

"And I love you Fitzgerald Thomas Grant the Third - more than anything."

For the next few minutes they shower lazily, slowing trailing the soap-covered towels over each other's body.

 **XXX**

"What are you doing home? I thought –"

"I missed my family - I missed you", kissing her on the you all right?"

"I'm fine – but I missed you. Cena missed you. She asked about you almost every hour."

"I bought her something special – Jolie too."

"Of course you did", snuggling closer.

"Do you remember the first time we went to California?"

"I do. I was so ready to dump you, mister", smiling in the dark at the memory.

"But you didn't."

"I didn't. You redeemed yourself. Did things go well in California?"

"They did, Ty was very helpful", kissing the top of her head.

"Thats good. Did you see any of your old girlfriends while you were in Cali?" She asks playfully.

"I saw Mellie", he says flatly.

" _You what?"_ Trying to pull away from his embrace, but he tightens his hold on her.

"I'm not going to lie to you, Liv. I saw Mellie – you know she and Ty are partners."

"Well did you have dinner with her? Is she married? Does she have children?"

"No. I don't know. I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know? Didn't you talk to her?"

"Briefly - while I was waiting for Ty."

"Well what did she say – what did you say?"

"Liv …"

" _What did you say?"_ Sitting up and looking at him.

"I said I have a nosey wife and two beautiful children. Now lie back down."

"Do you miss California? You were there a long time while in the Navy."

"I don't miss it …"

"But …."

"Ty was going on and on about all the innovation about that's happening – about the opportunity. He made it sound exciting."

"So you miss it."

"Not necessarily. It's just so hard to get anything done in government."

"Do you regret running for office?"

"I don't regret it – not necessarily. I just get tired of the games. I guess I have to decide if I can make a difference or if I'm wasting my time."

She stares at his profile in the dark as he sleeps, wondering if something happened while he was in California.

 **XXX**

It has been a while since they have been to church. In fact, they have not attended services at Triumph Tabernacle since Marla's homegoing service last December. So much has been happening in their lives, but this is Easter Sunday, the most important and oldest festival of the Christian Church. Today they celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The service has been underway for almost an hour and Jolie is becoming more agitated with each hymn. Her singing along with the choir and clapping like her mother and Nana has begun to grow old and she starts to squirm on her father's lap.

"Give her to me - I'll take her outside", Olivia says, reaching for Jolie.

"You stay - I'll take her out for a while", stopping Olivia from standing "Give me her bottle." Jolie cries grow louder as Fitz carries her from the sanctuary.

"Shh – shh", Fitz coos, trying to console his baby. Her face is flush red and she is pulling at her Easter bonnet. "Are you hot, Angel?" Sitting on one of the benches and removing the bonnet and unbuttoning the jacket that matches her dress. "Mommy always puts so many clothes on you", fanning her with the program, and Jolie smiles as if the air conditioner was turned on. Fitz blows over her face and she blows spit bubbles in return, laughing hysterically. In this moment he realizes how much Jolie looks like his baby sister, Nora.

"Fitz", the familiar voice says with a hint of hesitation.

"Hello, Darius", looking up from making faces with his daughter.

"Is she all right", nodding in the direction of the laughing baby.

"She's fine – just a little hot."

"Good – good", smiling at Jolie. "I owe you an apology", Darius begins slowly. "I was wrong – out of line. I had no right to say those things – make it personal. I hope you can forgive me."

"Darius, while I appreciate all the help you have given me over the past few months – helping me to get acclimated to Council - you must realize the final decision about what I choose to pursue legislatively is mine – no one else's. Although I will always consult others to gain additional perspectives - at the end of the day the final lies with me.

"I understand – and of course you're right. You have to put forth public policies you believe in."

"And Darius - while I value your friendship - I will not allow you or anyone else to question or criticize the choices I make for my family. It's none of your business where I choose to live or where I choose to send my children to school. That's for Olivia and me to decide - not you – not anyone else. My family – they're off limits to you – do you understand?" He does not blink. He does not smile. Darius needs to know he is serious.

"Of course – of course."

The two men shake hands and Jolie squeals, clapping her hands as if she understands new life has been breathed into a friendship.


	43. Chapter 43 Kidchella

**AN:** I'm glad many of you are fed up with Ms Sanchez and want her to get what's coming to her sooner rather than later. This means I'm depicting her correctly. She serves a purpose and won't be around a chapter longer than she is needed. Also, Mayor Wilson sure loves to get pictures on people: Marion and Bennie, Darius and Victoria. I wonder if he has more pictures. Liv only has a little scent of what Victoria is up to. Keep in mind, she's busy too.

 **Guest 1,** it's interesting the level of disdain Darius has for Victoria. Some men act like that when the woman stops the affair. Fitz was right to ask Liv many chapters ago why Darius never ran for a higher office, now we know why. Manipulation and jealousy, not two attractive qualities of Marion's. Fitz wants to compartmentalize his work life and family life. The man doesn't even want to discuss business in the bedroom - goodness. Fitz intends to consult others but he won't be bullied into putting forth someone else's plans to council. Darius had an opportunity to be in charge and he blew it because of you know who. We'll see more Fitz and Calvin interactions in upcoming chapters. **Guest 2,** first, kudos to you for supporting those who are in a nursing home. I know someone who chooses to do the work and gets great joy from helping the seniors (others are in nursing homes too). Second, I was _stunned_ to read you share my story with your clients – _wow,_ _that's amazing_. What do they think of the story? Do you read the sexy parts to them? Might not be able to write another sexy scene knowing they will hear it. Sheesh. PM me if you like. **sister1256,** Victoria has been around several blocks, poor thing. She'd rather use her body than her mind to get what she wants. The Cali trip was important for many reasons, it shows us the kind of man Fitz was when he lived in Monterey and lays the foundation for upcoming events. Ty gave Fitz some good advice, which was wrapped in the story about the start-up company. The advice will spur Fitz to rethink his new career decision. Glad you enjoyed the chapter. **Guest 3,** Bennie is a good guy and empathizes with his sister to some degree. Glad you enjoyed the update.

 **Monica,** it's called dramatic irony, when the reader (you) knows something the character (Fitz) doesn't know. Don't you just want to strangle the seemingly oblivious character and/or author? How many times have you screamed at your TV, _don't open the door_? Also, Victoria hasn't given Fitz any reason to think she is being deceptive. In fact, she has been a stellar employee, even learning about his needs and fulfilling them. Therefore, he has no reason to check her HR file or inquire around the office about her. (Fitz will use that attorney brain of his in the future.) So, Fitz only knows what he knows about Victoria and his interactions with her make sense. Nora did a lot of damage before she went away and no one is rolling out the red carpet for her. She needs to figure out who she is now that she is not sleeping with anyone, anywhere, and on any surface. Ty gave Fitz a lot of good advice, which was wrapped in the story about the start-up company. The advice will spur Fitz to think about his new career. Is he in it for the long term? Does he believe he can make a difference or is he wasting his time? And, what kinds of meetings are Gerry attending? **Guest 4,** a bazooka? Do they still make bazookas – I guess so. The word reminded of my sister using the term _jitterbug_ recently and a co-worker using the term hooligans. I asked each what century they were from. Too funny. Here we go!

 **Chapter 43**. **Kidchella**

Fitz closes his eyes, expelling a heavy sigh as he looks down at his watch, his meeting with Mayor Wilson is in 30 minutes and he is not looking forward to the interaction. In fact, he would rather do anything else than meet with the city's truculent executive. He is not one to shy away from conflict, after all, he has built a career and reputation on resolving conflicts, usually when a client has decided to acquire a smaller or failing company. Negotiating takeovers is often tricky and emotional, especially when it is hostile. So, he has mastered the art of keeping his emotions in check while reading the emotions of the person sitting on the other side of the negotiating table. He also knows how to say the right thing at the right time – and even better - he knows when to say nothing at all. The key is to never let things get too emotional, but sometimes that is out of his control, and he does not like when he is not in control. He is at a disadvantage when he is not in control.

More than once irate business owners have attacked him with abusive language and hurled threats when the reality sets in, usually toward the end of the negotiations, they are losing the company they poured heart and soul into for decades. But he always comports himself with calm and dignity - the attacks are not personal - it is just business. And, once the transaction is completed, he knows he will never have to interact with the former owner again. That is how things worked in his former world. However, things are much different in government – and in particular with the mayor. Their relationship cannot be transactional. In order to do the people's business, to try to turn around the city, they must have an ongoing and somewhat cordial legislative-executive relationship; the citizens expect nothing less of their government. So, today Fitz is willing to set aside their mutual hate - take the high ground so to speak - for the sake of the city.

"Victoria, I'm going up to five for my meeting with the mayor. I should be gone about 45 minutes", he says without emotion as he walks into the reception area.

"Good luck", she says, flashing him an encouraging yet sympathetic smile.

 **XXX**

Mayor Wilson's assistant stops typing and looks up from the computer monitor when she hears the heavy footsteps walking down the marble hall. She groans silently when she sees the handsome council president coming toward the reception area. Her boss has once again put her in the uncomfortable position of having to lie for him. She has long grown weary of his childish antics.

"Council President Grant", Lauren says, greeting the man with her broadest smile. If only she were a younger woman she muses.

"Good morning, Lauren. I have a 10:15 with the mayor."

"Of course, sir. The mayor is still on a call and has asked me to have you wait until he is finished. May I get you something to drink while you wait?" Giving him an apologetic look.

"No thank you, Lauren. I'll just have a seat until the mayor is finished with his call."

"He shouldn't be too much longer, sir", Lauren says, sitting back in her seat and thinking she is getting too old for this shit. She is counting down the months to retirement.

Fitz returns a knowing smile, sits onto the sofa, crosses his legs, and scrolls through the latest pictures he posted on Instagram. He knows when a power move is being made, he has witnessed them many times. It goes like this, when on their turf, the adversary makes you wait, for about 15 minutes or so, even though you have a scheduled appointment. Then the adversary emerges from behind their office door with a smug look to let you know they have purposely kept you waiting. The adversary unwisely believes the old tactic gives them home-court advantage. However, they are always mistaken because they are unaware he has already made the decision about the meeting's desired outcome - before he ever steps foot into their office – before he even finished brushing his teeth that morning. The only advantage either party ever has during a negotiation is to know when to walk away, if it is an option.

Fifteen minutes later Lauren gives him another apologetic smile, Wilson still has not emerged from the office.

"Are you sure I can't get you anything council president –"

"Grant", Wilson says, standing in the doorway of his office giving him that home-court advantage look as he puffs on the ever-present cigar. Lauren frowns, thinking another reason to retire. She cannot stand the awful smell of that cigar smoke.

"Mr. Mayor", Fitz says flatly, forcing a tight smile as he stands and extends his hand.

Wilson eyes the hand with disdain before reluctantly accepting the handshake. Fitz thinks this is the second indicator that the meeting is not going to go well.

"Come in, Grant. Have a seat", Wilson says as he walks behind the desk and sits in the oversized leather chair. "So what brings you up to the fifth floor today, Grant?" Foregoing any small talk, and Fitz follows the man's lead.

"As you know we have to present our legislative and budgetary intents to council next week and - while we have not always gotten along - seen eye to eye on most things - I am hoping we can put aside our differences and work together - do what's best for the people of this city. I think it will help to build confidence in the citizenry if they see us acting as a united front."

Feeling smug, Wilson leans back in his chair, casually holding the burning cigar between his index and middle fingers, and lets out a maniacal laugh. Fitz is unperturbed.

"So is that what you think?" Wilson asks, blowing a thick stream of smoke in Fitz' direction. The question is rhetorical, so Fitz waits for the man to continue, to reveal his hand. "You think we should do what –walk into council chambers together next week holding hands? Is that what you mean by a united front?" His questions are laced with vitriol and contempt.

"I see I'm wasting my time here", Fitz says, beginning to stand. The meeting is taking considerably less time than he thought it would.

"I need council to pass that bill to privatize the police department, Grant. Once that is done then we can sing Kumbaya or anything else you want. Hell, I'll even dance a goddamn jig for you."

"This city is facing real problems - maybe bankruptcy - and all you're concerned about is outsourcing our police department. Give me a break."

"We all have problems, Grant."

"Well – it's not going to happen", Fitz says tersely and Wilson's face hardens.

"You might want to rethink that, Grant", he says in a threatening tone. Fitz looks at the man for a long while, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Well, I guess this meeting is over", Fitz says as he stands and walks toward the door.

"You don't want to cross me, Grant, ever", Wilson says angrily, standing abruptly from his chair.

"Have a good day, Mr. Mayor", Fitz says, walking from the office thinking some things never change.

 **XXX**

An hour later Mayor Wilson is still sitting in his office fuming from his encounter with Fitzgerald Grant. Once again the self-righteous bastard has denied him what he needs; it is time to up the ante. He snatches the telephone from its base and dials the familiar extension.

"What do you have for me, Janice?" He asks gruffly and without salutation. "The trial is going to begin soon and Grant isn't willing to get in line. He's not budging on this police thing."

"I might just have what you need to get our new council president to see things your way, Mr. Mayor", Janice chuckles as she rests her elbows on the desk.

"Pray tell", Wilson says, his interest quickly piqued.

"Well you know our girl is in there - doing what comes natural to her – of course."

"By the way, it was brilliant of you to get her the job as Grant's assistant."

"Of course it was", Janice says in a self-congratulatory tone. "We know our girl is not the sharpest knife in the drawer – not a chess player. She doesn't know she should always be thinking four moves ahead. In fact, she has no idea how the game is truly played. Poor thing – she doesn't know she's just a pawn in a bigger game", Janice Roberson, the director of Human Resources says, smiling as she leans back in her chair fingering the delicate string of pearls around her neck. "But I must admit, she is definitely good at getting men into her bed", smiling, reflectively of the days when she was a younger but smarter version of Victoria.

"Thank God we can count on Victoria being Victoria - always mistaking men wanting to bang her for them wanting to make her a housewife. As they say, you can't make a housewife out of a whore", Wilson says, and they both expel a belly-laugh at the old saying, laughing so hard that tears flow from their eyes. "You would think she would've learned better from the Darius Moton debacle - another good play on your part, Janice", and she smiles proudly.

"People like Victoria never learn, Mr. Mayor. _Ms Sanchez_ thinks she can screw her way to respectability. She thinks she is going to get her well-manicured claws into the wealthy Fitzgerald Grant – become acceptable in local society I suppose. As usual, she thinks a man is her ticket out. And as usual, she'll end up with nothing", shaking her head at the hopelessness of the young woman.

"She should take a page from your book, Janice. You don't rely on any man to get what you want - you make things happen for yourself.

"I _partner_ with men to get what I want. Victoria, however, is uneducable - a fool. She thinks all she has to do is spread her magical thighs and the world will be delivered to her on a silver platter."

"How's that working for her?" Wilson says, and they both laugh out loud again.

"Can you believe she actually thinks she got that plum job as Grant's assistant on her own merit? Her supervisor was going to terminate her had I not intervened on her behalf – giving her a golden opportunity", Janice snickers.

Wilson clears his throat and raises the sweating glass to his lips. He needs to get back to the real purpose of his phone call. He has laughed enough at the expense of a woman for whom he is indifferent.

"But seriously, Janice, we have to stop Grant before this trial begins. My _friends_ will take care of the judge if I can deliver them the police department. If we can pull this off I'm going to owe you big time", a tinge of nervousness returning to his voice.

Janice hears the anxiety in the voice of the usually cool and confident man and smiles because she has him just where she wants him. She has the mayor of this city in the palm of her hand and it feels great.

"Just be ready to send Daniel with his trusty camera when I call. I know how much you like pictures, Mr. Mayor."

"A picture is worth a thousand words."

"A picture can be whatever we want it to be, Mr. Mayor, even a Get out of Jail Free card,", Janice says without chuckle and Wilson nods in understanding. "Goodnight, Theodore", Janice says, smiling triumphantly as she returns the phone to its base.

 **XXX**

The city founding charter mandates the mayor and president of the city council shall submit their budgetary and legislative plans for the upcoming fiscal year at the first council meeting in the month of April. Today's read-outs are a formality, the real work takes place over the next three months when committees review and discuss the budget at public hearings. Those hearings will undoubtedly be contentious.

City council chambers is packed, brimming with citizens and the media, all awaiting the embattled mayor to arrive and address the council. Everyone is expecting a showdown of sorts because the mayor and council president's visceral dislike for each other is well known throughout the city. In fact, many quip that as long as Fitzgerald Grant is council president it is highly unlikely Wilson will be able to get a council hearing on a motion to praise sunlight.

Upstairs on the fifth floor, Mayor Wilson stands in his office gazing out the large window onto his city, thinking about how much has changed over the past year. Today is supposed to be nothing more than what the city's founding fathers intended it to be: a read-out of the mayor and council president's intentions, a dog and pony show. But with Grant in office and the indictment hanging over his head, he is not sure what to expect, a concern he never had when Marla was council president. Life was good back then he thinks, downing the remainder of the bourbon before stepping in front of the full-length mirror. He straightens his tie then grabs his portfolio from the desk. It is show time he thinks as he heads downstairs to the council chambers.

The council president and nine council members are seated on the raised dais waiting patiently for the mayor to arrive. Fitz frowns slightly thinking making people wait is neither fashionable nor a show of authority. The crowd is becoming restless and the bailiff, who is standing to the right of the dais with his thumbs stuck in his belt, glances up at the council president for a hint of what to do. The stenographer looks up when the crowd begins to shout. Mayor Wilson has arrived. The crowd goes wild, booing and hissing as Wilson walks down the aisle and takes his position at the podium, facing the dais. He ignores the disparaging noises as he slides his speech from the portfolio.

" _Lock him up. Lock him up"_ , the crowd yells.

" _Order – order",_ Fitz yells, banging the gavel in an attempt to quiet the crowd. The crowd's displeasure is reduced to a low simmer, and Fitz nods to the mayor – his signal to begin the address.

" _We ask that you increase funding for housing, increase resources that would lead to economic opportunities and job creation."_

The crowd is unmoved by the mayor's words and resumes booing and shouting down the man as he tries to continue his speech. They have heard it all before. Wilson delivers the same speech every year and nothing ever changes.

" _I said quiet or I will shut down this session"_ , Fitz yells, banging the gavel repeatedly. He nods for Wilson to continue.

" _And, we ask that you pass an ordinance to privatize our police force. This will save –"_

" _Lock him up. Lock him up."_

" _He's a crook. Put him under the jail."_

After repeated attempts to quiet the raucous crowd, City Council President Fitzgerald Grant calls for a recess. Despite Fitz' call, Wilson continues his attempt to shout over the crowd. He eventually surrenders and is escorted from council chambers by his security detail.

 **XXX**

" _Council President Grant - Council President Grant"_ , Shelby Sage yells as she runs down the hall trying to catch up with the man before he enters his office.

Red-faced with anger, Fitz turns and glares at the intrepid reporter.

"Council President Grant", Shelby repeats, somewhat out of breath when she finally catches up to him. "Things got pretty heated in council this morning. Tell our viewers your reaction to your first budget and legislative read-out", she says quickly, pushing the microphone close to his face.

"We will do whatever is necessary to have a secure environment to ensure the mayor is allowed to deliver his budget address. While I understand some people might not feel comfortable with the message or the messenger - we will have a secure council for all. Security will be increased for future council sessions", he says before turning and walking away. Shelby looks at her cameraman and signals she is ready to deliver her report.

"Well, you heard it from the council president - the mayor will be safe and there will be increased police security at future council sessions. Now back to you at the studio, Dave."

 **XXX**

Returning to their bedroom after performing the nightly ritual of reading the girls and Bowtie's favorite bedtime story, Fitz flops onto the bed and Olivia stops rubbing the cream onto her arm and looks over her shoulder at her husband.

"You're energetic tonight."

"Phase one is over. Wilson and I submitted our plans to the Council today. I thought there was going to be a riot in chambers."

"I saw it all on TV", Olivia says, shaking her head. "Are you really going to add more police security at the council sessions?"

"The man had to finish his address in a ballroom, Liv. Hell, I had deliver my agenda in that awful room. I'm no fan of Wilson, but interrupting government meetings is not acceptable. Bad actors should not disrupt a formal government process."

"First Amendment, babe."

"Let's talk", he says, ignoring her comment.

"I thought that's what we were doing", she says flippantly and he grabs her around the waist and pins her onto the bed. She giggles and kicks her legs wildly, pretending to try and escape his grasp. He kisses her deeply, stopping her movements, and she moans, grazing her fingernails through the fine hairs at the nape of his neck. She is getting lost in the moment.

"I want to know why you're not happy", gazing into her passion-filled eyes.

" _What - what makes you think I'm not happy?"_ She stumbles, not expecting the question and certainly not in the middle of a heated make-out session.

"Because you want to move - no longer want to live here. Is our home – our life - not enough for you any longer?"

" _What?"_ Trying to wriggle from under him, but he continues to pin her down with his weight.

"You know that's all I've ever wanted – want - is for you to be happy. Do you regret marrying me?" A tinge of fear flash in his eyes. As a lawyer he knows never to ask a question if he does not know the answer.

" _What - have you lost your mind? Where is this coming from?"_ She feels his forehead with the back of her hand. "Are you sick – is something wrong?"

"Your life would be so much easier -"

"What's this all about, Fitz? What's wrong?" He turns his face away from her. "Look at me – tell me what's wrong", caressing his face between her small hands. He sits up in the bed and runs his fingers through his hair. She sits up too, watching him perform his nervous habit.

"At church – when Cena was upset – about what Deon said …"

"Go on", furrowing her brow and studying his face closely.

"Cena didn't want to come to me. She seemed to be afraid of me – and that hurt."

"Babe, we discussed this. She was confused - you know Cee loves you to death. In fact - truth be told - Cena loves you more than me."

"That's not true."

"It is and you know it. But I'm okay with it. I get that she adores you - that I'm chopped liver - second fiddle."

"She just loves us differently, Liv –"

"Ah, so you admit you're Cena's favorite parent."

"It means we meet her emotional needs differently. So - do you have regrets?"

"Of course not. I couldn't imagine my life without you. Besides, I didn't have a choice", and he looks at her with furrowed brow.

"I fell ridiculously and madly in love with you. You stole my heart, babe – ruined me for anyone else." He pulls her close, inhales her scent, and kisses the top of her head. She snuggles close to him.

"Then why do you want to move?"

"I think the girls need a more diverse environment. We discussed this babe – before we got married – before we had children."

"So do you regret having children? You always knew I wanted lots children", and she winces because he has unknowingly touched her sensitive spot. "And, I wanted to have children with you and didn't give a damn what they looked like."

"I'm saying no such thing", she pushes back. "I'm just saying we have to decide how to raise our children in a society fixated on race. Even though race is a social construct we have to prepare them for the kinds of challenges they're going to face because of who they are – who we are - we can't overlook that reality. They're getting older - we have to force the conversation."

"I don't give a damn what other people think, Liv", he says, beginning to get upset because she cares too much about other people's opinions.

"Well you should", she shoots back, pulling from his embrace. "Because our children are going to care. They're not adults - they're not going to understand why people look at them differently - treat them differently."

"I can't control what other people do or think", he says angrily.

"Babe, we have a responsibility to do our best to raise healthy and whole children - putting your head in the sand changes nothing."

"I'm not putting my head in the sand."

"Our children are a mix of you and me and many in our society will always look at them with a questioning eye - so we have to help shape their perceptions of who they are – their identity - how they see the world - and how the world sees them. Being geographically isolated - they only see one kind of truth."

He exhales in frustration.

"We have to set Cee and Jo up to see other truths – other people – other cultures - and not just on Sunday. And certainly not just Deon."

With face set hard, he listens intently.

"I want our girls to have their own voice. I want them to be prepared, Fitz. On the home turf being biracial is not unique to Cena, but she won't she be in our home forever – neither of them will. They'll experience the world and I want them to be ready."

"So are you saying you want to toughen up Cena – make her have grit? Because I want her to stay a little girl as long as possible."

"It's not that I want her to have grit or make her tough - I want her to see the differences this world has to offer and be okay with who she is."

"I need more time to think about this", he says, rolling onto to his side of the bed. She looks at him in disbelief as he turns off his lamp. She cannot believe he has ended the discussion.

 **XXX**

As Fitz waits in the restaurant for John, he scrolls through his Instagram account smiling at the latest pictures he posted of the girls. They are his pride and joy and he cannot imagine his life without them.

"Sorry, I'm late brother, my meeting went longer than expected. Then Abigail called when I was leaving the office asking me to stop at the market on the way home tonight and bring home pepperoni. These damn cravings are killing me", he says, scanning the menu trying to decide what he wants for lunch.

"How is Abigail doing these days?" Fitz asks.

"Mean as a rattle snake. I tell her every day she is not a pleasant mother-to-be", and Fitz gives his brother a weak smile. "So why are you buying me lunch today?"

"Liv wants to move – to the city", he says solemnly.

"I know – Abigail told me", and Fitz rolls his eyes wondering if anything is secret in this family. "What? You know they tell each other everything – almost everything anyway", John says, setting the menu on the table, hoping their waiter will see he is ready to order. "So what are you going to do? I told Abigail don't even think about moving to the city", lifting the glass of water to his lips.

"I have to think about what's best for my daughters, John. Liv wants them to be exposed to more diversity."

"Are you gentleman ready to order?" The young waitress asks.

"I'll have the double bacon cheeseburger, steak fries – make that a double order, and a chocolate malt", John says, handing the waitress his menu and Fitz looks at his brother curiously. "Don't give me that look – my wife is pregnant. I always gain 15 pounds when she's pregnant."

Fitz shakes his head and orders the tuna – medium rare.

"I can appreciate that. You know mom told me that Bennie told her that Liv had a hard time adjusting when her parents moved here. Church Falls certainly isn't the most diverse place on the planet", John says, tearing open a roll and slathering it with butter.

"I love Church Falls, John. It was wonderful growing up here. I want to raise my children here."

"It was wonderful for you", John says, stuffing the roll into his mouth. "Maybe you and Liv can compromise – find a place between Church Falls and the city. You have lots of options, bro. But remember, happy wife - happy life."

 **XXX**

After sitting in the nursery for the past hour trying to console a teething Jolie, Olivia drags her tired body into the bedroom and starts to remove her earrings. She hopes she can get a few hours of sleep before Jolie starts up again. Fitz sets his phone onto the nightstand and tosses his eyeglasses next to it; he has been waiting for his wife.

"How is she doing?" Watching as she removes her earrings.

"She finally fell back to sleep. She is not a happy camper, babe."

"She'll be fine. We went through this with Cena. I'll sit with her if she wakes up again."

"Thank you, baby." He nods then jumps into what he really wants to discuss.

"Do you remember when we said we wouldn't let race define us – who we are?"

"Society defines us – judges us – all the time", she says tiredly, tossing her earrings onto the silver tray placed on the vanity table. She is not in the mood to debate with him tonight. She has a lot of work to do over the next few weeks and she is nowhere near completing anything. She has to finish her report for Fred, which is due at the end of next month. And, she also has to plan Jolie's birthday party and get the invitations in the mail by the end of next week. She is exhausted and time is running out.

" _Then it doesn't matter where the hell we live – does it?"_ He says in frustration and the tears roll down her cheeks.

"Livvie", he says in a softer tone. "What's the matter?"

"I just want them to be okay – to not feel different all the time. Is that too much to ask?" Looking in the mirror at his reflection across the room.

"They are who they are, Olivia. We can't bounce them around just because you're worried about what other people think. That will only make them feel like something is wrong with them. What happens if we move to the city and you decide that isn't where they need to be?"

"That won't happen", she says, brushing away the tears. "I'm not romanticizing the city – I'm not. And, I know living there opens up a whole new set of problems that we don't have to deal with right now. The crime rate is much higher, space is limited, it's noisier and busier, there isn't a lot of green space, and people will still judge our family. I get all of that. I just don't think all those things outweigh the benefits the girls will get from living there."

"I'm not a moron, Liv. I know the importance of exposing our children to cultural activities on both sides – and we do that. And, they certainly have enough books, dolls, pictures, and toys that are representative of all races and cultures. I just don't know if we have to move to the city - there have to be other options."

"It's like they live in a bubble, Fitz. We have to drive them to places so they can experience diversity rather being a part of a diverse environment. I'm going to take a shower", she says tiredly as she walks into the bathroom.

 **XXX**

While Fitz waits for Olivia to finish her shower, he thinks about what she said about exposing the girls to a more diverse environment. He also thinks about what John said at lunch, but he cannot shake the nagging feeling that they will be giving up so much if they move from Church Falls.

"Penny for your thoughts", she says as she pulls the plush Egyptian cotton towel from around her head, letting the wet curls fall to her shoulders.

"I love your hair like that", he says with a smile.

"I know, babe - you tell me that all the time. I've been thinking about cutting it."

"Maybe a trim – not a cut", he says, admiring her body as she slips on the short nightgown. "Are you feeling better?"

"I'm fine. I guess I'm just a little tired – so much is going on", and he nods.

"You know I get that it's important for the girls to be in a more culturally rich community – right?"

"But", she says, pulling the jar of cream from her nightstand. She really just wants to go to sleep.

"It just seems so sudden."

"Sudden? We've only been discussing it for the last three months."

"No, we haven't. You raised the idea at the lake house - I wouldn't call that discussing it." She sighs because she knows when he is being precise it means he is nowhere near to being onboard with the idea.

"Well let's discuss it now. What concerns you about moving to the city?"

"I like it out here, Liv. This is where I was born and raised. I moved back to Church Falls to be near my family and to start my business. I want Cena and Jo to have an experience similar to mine. I told you – I thought we would raise our children in this house - grow old here."

She nods for him to continue.

"After being in the hustle and bustle of the city all day - it's kind of nice to come back home where things are a bit more quiet – slower."

"I see. What else?"

"My family lives out here. My parents, John and Abby …"

"What else?"

"What do you mean what else? Does there have to be more?"

"Church Falls is a lovely place, babe, and almost anyone would be happy to raise a family here. But it lacks so much - in fact - it can feel isolating at times."

He frowns.

"And, I hardly think your parents are a reason to stay here. We don't know how things will turn out for them – if they're even going to get back together - stay together. As for John and Abby - well they can visit us in the city. I'm sure Abby would love that – and we can always visit them – visit everyone for that matter. It's not like we would be moving to another state or across the country. We'll be less than an hour away."

"It will be a big change."

"I know, but change can be a good thing, babe."

"Change isn't always a good thing, Olivia. Stability is important, too", he says as he rolls out of bed and walks over to the chair. "There's something to be said for continuity. We put a lot of heart and soul into this house over the past six years."

"Where are you going?" Watching him pull on a pair of sweatpants. "We're not finished taking about this."

"I'm going to get ice cream."

" _Ice cream_ – you never eat ice cream this late at night."

"Change can be a good thing", he says as he walks from the room.

 **XXX**

"Fitzgerald, I'm surprised to see you down here this time of night", watching his son-in-law make a beeline to the freezer.

"Hello, Calvin. I thought I would have a little ice cream before going to bed."

"I see", Calvin says, watching his son-in-law drop three hefty scoops of Rocky Road into the bowl and thinking his daughter has something to do with the man's sudden need for so much dairy.

Fitz returns the ice cream to the freezer and sits at the granite island, next to his father-in-law. And after a few minutes of silently sliding the smooth cream into his mouth, he finally reveals what is bothering him.

"Olivia wants to move."

"Ah", Calvin says nodding his head, now understanding why the man is down in the kitchen at this hour of the night eating an absurd amount of ice cream.

"To the city", he continues, dipping the spoon into the ice cream.

 _"To the city?"_ Calvin screeches, shaking his head with disapproval.

"I'm not sure I want to move, Calvin. I love it out here - I love our home", and Calvin nods. "It'll be a big change."

"So why does Livvia want to move?" Not liking that his daughter wants to be part of the city's gentrification movement.

"She says the girls need more diversity - and I get that …."

"But?"

"But I don't know if we have to move to the city to make that happen. Moving to the city is not the only way to expose Cena and Jo to broader groups of people and ideas."

"Well, it sounds like both of you want my granddaughters to have a more diverse social experience - at least that's a start. But the basic question I think you two might want to answer is what diversity means for each of you. If you both haven't defined your ideal of diversity then you're just shooting in the dark - talking past each other."

Fitz nods in agreement.

"After you have a shared understanding of what diversity means for both of you, then the question is how to make it happen. Can you make it happen here in Church Falls, in the city, or someplace else? The city is only one option - in my humble opinion."

Fitz nods as he scrapes the remnants of the melting cream from the bowl.

"Well I guess it's time for me to take my old bones to bed", Calvin says, standing and giving Fitz a couple of reassuring pats on the back before walking from the kitchen.

 **XXX**

Olivia looks up from her tablet and eyes her husband as he enters the bedroom and throws himself onto the bed.

"You were downstairs a long time", removing her eyeglasses and setting them onto the tablet. She knew she was not going to get any sleep until they finished their discussion.

"I had three scoops", he says solemnly, and she nods, knowing what that means. He lay on his back with arms folded behind his head, thinking about what Calvin said.

"What does diversity mean to you?" He asks after a few minutes.

 _"What?"_

"You want the girls to live in a diverse environment and you've told me why – and I agree with the why - but I don't know what that means for you - what it looks like for you." Without missing a beat she starts to describe the ideal environment for them.

"Well it looks like many things. It looks like us living in a more integrated neighborhood. It looks Cena and Jo going to a school that is more integrated and developing relationships with children from many different backgrounds. It looks like us going to the museums or walking with the girls to the park or to a local store for ice cream on hot summer nights. WE have to get to everything out here, babe."

"Give me more time to think about this – okay?"

"Okay", pecking him on the lips. Now she is wired up, unable to sleep. "I'm going to read for a while, babe."

He nods and turns off his lamp. Unable to fall asleep, he thinks about his wife's vision for their family. He also thinks John and Calvin are right, they have many options they can consider. They can move anywhere.

"Maybe we should move to California - Monterey?" He says suddenly, and she looks at him with surprise.

" _What?"_ Startled by his voice because she thought he was asleep. He turns on his lamp and looks her with all seriousness. "You mean you want to move back to California - you never said anything", eyeing him suspiciously.

"I think we should put all options on the table – not limit ourselves to one location."

"But -

"You can't say _but_ , Liv - you have to be open-minded", he says seriously. In fact, the more he talks about it the more he likes the idea of returning to Monterey.

"I was going to say but what about our jobs."

"What about them? We can work anywhere." She arches her eyebrow wondering if this is some sort of trick he is using to throw her off.

"The people elected you as their president of city council. Are you thinking about walking away from that?"

"I'm not sure", he says with all honesty.

"Not sure? What do you mean not sure? The people have put their hopes in you, Fitz. They're expecting you to help turn around the city. Besides, I just started at Bryson's. I can't walk away from that."

"Number one – this is about _our_ family – what's best for the girls – right?"

She nods slowly, thinking about what he is saying.

"Two – you can do your work anywhere. I can even open an office for Grant Enterprises in Monterey."

"Babe – to be effective I have to be connected to the community we're going to serve. Bryson's commitment is to the people who live here – where he was born – not California."

"I'm just saying - we have options - and I want us to consider all of them before we make a decision", looking at her intently.

"Are you serious - I mean really serious?"

"I'm sure we could find a diverse community in Monterey - or somewhere nearby. Hell, we can even move to the east coast: New York, DC, Philly, or maybe Boston. I have friends in Boston. We should be open to exploring all possibilities."

Her mouth is hanging open because she had not considered moving from Washington State.

"Just think about it - goodnight", kissing her on the lips and turning off his lamp again.

Stunned by the turn of events, she looks at the back of his head trying to figure out what just happened.

 **XXX**

Olivia holds Jolie on her lap as the baby gnaws on the frozen teething ring trying to provide her sore gums some degree of relief. She squints at her husband, eyeing his every move, as he walks over to the coffee maker and pours his first cup of the day. He is up to something she thinks. Last night, out of the blue, he raised the idea of moving to California - to Monterey. Admittedly, she did not specify what city they should move to, but all of their discussions indicated she was not talking about moving to another state. Sometimes she hates being married to lawyer.

"Daddy, my recital is soon", Cena says excitedly, as her father leans against the counter sipping his coffee.

"It is?" Winking at his wife while feigning surprise at his daughter's pronouncement. "When is it?" Cena looks over to her mother for help.

"April 27, baby – six o' clock." Cena looks back at her father and nods her head.

"I'll be there", tousling her hair as he takes his seat next to his wife.

"Miss Ebony say me and Asha have to practice a lot."

"Says", Gwendolyn corrects.

"Miss Ebony says me and Asha –"

"Asha and I", Gwendolyn corrects again.

"Miss Ebony says Asha and I have to practice a lot", Cena says quickly before her grandmother can correct her again.

"And who is Asha?" Calvin asks, finally looking up from reading the third and final article on gentrification in the city.

"She's my BFF, GranPop. She's in my dance class."

"And what is a BFF?"

"My best friend forever", Cena says adamantly.

"I see", Calvin replies with a nod.

"Well I can't wait to see you and Asha on stage, Cena", Gwendolyn says, the brass charms jingling on her bracelet as she sets the cup of tea onto the island top.

"You can meet her before the recital, mom. Asha is spending next weekend with us. She and Cee have to practice for the big event. It's really – really important", Olivia says playfully.

"Can Asha sleep in my room, mommy?" Looking at her mother with eagerness in her eyes.

"I think we should ask Asha where she wants to sleep – okay?"

"Okay. But Asha can play with Bowtie." Olivia rolls her eyes and Gwendolyn and Fitz give her a disapproving look, which she ignores as usual.

"Come on, Cena, Nana and I are going to drive you to school today", Calvin says, lifting the little girl from her seat.

"Yay", Cena squeals and Jolie claps her hands as she slobbers down her mother's arm.

 **XXX**

Dinner has been eaten, the kitchen is clean, and now he gets to relax on the sofa with his wife and watch his girls and the family pet play on the floor. This is everything, he thinks, sliding his hand across the sofa and caressing his wife's hand. Olivia looks up from the tablet and smiles, and in that moment, he believes he has fallen in love with her all over again. He lifts her hand to his lips and they smile at each other. He wants her to be happy. He wants his family to be safe.

He smiles as Cena once again tries to teach her baby sister how to say the names of her collection of dolls from around the world. Jolie, who has a short attention span, laughs and claps happily before turning her attention to her favorite pastime, pulling Bowtie's nose. Fitz shakes his head, sympathizing with the poor mutt because he is also the victim of his daughter's nose pulling. He sighs, thinking his girls are getting bigger with each passing day, and that saddens him. He wants them to remain his little girls forever, which he knows is not realistic. Cena is going to be seven this year and Jolie will be one next month. He runs his fingers through his hair thinking how quickly time is flying. Soon, his innocent little girls will be packing up their most precious belongings and going off to college, and the thought of them moving away makes him misty-eyed. With the side of his index finger, he brushes away the tear threatening to fall from the corner of his eye. He sighs again, thinking Olivia is right. It is their responsibility as parents to prepare their daughters to take their place in the world.

"Do you still want to live down by the waterfront – in one of those new townhouses?"

Caught off guard by the question, she looks up from the tablet, where she has been reading the latest whitepapers posted on the Diatell website.

"I don't know, babe, it was just a thought", stuttering because she was not expecting the question. Last night he was talking about moving to California or to the east coast, now he is talking about townhouses by the waterfront.

"Let's spend Sunday in the city – see what the area is like."

"Are you saying?"

"I'm saying let's spend the day in the city. The Kidchella Festival is going on for the next few days - the girls will enjoy it."

"Kidchella – what's Kidchella?"

"It's a music and arts festival – kind of like Coachella in California – but for children. Apparently it's co-sponsored by the city's Recreation Department", handing her his tablet so she can look at the Kidchella website.

"Wow - this sounds like fun, babe", she says, reading about all of the activities at the festival. "They're going to have a youth arts zone, six children's music artists will perform on the main stage, and kiddie rides. They're even going to have food trucks – we only have to pack Jo's food. The girls are really going to enjoy this - I'm going to enjoy it."

 **XXX**

As he climbs down from the truck, Fitz glances over at the legendary Tall Ship, which has been converted to restaurant. This is his point of reference for when they are ready to leave this evening.

"I'll get the stroller and Jolie", he says, looking in the back seat of the truck at an excited Cena and a clueless Jolie. Olivia slides her sunglasses down over her eyes, climbs down from the truck, and opens the back door to unbuckle Cena's car seat.

It is a beautiful spring day and the pier is jam-packed with all kinds of families, who like them, are out for the day to enjoy the festival. Many littles ones are being pushed in strollers their by mother or father. A few older children are being carried on their father's shoulders, while others hold onto a parent's hand or walk no more than a few feet ahead of them. Today is all about family.

A variety of vendors, whose tables line the pier's perimeter, sell all sorts of jewelry, artwork, clothing, and tchotchkes supposedly from around the world. There are even tables set up to provide visitors information on housing and energy assistance, job opportunities, and yoga classes. Olivia makes a mental note to speak with Mona about setting up an information table next year to educate visitors about the importance of having access to clean water. She looks up at the sky and inhales deeply, filling her nostrils with the wonderful smells of the different ethnic foods intermingling in the air with the sweetness of cotton candy and funnel cake.

"This is what diversity smells like, babe", smiling at her husband as they stroll along the pier. "This is such a wonderful idea – a Coachella for kids", Olivia says, glancing at all of the activity happening around them.

"Without all the drugs", Fitz says sourly.

"Look – Cee – there's a Ferris wheel", Olivia says, pointing across the pier to the large circle of seats rocking back in forth in the air. Cena squeezes her father's hand.

"What's the matter, Princess?" Fitz asks, noticing his once excited daughter has become quiet.

"There are a lot of people, daddy", she says nervously.

"You'll be fine", picking her up and carrying her in his arms.

"Babe – they're going to have nighttime boat rides. We should do that later – before we leave." He simply nods, walking alongside his wife and carrying Cena.

"Would the pretty little girl like to have her face painted?" The young woman sitting at a table calls to Fitz. Fitz looks at Olivia and Cena stares at the young woman who has pink hair, matching pink lipstick, and extra-long eyelashes. She thinks the woman looks like one of her dolls.

"Would you like to have your face painted – Cee?" Olivia asks, smiling at her daughter, as Cena continues to stare at the strange-looking woman.

"What's your favorite color, pretty girl?" The face painter asks with a broad smile.

"Tell the nice lady your favorite color, Princess", Fitz says, smiling at his shy daughter.

"Red", she says softly, tightening her arm around her father's neck.

"Ah – a princess who likes red. How about I make you look like a princess - would you like that?"

Cena responds silently, nodding her head up and down.

"Okay – but your daddy will have to let you sit my chair. Will that be all right?"

Cena nods again and Fitz sets her onto the chair. Ten minutes later the face painter gives Cena a mirror so she can see the results of her artistry. Cena smiles when she sees the red tiara painted on her forehead, large white ball earrings painted on the sides of her face, and circles of pink paint and her cheeks.

"Do you like it, Princess?" Fitz asks, and Cena nods her head up and down. He bends to lift her from the chair."

"I wanna walk, daddy", and the adults look at each other and smile.

"How about we give Jo a yellow nose?" Olivia says, looking down a Jolie who is sitting up in the stroller taking in all of the sights.

"You got it. A yellow nose for the beautiful baby", the face painter says.

"Look at JoJo's nose, mommy", Cena says with laughter in her voice.

"Thank you", Fitz says, smiling at the face painter as he drops a five dollar bill into the tip box.

"Let's go over there", Olivia says, pointing in the direction of the stage where a group of musicians are singing. Fitz nods and Cena skips along beside her father, loosely holding his hand.

As the singers belt out their soulful tunes, Olivia and Cena dance to the music and Jolie bounces up and down in her father's arms as she claps off beat. After a half-hour of dancing and clapping to the unfamiliar songs, they make their way down the pier, stopping at various tables and browsing the vendors' wares.

.

"It's after 12, Liv – do you want to get lunch now?"

"Okay - I'm going to take Cee to the bathroom and change Jolie. We'll meet you at that table in a few minutes", pointing to the picnic table that faces the bay. You better hurry, babe, before someone else claims it", she chuckles as she turns and walks toward the restrooms. Fitz walks toward the picnic table facing the water, but stops when he sees a vendor selling tee shirts. Olivia loves collecting tee shirts.

"All kinds of tee shirts for you, man", the vendor says in his Jamaican accent. "Pick whatever you like and I give you a good deal: two for 20, three for 30, four for 40." Fritz frowns, thinking that does not sound like much of a deal.

"How about I'll take four of these for 35 dollars?" The vendor rubs his jaw with his calloused hand thinking the man is not as stupid as he looks.

"Okay – just for you – I give you a special deal - four for 35. Don't tell anyone else you got them so cheap."

"I'll take one in an adult's large and small, a child's small, and an infants."

"Good choice – good choice", the vendor says, smiling as he places the shirts into a plastic bag. Fitz hands the man 35 dollars then walks over to the picnic table. A few minutes later, Cena is running toward him excited as ever.

"Daddy – daddy. I saw a merry-go-round. Can we get on?"

"How about we get on after lunch?"

"Yay", Cena screams, jumping up and down with excitement.

"There's so much to choose from", Olivia says, looking around at the line of food trucks.

"May I have a hotdog, mommy?"

"Yes you may. What do you want, babe? I'll get the food while you stay here with the girls."

"I'll have one of those gyros and a diet cola."

"You got it. You can start feeding Jo", pulling the baby's special food from the cooler.

When Olivia returns with the food, Cena begins gobble her hotdog immediately, in anticipation of getting on the merry-go-round.

"Slow down, Cee", Olivia says. "We'll have to walk around awhile before getting on the rides. You don't want to get sick." Fitz rolls his eyes thinking how she never lets them swim for at least an hour after eating.

"Let's take pictures while our food digests", Fitz says, pointing toward the photo booth located across from the merry-go-round. "The line isn't too long yet."

"Okay", Olivia says, pushing the stroller in the direction of the photo booth.

"I haven't seen one of these in eons", Fitz says as they all pile into the compact booth. "This is nothing like the old coin-operated booths when I was a kid - this is high tech", adjusting Jolie on his lap while Cena climbs onto her mother's lap.

They all make silly facial gestures for the camera, laughing hysterically at their images displaying on the screen. A picture is captured with Jolie pulling her father's nose, which is one of her favorite things to do.

"Type in your email address, babe, so the pictures can be sent to your phone. We can make a photo album later."

"Can we get on the merry-go-round now?" Cena yells, looking up at her mother as they exit the photo booth.

"Let's do it."

"I want to get on the horse", Cena yells excitedly, pointing to the black horse with the long mane and wide brown eyes.

"Okay – but daddy will have to stand next to you."

"Wait, Princess, I have to buckle mommy and Jo in first."

After buckling Olivia and Cena into the carriage, he lifts Cena onto the horse and tightens the strap around her small waist. Her eyes and mouth stretch wide as the ride starts and the music begins to play.

"Hold on tight", Fitz says, standing next to his daughter with his arm draped protectively around her little waist. After a few minutes the ride stops.

"Again – daddy", Cena shouts, and he nods, waiting for the music to start. Five minutes later they are walking down the pier toward the Ferris wheel.

"This so much fun, babe. I'm glad you thought of this."

"It'll be getting dark soon", looking up at the sky.

"Let's get on the Ferris wheel, daddy", Cena yells, trying to pull her father in the direction of the lighted seats turning in the darkening sky. He groans when he sees the long line.

"Jo and I will wait here. You two can get in that line", Olivia says, grinning at the look on her husband's face.

While Fitz and Cena wait in the slow-moving line, Olivia pushes a sleeping Jolie around the immediate area, checking out the wares the vendors are selling. She buys a pair of earrings she really likes and a silver bangle before returning to the bench and waiting for Fitz and Cena. An hour later Fitz and Cena find her sitting on the bench across from the Ferris wheel.

"Did you like it, Cee?" Olivia asks her wide-eyed daughter.

"It was cool, mommy."

"We stood in line 45 minutes for a five-minute ride", Fitz says, none too thrilled.

"Look daddy", pointing to the little boy who is wearing a turban and eating a cloud of blue cotton candy. "May I have cotton candy?"

"She's going to be bouncing off the walls tonight", he says.

"Get it babe. She never gets to eat it."

As Fitz and Cena walk along the pier looking for the stand where cotton candy is sold, Cena squeals when she sees her BFF, quickly forgetting about the cotton candy.

" _Asha"_ , Cena screams, dropping her father's hand and taking off running in the direction of her friend.

" _Cena"_ , Fitz yells, quickly running after her. By the time he catches up with his daughter she and Asha are jumping up and down, happy to see each other. _"Cena"_ , Fitz says firmly. _"Did I not say don't ever go away by yourself?"_

"But I saw –"

" _What did I say?"_ He says more firmly. He cannot risk anything happening to her again.

Close to tears, Cena drops her chin to her chest and Asha squeezes her hand in comfort. Cena is not sure if she is more hurt that her father interrupted her reunion with Asha or because he yelled at her. He bends down and in looks into the eyes that mirror his.

"Sweetheart, I know you're excited to see Asha, but you must stay with me and mommy at all times. We don't want you to get hurt or lost. Okay?" He says in a softer tone. Cena nods and he kisses her on the cheek.

"Hello, Kelly", Fitz says to Asha's mother. "It's good to see you again."

"Hello, Fitz. It's good to see you, too."

"It looks like you two have been here a while", Kelly says, smiling at Cena's painted face.

"Long enough to get on rides and eat way too much junk food. Hello, Asha."

"Hello", Asha says, looking up at the tall man as she holds Cena's hand.

"Olivia is sitting over on the bench with Jolie", motioning his head in the direction of his wife.

"I'll stop over for a minute and say hello. Come on, girls", Kelly says, and Cena looks up at her father and he nods his approval. The two little girls giggle as they skip over to where Olivia is sitting with Jolie.

"Kelly – it's so good to see you. It's been a while. Hello, Asha", Olivia says, smiling at the little girl who has the most beautiful big brown eyes she has ever seen.

"Hello", Asha says shyly, looking down at the ground and swinging Cena's hand back and forth. The two girls sit at the other end of the bench chatting incessantly while the adults catch up.

"It's good to see you too, Olivia. It's such a beautiful day I thought I would bring Asha to Kidchella. Do you come every year?"

"No – this is our first time and I love it - Cena loves it, too."

"It's always a fun day for the children – adults, too", Kelly says with a smile. "We're going to get in line so Asha can get on the Ferris wheel - again. It was good seeing you Olivia - Fitz. Come on Asha."

"Take care, Kelly", Fitz says. "Bye, Asha."

"It was good seeing you again, Kelly. Are we still on to have Asha spend next weekend with us? You know how important it is for them to practice for the recital", winking at Kelly who smiles in return.

"Yes. I'll leave her overnight bag at the dance school with Ebony. You'll pick them up, right?"

"I certainly will. Bye, Asha."

Asha waves good-bye to Cena and her parents before sliding her hand into her mother's hand. They are going to ride on the Ferris wheel again.

"I guess it time for us to go", Fitz says, looking around at the pier which is still packed with people.

"Babe, they're going to start the boat rides soon - let's stay a little longer."

"Liv, it's getting late - the girls are tired."

"Let's stay, daddy", Cena screams. "Please". He looks at her excited face then back at his wife's pouty face. The couple sitting on the bench next to them look up when they hear Cena call the man daddy.

"One ride – then we have to go home."

"Yay", Cena squeals, trying to pull her mother toward the boats. Jolie claps her hands because her big sister seems happy.

 **XXX**

After the boat ride the Grants drag their tired bodies back to the parking lot to load up the truck and make their way home. Fitz carries Cena, whose head rests on her father's shoulder as she sleeps. Olivia pushes Jolie, who is sleeping spread-eagled in the stroller, her head drooping to one side. It has been a long day of junk food, lots of rides, walking, and loud music.

"No bath tonight. They are knocked out", Olivia says tiredly.

"We gotta get that paint off their faces. They can't go to bed like that."

"Kidchella – such a wonderful concept", she says, ignoring his comment. Of course she knows she has to wash their faces before putting them to bed.

"How about we come down one night and have dinner on that old ship?" He says as they walk across the parking lot in the direction of the truck.

"That sounds nice, babe. Don't forget to make reservations." He shakes his head because he still cannot figure out what happened to their Valentine's Day reservation. "We've been walking awhile, babe. I don't remember you parking this far past the ship."

"I parked facing the ship – my reference point", he says, continuing to walk.

"Well the ship is back there", looking over her shoulder at the Tall Ship.

"Where the hell is my truck?" He says, stopping and looking around the lot.

"Are you sure this is where you parked?"

"Of course I'm sure", adjusting Cena in his arms. She feels like dead weight. "My truck is gone", he says in disbelief.

" _Gone?"_

"Someone stole my truck."

"Are you sure?" She asks, glancing around the almost-empty parking lot.

" _Dammit._ "

She looks at him disapprovingly but does not think this is the time to admonish him for using bad language in front of the children. He shifts Cena in one arm and pulls the phone from his pants pocket.

"Who are you calling?" She asks nervously.

"Fredericks – the police commissioner", he says angrily.

Ten minutes later a black SUV arrives at the parking lot and stops in front of the Tall Ship where the Grants are standing.

"Council President Grant – Mrs. Grant - my name is Officer Cooper. The commissioner sent me here to take you home. Your vehicle is missing, sir?"

"I parked it here when we arrived – now it's gone", he says angrily.

"Are you sure this is where you parked, sir? Many people who are unfamiliar with the area sometimes get confused where they park their vehicle, especially when they are anxious to partake in the festivities. Could it be parked elsewhere? Perhaps we should drive around the lot and look for it. It is a big parking lot."

"I know where I parked my truck", annoyed because the officer is talking to him like he is some idiot from out of town."

"I don't mean to upset you, sir. Let me have the make and model of the vehicle and license plate." Fitz gives the officer the information.

"And the color?"

"Red", shifting Cena in his arms. She seems to be getting heavier with each question.

 _"Red?"_ The officer exclaims, looking at Fitz curiously. "That's an odd color for that kind of truck. I didn't know they made it in red." Fitz feels like he is going to explode. He is not interested in discussing the color of his stolen truck and the officer sees his frustration.

"I'll submit a stolen vehicle report for you, sir. Hopefully we can get your truck back, but first let's get those sleepy little girls secure in the backseat."

"Thank you Officer Cooper", Olivia says, lifting Jolie from the stroller.

"I have car seats for both girls."

"Thank you officer, Fitz says, feeling like he is going to blow a gasket.

Officer Cooper tries to make small talk with the obviously upset council president as he drives the family home to the suburbs, but Fitz is none too interested in chatting. He was just getting used to driving that monster truck and was actually beginning to like it.

"I'm sorry to say, Mr. Grant, visitors from the suburbs are often victims of theft. You have to know the city - where to park and where not to park."

Olivia closes her eyes knowing Fitz will use tonight's incident as an excuse not to move into the city. She groans silently as she glances at his hardened face in the dark truck.

 **XXX**

Olivia quickly washes the paint from a sleeping Cena's face and puts her to bed as Fitz washes Jolie's face and puts her into the crib. By the time she gets to their bedroom he has finished his shower and is stomping from the bathroom.

"It could've happened to anyone - anywhere, Fitz", trying to smooth things over.

"Not tonight, Olivia", angrily snatching the towel from around his waist and pulling on the pajama pants. He stomps over to the bed and tries to pull back the covers. "We're firing Hildie", he snarls. "I don't know why she's tucking the sheets like this again. And why do we have so many sheets, blankets, comforters, and pillows on this bed anyway? And what is this?" Holding up the cashmere throw and shaking it in her direction. "Why do we even need it on the bed?"

Olivia ignores his rant because they have always had the same bedding, he is just upset because his truck is missing. Finally pulling back the many layers of bedding, he climbs into bed and turns off his lamp. "And I'll be using your car tomorrow to get to work", he says grumpily, punching the pillow as he tries to get comfortable.

 **XXX**

"Fitzgerald left early this morning - he seemed upset", Gwendolyn says as she peels the paper-thin skin from the ginger root.

"Mom, we had a wonderful day on the waterfront yesterday - unfortunately it didn't end well", Olivia says solemnly.

"Why not?" Gwendolyn asks, looking up from grating the peppery root onto the wooden cutting board.

"It was a really fun day, mom. We got on rides, ate way too much, and the girls even got their faces painted."

"It sounds like a good day. So why didn't it end well? You all got home pretty late last night", Gwendolyn says as she scrapes the grated ginger into the pot of simmering water.

"When we were ready to leave - we couldn't find Fitz' truck. It's missing."

" _Missing?_ What do you mean missing?" Turning away from the stove and looking at her daughter.

"I'm afraid it might've be stolen, mom."

" _Stolen?"_

"Fitz had to call the police commissioner to get us a ride home. He was fuming last night. He's not in a much better mood this morning", looking down at her tablet.

"What has your attention on that tablet this morning, Livvia?" Gwendolyn asks as she pours the spicy liquid into her mug, adding a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and honey.

"I'm looking at the Diatell website. Donald gave me access to all of their research – more information than I could ever hope to obtain on my own."

"I see", Gwendolyn says, sitting next to her daughter at the granite island and blowing the surface of her morning tea. "This new job is going to keep you quite busy, Livvia."

"I know", Olivia says, still looking down at the tablet.

"Well, don't get too busy. Remember you have a husband – a family." Olivia frowns, sets the tablet onto the smooth granite top, and leans back in her seat. She knows when her mother has something on her mind.

"Livvia, you know your father and I have never interfered in your personal life. Once you became a teenager we no longer dictated what you should or should not do – except attend church services – of course. We allowed you the freedom to make your own choices and supported your decisions. We never wanted to limit your possibilities - we wanted you to be independent."

Olivia folds her arms across her chest, trying not to roll her eyes. She loves her mother dearly but the motherly advice is a little late.

"What are you saying, mom?" She says with annoyance in her voice.

"I'm just saying - this new job – well it's going to demand more of you – it won't be like running your foundation. It's going to take up a lot of your time. I just want you to make sure you don't forget to give your family - give Fitzgerald the attention he needs."

"Fitz encouraged me to take the job, mom. We discussed it", Olivia says defiantly.

"Of course he did. That man loves you and will do anything to make you happy. But as his wife - you need to do the same thing – don't forget about his needs - make him happy. A man needs that, baby."

 **XXX**

Fitz stomps through the reception area, mumbles something unintelligible to his assistant as he passes her workstation, and then stomps into his office. Victoria frowns, wondering what has him so upset this early. She waits until she hears him finishes his phone call before entering the office to check on him. From what she can hear, it sounds like he is submitting an insurance claim.

"Thank you", he says before slamming the phone onto its base.

"Is everything all right, Fitz? Are you okay?" Looking at him with concern.

"I'm fine, Victoria. I – we - just had a tough night. We took the girls into the city – down to the waterfront – and my truck was stolen."

" _What?"_

"The police commissioner got us a ride home, but now I have to deal with the annoying insurance company."

"Well hopefully the police will find your truck. Can I get you anything?"

"If they do it will probably be on four cinder blocks in some damn alley." Victoria wants to laugh because he looks so adorable when he is upset.

"Just let me know if you need anything", she says, turning to leave the office.

Forty-five minutes later Police Commissioner Christopher Fredericks enters the council president's reception area and Victoria greets him with a pleasant smile.

"Good morning, Commissioner Fredericks", she says in a syrupy voice.

"Good morning - Ms Sanchez", the hard-nosed lawman says as he glances at the nameplate on her desk. "Is the council president in?"

"Yes - he is. I'll let him know you're here", she says, standing from her seat and straightening her tight dress before entering the office. "Police Commissioner Fredericks is here to see you, sir."

Fitz looks up from his document with surprise in his eyes, mentally preparing to receive the bad news about his truck. He guess he will have to go car shopping soon because he cannot drive Olivia's car every day.

"Thank you - send the commissioner in, please", he says, standing and sliding on his suit jacket.

"Council President Grant - good morning", the city's top cop says, tucking his hat under is left arm and extending his hand.

"Good morning Commissioner Fredericks", Fitz says, walking from behind the desk and shaking the man's hand. It's finally good to meet you."

"And you as well."

"Can I offer you something to drink?" Fitz asks.

"No -no", nothing for me."

"Have a seat - please", Fitz says, motioning a hand toward the chairs in front of the desk. The police commissioner nods, sits in one of the chairs, and sets his hat in the other chair. Fitz sits in his chair.

"Thank you for last night, commissioner. It was very generous of you to send one of your officers to drive my family and I home."

"Not a problem. We want to make sure our new council president and his family are safe when they come into our city."

"I sure won't forget it. I certainly wasn't expecting to have my truck stolen after a day in the city with my family", he says with righteous indignation, which causes the commissioner to shift uncomfortably in his chair.

"We found your vehicle, sir", the commissioner says, and Fitz' eyes widen with surprise.

 _"Where - is it damaged?"_ He asks anxiously, now sitting on the edge of his seat.

"It's not damaged, sir. In fact, it's being towed to your residence as we speak", and a broad smile spread across Fitz' face, relieved that his truck has been recovered.

"So - did a couple of kids take it for a joy ride?"

"Not quite, sir", and Fitz frowns, trying imagine what could have happened to his truck. "Sir, your truck was located at one of the city's impound lots - it was towed yesterday for being illegally parked at the pier. You were parked in a tow away zone, sir." Fitz' eyes widen in disbelief.

" _What? No way. I made sure - I looked around."_

"It happens often to those who aren't familiar with the city. The signs can be confusing."

Fitz continues to frown as he replays yesterday's timeline in his mind: he pulled into the lot, looked up at the Tall Ship, put Jolie into the stroller; hand he does not recall seeing any sort of parking signs.

"Well thank you commissioner - I owe you - big time", his face flush with embarrassment.

"No problem - just doing my job, sir. I wanted stop over and personally deliver the good news. Have a good day", the commissioner says as he stands to leave.

"Commissioner", Fitz calls out, stopping the man as he reaches the door. "Do you have a few minutes? I would like to discuss another matter with you."

"Of course, sir", turning and walking back to his seat.

"And call me, Fitz, please", the commissioner nods.

"And call me Chris", the commissioner says as he sits back into the chair and returns his hat to the other chair.

"Are you sure I can't get you something to drink: coffee, tea?" The commissioner waves his hand dismissively.

"Chris, I would like your opinion on outsourcing our police department. The mayor has introduced this in his budget – he says the cost savings will be significant." The commissioner grimaces.

"I take it you are not a proponent of privatizing our police department", Fitz asks, looking at the man's twisted face.

"Hardly. Fitz, municipalities all across this country are looking for ways to save money by outsourcing municipal services - from trash pick up to law enforcement."

Fitz nods with furrowed brow.

"But everyone in this city knows why the mayor wants to outsource our police department. He promised some of his wealthy donors he would return the favor of their support by handing over government-provided services to them. The police department would be the most lucrative. These people just want to make money, Fitz, they don't give a damn about the safety of the people."

Fitz nods.

"This is possibly the worse time in our city's history to think about privatizing our police department", Chris says emphatically.

"Why is that?" Fitz asks.

"Like every other major city and hamlet in this country – our city has been affected by the scourge of the opioid addiction." Fitz holds his breath.

"In the 70s, we had the heroin epidemic following the Vietnam War. Heroin ravaged the inner cities across this country during that time. The 80s brought the crack cocaine epidemic and the violence that came along with it. And the aughts brought the opioid epidemic. This epidemic dwarfs the others."

"What do you mean?" Fitz asks with interest.

"The opioid epidemic has a feeder system - legal prescription drugs. The misuse and abuse of prescription opioid painkillers is the problem - fuels the crisis. Prescription drugs are a critical public health challenge of our city – of our country. You should speak with Dr. Marion Harris, our Director of Public Health. Dr. Harris and I have had many discussions about this latest drug epidemic. We agree it has to be treated as a public health issue, diversion arrests are needed as well. So, privatizing our police department at this time is not what our city needs. We need a police force that cares about the people and not just profits."

"Chris, can you spend more time discussing this? I would like to include Dr. Harris in this conversation."

"Of course. I would do anything to stop Wilson from dismantling our police department."

 **XXX**

Marion walks down the hall toward the council president's suite of office, thinking she has not been on this floor of City Hall in quite some time. She met with the former council president a few times in her office, but Marla preferred holding meetings at her favorite restaurant. When Victoria hears the sound of woman's heels on the marble floor, she looks and sees the Director of Public Health walking toward the reception area. Victoria sweeps her eyes over the woman, assessing her the way she assesses every woman she considers a possible competitor. Everything about the doctor screams high-end: the Chanel two-piece suit, the Hermes scarf wrapped loosely around her neck, the Salvatore Ferragamo pumps, and the black Fendi portfolio tucked under her arm. The doctor is a walking advertisement for high-end designers. Victoria frowns slightly, she knows that whole outfit cost the woman a bundle.

"Good morning, I'm Dr. Marion Harris. I have an appointment with the council president."

"Good morning", Victoria replies with a fake smile, turning to look at the scheduler again. "I don't seem to have you on the schedule, Dr. Harris", she says in a self- important tone.

"The council president called and asked me to stop over", Marion says, glaring at the pretentious woman.

"I see", Victoria says, standing from her seat and walking toward the office. Marion glances at the woman's outfit and thinks that is one of the tightest dresses she has ever seen anyone wear in the workplace. Perhaps she has a date after work.

"Director Harris is here, sir."

"Thank you, Victoria", Fitz says, walking from around the desk with a broad smile and his arms open wide. The police commissioner also stands when Marion enters the office. Victoria watches the interaction trying to figure out the relationship between Fitz and Dr. Harris. "It's good to see you again, Marion", greeting her with a hug and kiss on the cheek.

"It's good to see you, too, Fitz. It's been a while. How are Olivia and the girls?"

"They're doing fine. We had some excitement last night – but I'll tell you about the next time you and my brother are over for dinner. How's my brother – how's Bennie doing?"

"You know your brother, Fitz – busy as usual – putting in a lot of hours at the hospital."

"Have a seat", placing a hand low on her back and steering her over to the chairs."

"Chris", Marion says in surprise when she sees the police commissioner standing across the room. "It's so good to see you", walking over to her friend to give him a hug. "I had no idea you were going to be here."

"It's always good to see you, Marion", the commissioner says, pecking the woman on the cheek. Victoria stands in the doorway watching the scene unfold and wonders what is going on. Fitz did not tell her anything about this meeting. She does not like being left out of the loop.

"Victoria, can you please bring us a fresh pot of coffee. Would you like anything else, Marion?"

"Coffee is fine - thank you."

"Right away, sir."

"Marion, Chris was updating me on the opioid crisis in the city. I had no idea it had reached epidemic proportions."

"It's really bad, Fitz. We are losing three to five citizens a day to heroin overdose."

"Heroin – I thought we were talking about prescription painkillers."

"Fitz, seventy-five percent of heroin addicts today start with an opioid prescription like OxyContin", Marion says.

Fitz nods slowly.

"Many of these people start with a legal opioid painkiller – prescribed by their doctor. And when they no longer have access to these painkillers - can't get them legally or illegally through a doctor - they try to buy them on the streets illegally", Marion says.

"Fitz, it costs 75 bucks for one pill on the streets. It only costs five bucks to buy a bag of heroin", Chris chimes in and Fitz nods in understanding.

"We're seeing the change from people taking painkillers to them shooting up heroin. They're overdosing and dying in back alleys, in cars, and even in their homes. We have to cut that off at the root cause - this is our top priority. Our police department is working with law enforcement agencies across the state and country and we're making a dent - but we have a long way to go."

"For people who are dealing with serious chronic pain - we don't want to cut them off. But we do want to stop creating more addicts and stop having the kinds of death rates we see here in our city. We're seeing once stable neighborhoods wracked by this crisis. I see the death and destruction in these communities every day because of the opioids epidemic. This is an equal opportunity epidemic – afflicting all social classes", Marion says.

"Although funding is not my area of expertise, cutting off funding makes my job that much harder to combat this crisis. It's going to take a multidisciplinary approach to deal with this opioid epidemic: we have to arrest the dealers, go after the doctors who are illegally putting these drugs on the streets, and hold the pharmaceutical companies accountable", says Chris.

"We also have to make the insurance industry more accountable in the process - to allow greater access to treatment and less access to these opioid painkillers. People need guaranteed access to treatment, not incarceration", Marion says.

 **XXX**

Today was bittersweet, his truck was returned in perfection condition; he still cannot believe he parked in a tow away zone. But what he learned about the opioid epidemic in the city is disturbing, and there is no way he will allow Wilson to sell off the police department to his political donors.

"Why does Hildie have to tuck the sheets so damn tight?" Fitz growls in frustration as he tugs at the bedding.

"Maybe she wants you to feel like you're still in the Navy, babe", Olivia says, smiling to herself because he is being ridiculous.

"Why the hell would I want that?" Finally yanking loose the bedding and climbing into bed.

"It was fortunate the fine police department was able to find your truck. You parked in a tow away zone, babe", changing the subject as she rubs the body butter onto her arm.

"I tell you there weren't any signs", he says with embarrassed frustration. "I'm going to submit an ordinance to council to make sure all public street signs are clearly marked and visible. Can you imagine if another family was stuck in that parking lot? How would they have gotten home?"

"Uber – Lyft - a taxi?"

"It would be an inconvenience, Olivia", he grumbles, turning off his lamp and pulling the covers over his shoulders. She looks over at him wondering what happened at the office today to put her husband in such a foul mood. He has been grumpy all evening.


	44. Chapter 44 Cleaning Day

**A/N:** I own absolutely nothing related to the television show called _Scandal_.

 **Cleo** , cannot believe you were feeling sorry for Victoria – if only for a hot minute. No one else's car was towed because they knew where to park. The intent was to show Fitz' lack of familiarity with the city norms and how people refer to them as visitors from the suburbs. Wilson hasn't slept with Victoria. He and Janice simply use her as a tool to achieve their goals. They used her to bring down Darius –stopped him from running for mayor. That rotten kitty cat line is too funny. **SweetOlitz** , Liv wants the girls to be more than visitors in the city, she wants them immersed in the city's culture - daily. **Conwun** , Fitz is trying to be open to moving, but the prospect of doing is challenging him. Don't you think Liv has to be flexible too? **Guest 1** , Chapter 42 seems like such a _long_ time ago and I honestly cannot remember using either terms. Therefore, I don't know the context in which they were used, but I will take your word. The grammar check is always appreciated. Also, you didn't miss anything, Mellie was not mentioned in earlier chapters. Her appearance was intended to provide more insight into who Fitzgerald Grant was while living in California. We won't see Mellie again.

Here we go! Tell me what you think.

 **Chapter 44. Cleaning Day**

Darrin loves his job, in fact, it would be the dream job if it were not for that bitch Victoria making his life a living hell. The woman is a callous and malicious viper and he despises her more than anyone on the planet, in the universe really. He knows he was being reckless when he started visiting his special websites at work – he owns that - but sometimes his urges get the best of him. And, therefore, the woman should hold his weakness against him, yet that is exactly what the low-level worker is doing. The glorified typist has made him her bitch, using his Achilles heel as a weapon to wield against him whenever she has the inclination to do so. The assistant is treating him like her assistant, and his pay grade is higher than hers because he checked. She makes all kinds of demands on his time, during and after business hours. She orders him to dig up dirt on public officials and, on occasion, she has had the gall to _ask_ him to run personal errands, like picking up her dry cleaning or a bottle of nail polish from the local pharmacy because she chipped a nail while typing. No task is too demeaning for her to dole out to him.

For now, Victoria gets to treat him like dirt and walk around City Hall as if she is descendant from royalty, but he has her number. He has researched her background, and she hardly hails from royalty, not even close. The woman is nothing more than a common slut who slept her way down to the secretarial pool. He wonders who she had to screw to get the plum job as the council president's assistant. With folder tucked under the left arm and holding the ever-present phone in his right hand, Darrin walks in a rapid pace to the council president's office. Mr. Grant wants copies of the city's public health reports for the past year and he wants them by nine o' clock this morning. He inhales deeply before entering the lioness' den.

"I have the research Mr. Grant requested", Darrin says tersely and without salutation.

"Good morning, Darrin", the saccharine greeting dripping with condescension from her red lips. He sighs, juts out his chin, and stares blankly at the poster hanging on the wall behind the snake's desk. He just wants to get past her for once without being demeaned and deliver the reports to Mr. Grant, but her ice cold eyes dare him not to return her greeting.

"Good morning, _Ms Sanchez_ ", returning the witch's greeting with the enthusiasm of a man being water boarded in the bowels of the Pentagon.

"Now that wasn't too difficult - was it?" She says, holding his gaze until she decides to dismiss him. "Now you can go in - and knock before you enter", she warns as she reaches across the desk to straighten the errant pencil holder. She dislikes when things are untidy. A cluttered space is a sign that you are not in control.

Humiliated and filled with anger, Darrin stops outside the office door and takes a deep breath. He wants to regain his composure before meeting with the council president. He cannot wait until that bitch gets what coming to her. She might have the upper hand for now, but Victoria Sanchez is going to get what she deserves, and when she does, he wants to be around to dance on her grave.

 **XXX**

 _Give Fitzgerald the attention he needs. Make him happy. A man needs that, baby._

Gwendolyn Pope's advice, no, her warning, rings in Olivia's ears like the bells of Triumph Tabernacle tolling before the Sunday morning service. Her mother's words, intentional or not, have provoked her to do a lot of soul searching over the past few days. Olivia is rethinking everything she had settled neatly in her mind; she just needed to get her husband onboard. She now wonders if moving to the city is really the best choice for their family. She wonders if she should have accepted the new job so soon after the near-death car crash. She is even reexamining her burning desire to have another baby? Everything she was so sure of has been thrown off balance by a handful of carefully worded sentences.

 _That man loves you and will do anything to make you happy._

Shifting the box in her arms, Olivia shakes her head, trying to reconcile the competing thoughts. She is not sure if what will make her happy will also make her husband. And if he is not happy, then what is the point.

 **XXX**

As her well-manicured red fingernails tap lightly on the keyboard, the council president's self-described pit bull and dragon slayer glance at the time displayed in the bottom-right corner of the monitor and smiles, it is 11:20, almost time for lunch. Since their first lunch together a few weeks ago, Victoria has been scheming to find a way for them to dine together again. She really enjoys their alone time together. So, she hatched a plan to insure he will be available for lunch. She rearranged his schedule for the day, shifting all of his morning appointments to the afternoon, mitigating the risk of her plans being disrupted by a morning meeting that might spill over into the lunch hour, or some old fogey hijacking him for lunch. Today is going to be their day. Perhaps they can go to a restaurant rather than eat in that old stuffy office. Getting moist at the prospect of spending time away from the office with him, Victoria crosses her long legs and squeeze her thighs together. She closes her eyes, sliding her tongue across her red lips.

The clickety-clacking sound of heels striking against the marble floor shake Victoria from her reverie. She looks up from the marked up report positioned on the typing stand and prepares to send away whoever is coming to the office without an appointment. She rolls her eyes when she sees Olivia Grant approaching the reception area carrying a large cardboard box. Victoria detests the woman. Maybe in another life they could have been friends, but in this life Olivia Grant has something she wants, so friendship is not an option.

" _Phew!"_ Olivia exhalesas she sets the box on the edge of the immaculate desk, inadvertently bumping the pencil holder from its assigned spot. Olivia has carried the heavy box all the way from the parking garage and she needs to take a minute to catch her breath. "Good morning, Victoria", smiling politely and thinking the attractive woman looks like she put extra effort in getting dressed today.

"Good morning, Mrs. Grant", slowly uncrossing her legs. "I didn't realize you were visiting this morning", forcing a smile as she reaches across the desk to return the pencil holder to its designated position. "I'll let the council president know -"

"No need for that, Victoria", lifting the box from the desk and continuing her trek toward her husband's office. "I'm his wife - remember, you don't have to announce me." The pit bull is reduced to puppy status.

 **XXX**

Leaning back in the chair with legs stretched across the desk, the hems of his pants ride slightly above his crossed ankles as he reads one of the public health reports Darrin delivered earlier. Olivia smiles when she sees he is wearing the navy blue socks with the embroidered red elephants she bought while they perused the shops along the waterfront on Valentine's Day night. She wonders why she did not notice him putting them on this morning.

" _Liv?"_ Crinkling his brow when he realizes his wife is standing in the doorway holding a large box.

" _Fitz?"_ Mimicking his tone as she kicks the door close with the side of her shoe. Victoria rolls her eyes again. Lunch will have to be the canned soup she stores in the bottom desk drawer. She wants to scream.

"This is unexpected", tossing aside the report he has been reading for the past 45 minutes. The document lands on top of the piles of papers and folders scattered over the desk. Somewhat recovered from the surprise visit, Fitz smiles as he walks around the desk to give his wife a proper greeting, only to be blocked by the cardboard box. He settles for a kiss on her cheek instead.

"It's cleaning day, babe", setting the box onto one of the chairs situated in front of the desk.

" _What?"_ Watching as Olivia drapes her navy blue jacket over the arm of the chair.

"I told you we were going to get this desk in order when you finished your legislation. The agenda is done –it's time to get to work on your office." With mouth hanging open, Fitz watches her pull a white paper bag from the box and toss it at him. His lips slowly spread into a smile when he catches the bag.

"Moe's", gingerly caressing the bag as if its contents are a precious commodity.

"Moe's. You didn't eat breakfast this morning. Sit down - eat - while I clean up this mess." Trying desperately not to laugh at his eagerness to bite into the corned beef special sandwich, she starts gathering the papers from the desk and returning them to the folders.

"Yes, ma'am – you don't have to tell me twice", peeking into the bag as he walks over to the conference table.

"Where's my diet cola, woman?" Grinning as he slides the giant delicatessen delight from the bag. Olivia pulls the large Styrofoam cup from the box and walks it over to where he is sitting. With a hand resting on her hip, she bangs the Styrofoam cup onto the table.

"Your cola", playfully glaring at him with an arched eyebrow.

"You bought me Moe's – you love me", pulling her onto his lap and wrapping his arms around her waist, and she makes a feeble attempt to peel away his arms.

"I love you – now eat", pretending to be unfazed by the attention he is giving her.

"Kiss me first", not loosening his hold on her.

"Babe, I have work to do", she whines unconvincingly.

"I said kiss me, woman." Olivia pecks her handsy husband on the lips and he turns the peck into a real kiss, and she responds in kind. "Now go – get to work - so I can eat my lunch", he says with a chuckle.

"You're being silly", swatting her playful husband on the shoulder before walking back to the desk. "Babe, I really don't know how you let this desk get so out of control. This is not like you."

"I told you – I've been busy", preparing to take another bite out of the sandwich.

"We can't let this happen again, Fitz. I can understand having a few papers on the desk - but this is ridiculous. No wonder you can't find anything", thinking about the lost message for him to pick up Jolie's prescription. "Where do you want these?" Holding a folder in the air. Fitz motions his head toward the file cabinet as he chews the layers of corned beef, cole slaw, and rye bread. She shakes her head, because the old metal file cabinet reminds her of the one she had in her office at the foundation, before the flood. Opening and closing the drawers, Olivia quickly file away all the folders in a matter of minutes.

"Where's your lunch?" Moaning with pleasure as the wonderful intermingle in his mouth. He swears the joy he gets from eating Moe's corned beef special is second only to making love to his wife.

"I'm not hungry", removing the rest of the items from the desk and setting them onto the credenza.

""I'm willing to share - come take a bite", grinning as he holds the sandwich in her direction.

"No thanks, babe. I don't want to come between you and your foodgasm", collecting the pens and pencils from the desk.

"What's that?"

"Furniture polish", spraying the cleaner onto the desk then rubbing the cotton cloth over the wood.

"I think you missed a spot", grinning as he points a long index finger at the imaginary overlooked spot on the desk. He tries without success not to laugh out loud when she turns around and gives him another threatening glare.

"You're in a good mood today", quickly swiping the cloth over the desk.

"I'm always in a good mood when my wife surprises me with lunch. What else do you have in that box?" Watching as she pulls another cloth from a plastic bag and sprays it with the glass cleaner. Olivia quickly wipes the glass of the framed wedding and family pictures before placing them back onto the desk.

"Should I take some of these older pictures home?" Assessing the array of family pictures on the credenza behind the desk.

"No - leave them. I want to keep them all here", leaning back in the chair and biting into the dill pickle. Olivia nods, removes all of the frames from the credenza, and piles them onto the desk.

"Babe, this Second Empire-style furniture is rich with history and should be treated with care – respected. It's been in this office for decades – you have to take better care of it. And, you definitely shouldn't put your feet on it." Fitz nods with little to no interest as his wife finishes dusting the frames and returns them to the credenza.

"I'm going to put these extra pens and pencils in your middle drawer – okay?"

Gripped by fear, the playful smile fades and he stops chewing. He holds his breath as she slides open the drawer. He wracks his brain trying to come up with an excuse to explain why the brown plastic bottle of pills is in the desk drawer. He slowly exhales, running his fingers through his hair, when she drops the pens and pencils into the tray and closes the drawer. Secret kept.

Olivia pulls two picture frames from the box and holds them up for her husband to see.

"When did you frame those?" Looking at the pictures they took in the photo booth at the Kidchella festival. The façade remains in place.

"You're not the only one who knows how to print pictures, babe. I might not post our every moment on Instagram like _someone_ I know, but I do enjoy printing and framing them", carefully setting the new family pictures onto the credenza next to the old.

"I married a very smart woman", smiling as he sucks the diet cola through the straw.

"This looks much better, babe", glancing around the room and inspecting her handiwork. "Don't let it get messy again or I'll be back", she says in a terrible Arnold Schwarzenegger voice. He nods and stuffs the last morsel of the sandwich into his mouth. "Babe, don't forget Asha is spending the weekend. Cee really likes her – they're BFFs", smiling at their daughter's description of the little girl in her dance class. Fitz rolls his eyes.

"Well I hope _Asha_ doesn't become her new _Deon_ ", shaking his head and frowning.

"What do you mean?"

"All Cena talks about these days is Asha. I think she's getting too attached, Liv."

"She's six, babe. Plus, she's excited about the dance recital."

"I just don't want her to get too clingy to anyone", balling the paper napkin and tossing it onto the table.

"Except to you – of course."

"I'm serious, Liv. That part of her concerns me - she won't be a little girl forever. She'll be in college soon."

" _College?"_ Looking at her husband as if he has lost his mind. "Can we get her through elementary school first?"

"She needs more friends - a broader social circle."

" _Social circle?"_

"Asha became her best friend right away and she only sees her a couple hours a week. Why doesn't she have more friends at school? Maybe we should schedule play dates."

" _Play dates?"_

"That way she'll always have other children to interact with."

"Babe, scheduling play dates can be complicated; they usually have to be planned a week or more in advance. Besides, friendships can't be planned - they have to happen organically – in school, on the playground, in the backyard – not that we have young children in our neighborhood." He frowns as he watches her pull a glass jar and sticks from the box. He still does not like that his daughter has become fixated on one person again.

"What's that?"

"A diffuser – in the same scent as my body butter. You'll never be able to get away from me", she says, sliding the reeds into the jar and setting it onto the credenza next to the picture frames.

"Never – ever want to", walking over to the desk and dropping the trash into the waste bin.

"Remember to flip the reeds every few days, babe."

"Mhm", wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. She knows he will not remember. "That was really good, Liv."

"Well, that's your last one for the year. If you keep eating those things you're going have to start running around the park with Geoffrey again."

"Thank you", wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close.

"For Moe's?" Smiling at him playfully.

"For Moe's."

 _Kiss_

" _And_ , for cleaning my desk."

 _Kiss_

"While I appreciate you coming here and getting me organized - it's not necessary. You have better things to do with your time. You are a busy executive – you shouldn't worry about cleaning my office. I have staff to do that. Victoria could've have done it."

"I just want to make sure you're okay – that you're happy", she adds softly. "Are you happy?" Her mother's words still ringing in her ears.

"Of course I am? Why would you ask such a thing?"

"You - we've been so busy lately - I just don't want us to drift apart", resting her hands on his shoulders.

"Well you don't have to worry about that happening. You and the girls make me happier than I ever imagined", kissing the tip of her nose.

"You know I love you more than anything", studying his eyes for any signs of discontent.

"I love you, too", wrapping his arms around tightly. "Now that I've made it over the first hurdle, I'll be better organized going forward. Let's go away for a long weekend", running his tongue down the side of her neck.

"That sounds tempting, babe - it really does - but I have to work on my recommendation for Fred. I'm going to need every spare minute I can find." He gives her his best pouty face.

"Don't give me that look. Under normal circumstances it would work – but I have so much to do over these next few weeks. Rain check?" She gives him her best pouty face.

"You owe me - big time", pressing his forehead against hers and caressing her bottom.

"Then I must pay", standing on her tip-toes and running her tongue over his parted lips. Exploring each other's mouth, they moan with pleasure, getting lost in the moment. The two quick knocks on the door jolt them from their make-out session and they both look over at the door. Fitz expels an audible groan.

"Yes, Victoria", he calls out with frustration.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt, sir, but your next meeting is scheduled to start in 15 minutes", quickly sweeping her eyes over the intertwined couple then the pristine desk.

"Thank you, Victoria. I'll be out shortly." She nods and walks from the office, leaving the door open.

"I better let you get back to work, babe", trying to unravel herself from his embrace. "And, I need to get over to Bryson's to set up my office. I'm sure Deanna has all of the basics - but I want to add a few personal items for the days that I'm there."

"One more kiss", smiling mischievously as he pulls her back into his arms.

"Fitz, I have to go."

"I said kiss me, woman", leaning in and pressing his lips against hers. She returns the kiss, scraping her fingernails through the fine hairs at the nape of his neck. Feeling they are nearing the point of no return, Olivia pulls away and fans herself. Her husband still has that effect on her.

"I better go", sliding on her jacket. She hooks the purse over her arm and lifts the box from the chair.

"Let me carry that to the car", reaching to take the box from her arms.

"I got it, babe. You go brush your teeth – nobody wants to smell Moe's all afternoon at your meetings", pecking him on the lips one last time before turning to leave.

"You owe me", he calls as she walks from the office.

"Yeh, yeh", smiling as she walks through the reception area. "Have a good afternoon, Victoria."

"Mrs. Grant", Victoria says. She is still seething.

 **XXX**

Stocked with cleaning supplies and expensive toiletries, the housekeeping attendant pushes the cart down the slate floor, toward the executives' restrooms. She cleans these restrooms twice a day – the women's first then the men's. This is the second and final cleaning for the day. The night crew will clean them again after hours. Every time she enters the luxurious restrooms she thinks about how the bathroom in her tiny apartment pales in comparison. In fact, these restrooms are almost as large as her entire apartment.

When Olivia exits the elevator on the 46th floor of Bryson Foods headquarters, she hurries toward the women's executive restroom. Digging in her purse along the way for the access card, she wishes she had taken the time to go to the bathroom while at City Hall. The attendant stops abruptly when she sees the woman waving her access card in front of the door lock; she will clean the men's room first this time.

"Housekeeping", she calls out, waiting a few seconds before propping open the door with the cart.

She slaps the placard on the door to indicate the space is being cleaned then cautiously enters the room. She peeks around the corner where the showers are located, checking that fat ass Carlson is not lurking around in his birthday suit. He might be a senior vice president, but he is also a disgusting and creepy pervert. She knows he pretends not to hear when she knocks on the door. He gets some sort of sick pleasure from seeing her jump when she sees him strutting around with that fat belly and everything else exposed. She usually tries to find out his whereabouts before making her rounds to clean the bathrooms.

It is a mindless and routine process, taking no more than 20 minutes to quickly clean the urinals, shower, mirrors, countertops, damp mop the floor, and restock the shelves with toiletries and plush Egyptian cotton towels. During that time, she thinks about getting to her second job on time and worrying that she is not being a good mother. When she has finished cleaning, she flips the reeds in the diffusers, pulls the plastic gloves from her hands, and tosses them into the clear plastic trash bag attached to the cart. As she pushes the cart down the hall, she prays the women's restroom is now vacant. She knocks on the door.

"Housekeeping", she announces, waiting a while before entering. She exhales in relief and quickly repeats the cleaning process in the women's room.

 **XXX**

Olivia is immediately drawn to the floor-to-ceiling wall of windows behind the desk when she walks into the bright and airy office. The room is more than twice the size of her office at the foundation. She smiles as she looks out the window. It is a clear and beautiful Washington day and she can almost see the Space Needle in Seattle. She admires the décor, thinking Deanna definitely did not spare any expense in setting up the office. She has every office supply imaginable on the oversized glass and chrome desk, with extras stored in the armoire. On the other side of the room, a large rectangular glass and chrome table hosts a fully stocked beverage bar. Every type of coffee and tea imaginable, including creamers and sweeteners are on the table. And, a mini refrigerator and wine chiller are tucked under the rectangular table. A round glass and chrome conference table is placed in front of the other set of floor-to-ceiling windows adjacent to her desk. The office looks like something in _Architectural Digest_.

"Olivia", Deanna says, walking into the office with a big smile. "I'm so sorry I wasn't at the reception area to greet you."

"Hello, Deanna", Olivia says, still wearing her big smile as well. "This is such a beautiful office. The view is to die for."

"Mr. Bryson wanted you to have _this_ office with _that_ wonderful view", smiling as she glances out the window. "Are you finding everything you need?" Deanna is confident that the office will meet Olivia's needs, after all, she selected the décor and inspected the office earlier to make sure the housekeeping staff had set up the office according to her specifications.

"Yes - you have clearly thought of everything, Deanna."

"Well, we want you to be comfortable in your new space, Olivia."

"Thank you. I'm sure I will. I've bought in a few personal items", pulling the framed photographs from the tote bag.

"Of course. Well don't hesitate to ask if you need anything. I'll make sure housekeeping gets whatever you need."

"Thank you, Deanna", setting a photograph of her and Fitz on their wedding day at one end of the desk. Then, she sets one of the pictures they took at the Kidchella Festival on the other end of the desk.

"You have a beautiful family, Olivia", smiling at the family pictures with Cena and Jolie. "May I?"

"Of course. They're everything to me."

"As they should be. When it's all said and done - a woman needs more than her career", she says, and Olivia thinks she heard a tinge of regret in Deanna's voice. She glances at the family pictures one last time before walking toward the door. "You do remember where the restroom is – right?"

"Already found it", she chuckles.

"And if you ever misplace your executive key just let me know or you can contact housekeeping directly."

"Thank you, Deanna."

"Would you like me to order lunch?"

"No – thank you. I'm not hungry."

"Okay – just let me know if you change your mind. I'll send up I-T a little later to set up your laptop, tablet, and phone – get you access to our intranet. You will find the company's directory on all of your devices."

"Thanks, Deanna. By the way, this orchid is absolutely beautiful", looking fondly at the flower placed on the desk. The tall bright yellow blooms speckled with red dots complement the large buttery soft yellow leather chair.

"I'm glad you like it. You'll receive a new one every two weeks."

 **XXX**

"Babe, you have to come see my office at Bryson's. It is absolutely breathtaking. It sort of reminds me of your offices at Grant Enterprises – so contemporary", dipping her fingers into the jar of body butter.

"You deserve it, Liv", laying his head on her lap.

"Fitz – I have cream on my hands", holding her hands away from him so the cream does not get on his tee shirt.

"I enjoyed you surprising me with lunch today."

"Well don't get used to it. I have a lot going on, babe", rubbing her hands on his arm to rid her hands of the excess body butter.

"That jar does smell like you."

"It's called a diffuser, babe. Don't' forget to flip the reeds every few days", hoping the second reminder is the charm.

"I thought about you – us - all afternoon."

"I thought you had meetings."

"After my meetings." She nods, waiting for him to continue. And after a few moments of silence, he says what is really on his mind.

"I love this house, Liv - I love living in Church Falls."

 _There it is, this is what he really wants to talk about._ She hears her mother's warnings again, and knows she needs to let him talk. She needs to really listen to what is on his mind.

"It's a wonderful place to raise children. It's safe, Liv. I need you and the girls to be safe." She kisses the tip of his nose, encouraging him to continue.

"We've _made_ this our home - we have our fingerprints on this house. When we moved here seven years agowhenall we had were wedding gifts, the same last name, and a few days' worth of experiences together."

"It's called a honeymoon, babe."

"Our family was brand new - it was just the two us. Then Cee came along and she changed everything for us." Olivia nods in agreement, as she strokes his hair.

"This is where Cee took her first steps, said her first words, and dented the wall in the family room when she bumped her head at two. This is where I taught her how to swim, Liv. And, this is where we made Jo." She nods, because that is definitely true. He was traveling a lot at the time, and every time he came home, they would spend every night experiencing each other like it was their first.

"Over the years we have filled our walls and bookshelves with pictures and memorabilia of experiences we've shared together and with our families. Seven years of family get-togethers and celebrating holidays and birthdays are here. Our family's identity is here, Liv. This is who we are – this is us."

"I know we've had some tough times here as well – but this is where we overcame those tough times. Do you remember the time we lost power and -"

"We cooked dinner over the fireplace", laughing at the memory as she grazes her fingernails across his scalp. "And, the next day you went out and bought that huge generator that we have not used since."

"I'm not getting rid of that generator, Liv." She has been pestering him for years to sell it or give it away. It takes up too much space in the garage, along with all the other equipment he rarely use.

"I just want to do what's best for our family, Liv. I also want you to be happy."

"Babe, we've created a lot of wonderful memories here - but we've had so many wonderful experiences outside of our home: our wedding, our honeymoon, the hospital where our children were born, our vacations ..."

"I know."

"And the one thing all of those experiences have in common is that we were together. _It doesn't matter whether we are here or someplace else - we will always create new memories",_ caressing the side of his face.

"I know", turning on his side and wrapping his arm around her waist.

"Babe, I don't want you to feel like I'm pressuring you about moving. We don't have to anytime soon – not until you're ready. Okay?"

He nods, feeling somewhat relieved.

"But, babe, do you think you could be happy in another house - make new memories elsewhere?" He sighs, presses his lips against her nightgown, and thinks about the question. "Fitz, I believe our best memories are ahead of us - no matter where we are."

 **XXX**

When Olivia opens the door, Cena and Asha push past her, drop their bags onto the floor, and run toward the staircase. The two girls have been waiting for what seems like forever for the Friday, for the sleepover to begin.

"Show Asha her room, Cee", and the two little girls take off running toward the long staircase before Olivia could finish her instructions. "Wait – wait. Take your bags with you."

Cena and Asha run back to the foyer to collect their bags. Cena grabs her gym bag that contains her dance leotards and shoes. Asha grabs her gym bag and the overnight bag covered with Minnie Mouse.

"Dinner will be ready in 30 -", Olivia calls out, but the girls are already halfway up the long staircase. Bowtie runs from the family room and up the stairs, too, and Olivia sneers at Fitz and Cena's dog.

"In here, Asha. Mommy said this is your room."

Asha's big brown eyes stretch wide when she enters the bedroom that will be hers for the next two days. She has never seen such a big bedroom. The bed is so big she thinks she might get lost in it.

"The bathroom is over there", Cena points in the direction of the en suite bathroom. Asha eyes get wider, if that is even possible. She has never seen a bathroom in a bedroom.

"Let's play in my room, Asha", Cena says excitedly, grabbing her BFF's hand and pulling her from the room and down the hall. Bowtie scamper down the hall behind the girls.

"Wow", Asha says, flabbergasted by the bedroom that is befitting a real princess. "Your room is so pretty, Cena."

"Look at my dolls, Asha. My Nana bought them from Africa."

 **XXX**

Fitz smiles when he enters the house and hears the laughter of two little girls flowing down into the foyer. He sets the briefcase onto the floor then hangs his coat in the closet. Shaking his head at the rapid-fire pace at which the girls are talking, he wonders what has them so excited. When he walks into the family, he picks up Jolie from the play mat and she quickly reaches for his nose. He stuffs her hand into his mouth, pretending to gobble it, and she squeals with laughter.

"I _hear_ our guest has arrived", pecking his wife on the lips as she stands at the stove reheating the food Hildie prepared for their dinner.

"They've been chattering nonstop since we got here – before we got here, really. They've been talking since we left dance class." Fitz nods as he bounces Jolie in his arms, still reaching for her father's nose.

"Babe, can you watch the girls for a few hours in morning? Mona wants me to meet her at the foundation."

"On a Saturday?"

"It's the only day we are both available."

"Okay. I have some work to wrap up in the morning. I'll take the girls to the park in the afternoon."

"They'll love that. Won't you Miss Jo", kissing the drooling baby on her lips. "Babe, can you get the girls – tell them it's time for dinner. And make sure they wash their hands." He nods, following the sounds of the giggling coming from Cena's bedroom.

"So what is so funny", he asks, standing in the doorway holding Jolie tight to prevent her from jumping out of his arms. She wants to get on the floor with the big girls. Cena runs over to her father for a hug and Asha watches the tall man pick up Cena and kiss her on the cheek.

"Daddy – daddy. Asha is here", stating the obvious.

"Hello, Asha", Fitz says to the little girl who has gone silent.

"Hello", Asha says softly.

"Why don't you girls go wash your hands then come downstairs for dinner."

"Yay", Cena yells, climbing down from her father and skipping over to Asha. "Come on Asha, we have to wash our hands", guiding her friend to the en suite bathroom. Another bathroom Asha thinks as she follows Cena.

 **XXX**

Cena is so excited that her BFF is sleeping over, she has hardly touched the spaghetti and meatballs Hildie made as a special treat for their guest. She chatters incessantly and seems oblivious to Asha's quiet demeanor, who has been tight-lipped since they came down for dinner.

"Do you like spaghetti, Asha?" Olivia asks with a smile when she notices the little girl has barely touched her food. She knows Asha likes spaghetti and meatballs because she asked Kelly for a list of Asha's favorite foods, and if she had any allergies.

"Yes", Asha says in an almost inaudible tone as she glances over at Cena's father then quickly looking down at her plate.

"You can have something else if you want", Fitz chimes, smiling at the bashful girl. Asha slowly sides the fork into her mouth. Fitz looks at Olivia wondering if the little girl is homesick.

"Cena, eat your dinner so you and Asha can have _ice cream_ for dessert", Olivia says cheerily. Cena nods her head and starts shoveling food into her mouth at the prospect of having ice cream. Asha follows suit.

"Then we can play a game after dessert", Fitz says with the same level of enthusiasm as his wife.

"Can we play _Chutes and Ladders_ , daddy?" Cena asks excitedly.

"Maybe we should let Asha pick the game tonight, sweetheart."

"Asha, do you want to play _Chutes and Ladders_?" Looking at her friend and nodding her head up and down. Asha nods her head, too.

"Asha wants to play, daddy."

After the ice cream is eaten, Fitz joins Cena and Asha on the floor in the family room to play _Chutes and Ladders_. After two games of raucous competition between father and daughter, Olivia announces it is bath time.

"Babe, can you get Cena set up for her bath and bathe Jo while I help Asha?"

"Okay. Let's put the game away girls - then you can get ready for your baths", Fitz says, standing from the floor and picking up Jolie, who is gnawing on one of her rubber toys.

"Daddy – can Asha have bubbles?"

"Would you like bubbles in your bath, Asha?" Fitz asks, smiling down at the shy girl.

"Yes", Asha says softly.

"Then bubbles it is", Olivia says with gusto, taking Asha by the hand and guiding her upstairs.

 **XXX**

"Okay girls – time for bed. Asha, would you like to sleep in your own room tonight or would you like to sleep with Cena? You can sleep wherever you want", Olivia adds quickly, smiling at the adorable little girl who is dressed in pajamas covered with Minnie Mouse and holding her teddy bear.

"With Cena." She is afraid she might get lost in the big bed.

"Yay", Cena squeals and the two girls giggle as they jump onto the Princess' bed, kicking their legs in the air.

"What's so funny?" Fitz asks as he walks into Cena's bedroom carrying a freshly bathed Jolie. Asha looks down and holds the bear tighter.

"Asha's going to sleep with me, daddy. Can you read our bedtime story now?" Continuing to kick her legs up and down with excitement.

" _Goodnight Moon_ it is", he says, setting Jolie onto the bed then walking across the room to retrieve the book from the shelf.

"Well that's my cue. I only do this when _absolutely_ necessary", Olivia says to her husband with a wink and a smile.

"Party pooper", Fitz says, which elicits giggles from the girls.

"Daddy you said pooper."

"Pooper, pooper, pooper", he repeats, and they all laugh out loud. Jolie laughs, too, because everyone else is laughing.

"Goodnight, Cee", Olivia says, kissing her daughter on the cheek.

"Goodnight, mommy."

"Goodnight, Asha", tousling the girl's long braids and pecking her on the cheek.

"Goodnight", Asha says quietly.

"And goodnight, Miss Jo", kissing the drooling baby on her cheek.

"Goodnight, Fitzgerald", giggling as she walks from the room to take a hot shower. It has been a long day.

Asha's big brown eyes follow Cena's father as he walks across the room and slides a book from the shelf. She looks down at her bear when he walks back to the bed.

"Scoot over girls. It's story time."

As usual, Cena curls into her father's side and Jolie crawls onto his stomach and rests her head on his chest. Bowtie takes his position at the foot of the bed and Asha sits up straight, holding onto her bear. Cena listens intently like it is the first time she has heard the story. Jolie has already fallen asleep and Asha continues to hug the bear as she listens to the timbre of the man's voice. Midway through the third reading Cena and Asha are both fast asleep. Fitz climbs from the bed with Jolie and returns the book to the shelf. He pulls the covers over Cena and Asha then gives both girls a kiss before turning off the light.

"Goodnight, Cena. Goodnight, Asha", smiling at the two sleeping girls before walking from the room. Bowtie jumps from the bed and takes his position in the hall as Fitz walks to the nursery.

 **XXX**

"My daddy makes the best panny cakes", Cena says, promoting her father's cooking skills. "We can make a face with fruit. Okay?" Cena says emphatically as she looks into Asha's wide eyes.

"Okay", Asha says, glancing over at the stove where Cena's father is preparing breakfast.

"May I get the fruit, daddy?"

"Yes you may", he says, flipping another pancake. Cena slides the plastic containers of fruit from the refrigerator shelf and sets them onto the island top – two in front of Asha and two in her spot.

"Open it like this, Asha", Cena directs, sliding her finger under the plastic lid the way her father taught her long ago. "Okay?"

Jolie bangs a hand on the tray and the two girls look over at the baby stretching a hand toward them.

"You can't have fruit, JoJo." Cena knows her sister is allergic to certain fruits and dairy products. Jolie bangs her hand on the tray again.

"Eat your Cheerios, JoJo", Cena directs again. "Eat like this", Cena pretends to put Cheerios into her mouth and Jolie, who tries to copy everything her big sister does, picks up a few Cheerios with her chubby hand and stuffs them into her mouth. She begins to laugh when Cena applauds.

"Ready for pancakes, girls?"

"Yes – yes", Cena yells.

"Would you like pancakes, Asha?" Fitz asks, holding the frying pan in a glove-covered hand.

"Say yes, Asha. My daddy makes the best panny cakes."

"Yes", Asha says softly.

"Okay. Two pancakes for Asha and two pancakes for Cena", sliding the hot cakes onto the girls' plates.

"Does anyone want bacon?" He teases.

"Daddy, I love bacon."

"I like bacon, too", Asha says. Fitz smiles at the little girl and she smiles at him.

"Okay – bacon for Asha and Cena."

Fitz gets the syrup from the pantry and walks back into the kitchen. "Who wants syrup?" Holding the bottle in the air.

"I do- I do."

"Okay – syrup for Cena. Does anyone else want syrup?" Smiling again at Asha.

"I do", she smiles.

"Daddy, may we have cream to make a beard?"

"Just for today because we have a very special guest", he says, walking to the refrigerator to get the can of whipped cream.

"My daddy says you're special, Asha", and the little girl smiles again.

"Asha, do you like whipped cream?" Fitz asks. Asha does not know if she likes whipped cream or not because she has never had it. She looks down at her plate.

"It's good, Asha", Cena says, giving her friend a reassuring nod.

"How about I put a little on a spoon so you can taste it? Okay?" Fitz asks cautiously.

"Say okay, Asha. It's so good", Cena says, coaxing her friend to taste the cream.

"Okay", watching with great curiosity as Cena's father takes a spoon from the drawer.

Fitz squirts a little of the whipped cream onto a teaspoon and hands it to Asha. He, Cena, and Jolie all seem to hold their breaths as they watch Asha stare at the white cream before slowly sliding the spoon into her mouth. She smiles when the fluffy sweet cream connects with her tongue.

"She likes it, daddy", Cena yells excitedly.

"So what do you think - do you like it, Asha?" Fitz asks, holding the can in his hand as he waits for her response.

"Yes. I like it", giving Fitz her biggest smile of the morning.

"Okay, beards for Asha and Cena."

"Let's make our fruit faces, Asha", Cena says, pulling fruit from the bowls and placing the blueberries, strawberries, and cantaloupe onto the top pancake. Asha nods and follows Cena's lead. Jolie watches as the two girls make fruit faces on the tops of their pancakes.

"Do you like milk, Asha?"

"Yes - please."

As if on cue, Jolie turns her sippy cup upside down and laughs hysterically as her milk flows onto the floor. Cena and Asha begin to laugh as well.

"JoJo, don't pour your milk on the floor", Fitz says, dashing across the room to retrieve the cup from his laughing daughter. He pulls the towel from his shoulder and wipes the milk from the floor.

"Good morning, Fitzgerald", Calvin says. "I see you're praying early this morning", chuckling at his son-in-law who is on his knees wiping milk from the floor.

"Good morning, Calvin – Gwendolyn", standing from the floor and looking at a laughing Jolie.

"Don't cry over spilled milk, Fitzgerald", Gwendolyn laughs. Fitz looks at his mother-in-law with furrowed brow because she rarely makes a joke.

"And who is this pretty little girl?" Calvin asks, looking at Asha who seems to be shrinking again from the presence of two new adults in the kitchen.

"GranPop – this is Asha - my BFF."

"Ah – the BFF. Good morning, milady", Calvin bows and extends his hand to the little girl.

"Good morning", Asha says shyly, shaking the strange man's hand.

"Her name is Asha, GranPop – not milady."

"Good morning, Cena", pecking his granddaughter on the cheek and shaking his head.

"Good morning, Cena.

"Good morning, Nana."

"Good morning, Asha. We've heard so much about you. I hear you're a wonderful dancer", Gwendolyn says.

"Good morning", looking at the woman's jingling bracelet.

"I can't wait to see you girls on stage", Gwendolyn says, pecking Cena then Jolie on the cheek. She strokes Asha's back.

"Can I get you some breakfast, Calvin?" Calvin looks at the girls' half-eaten pancakes covered with fruit and whipped cream and thinks about his stomach. Then he looks over at Jolie's tray, which is covered with soggy Cheerios.

"No thank you, Fitzgerald. I'll just have coffee and toast this morning."

"Gwendolyn - breakfast?"

"No thank you, Fitzgerald. I'll just have my usual ginger tea and toast", she says, walking over to the refrigerator to retrieve the ginger root.

"And where is Livvia this morning?" Gwendolyn asks.

"She had to meet Mona at the foundation this morning."

"We also have a few errands to run this morning. Maybe we'll be back before she returns."

"Daddy – may Asha and I play in my room?" The two girls look up him expectantly.

"Yes – but don't forget you have to practice before we can go to the park to ring the rocks." The two girls take off running from the kitchen and Bowtie runs after them. Jolie looks as they all leave the kitchen and starts to cry.

"Aww, don't cry, Jolie", Gwendolyn says, lifting her crying granddaughter from the high chair. "You'll be able to keep up with them soon."

 **XXX**

After playing in Cena's room all morning, the two girls came downstairs in the afternoon to practice their dance routine. The recital is next week and they need to make sure their routine is flawless. For the past hour, they have been bouncing around the family room practicing Miss Ebony's routine, giggling and laughing each time they make a mistake. Hearing the girls laughing, Fitz decides to take a break from working in the study and to get another cup of coffee. He picks up Jolie from the playmate and walks into the kitchen to refill his coffee mug.

Leaning against the doorframe that leads from the kitchen to the family room, Fitz holds the mug of coffee in one hand and Jolie in his other arm as he watches Cena and Asha practice. He frowns and shakes his head.

"That's not quite right, girls."

Cena and Asha stop dancing and look up at him curiously. "That's not quite how Miss Ebony taught you."

Fitz knows every dance routine that Miss Ebony has taught them because he often sits on the same hard metal chair every Tuesday and Friday watching the class practice. He knows what he is talking about when he says they are not performing the routine correctly.

"Show us, daddy", Cena says, skipping over to her father.

"Whoa - whoa. I don't really dance. I just know how it should look."

"Show us, daddy. Pleeease?" Giving him that look she knows he cannot refuse.

"Okay – okay", setting the mug onto the table and standing Jolie on the floor in front of the sofa. "Start the song over, Cee." Cena runs over to her tablet and taps the song, and the music flows through the speakers.

"Show us", daddy.

"Okay, but you have to watch carefully." Cena and Asha nod their heads up and down as Fitz demonstrates Miss Ebony's dance routine. With hands on hips, he kicks a leg in the air, taps the foot on the floor, then spins around. "You have to remember to tap your foot on the floor before spinning around. Okay?" With mouths hanging open, Cena and Asha nod their heads in amazement. "Start the song again, Princess, and let's all do it together."

Cena runs over to her tablet and presses the song again and they all line up to start the routine. Fitz looks over at Jolie and shakes his head. She looks like one of those weightlifters, squatting up and down to the beat of the music.

"Now tap", and the girls, with hands on their hips, extend their right leg and tap their foot onto the floor.

Olivia stands in the doorway watching the scene before her. She cannot believe she is seeing her husband shaking his hips in the middle of the afternoon.

"Now turn", he says, spinning around and stopping abruptly when he comes face to face with his disapproving wife. He is flush with embarrassment. With arms are folded across her chest she shakes her head from side to side.

"You're doing it wrong", Olivia says flatly. Cena and Asha stop dancing and look back and forth between the adults. Jolie did not get the message so she continues squatting and standing to her own beat.

"This is how you do it", Olivia laughs as she shimmies her way into to the room, performing her version of Miss Ebony's dance routine.

"What's going on here?" Calvin asks, watching his daughter dance around the room.

"We're dancing, GranPop", Cena says, jumping around the room.

"Dancing - without us? Come on Gwennie, let's show these young folks how it's really done." Calvin steers his wife onto the dance floor and they dance to the beat of whatever music is playing.

"Look mommy, GranPop and Nana are dancing", Cena giggles as she and Asha bounce up and down, trying to emulate the grandparents.

"You didn't know your GranPop knew how to dance – did you?" Looking at his giggling granddaughter as he dances around the room with his wife.

"I taught him everything he knows", Gwendolyn says, holding her husband's hand as he spins her around the room

"Livvia, play that Marvin Gay song, _Come Get to This_. You remember we used to dance to that song for hours?" Olivia hurries over to Cena's tablet and starts the song. Gwendolyn and Calvin start to Bop. Cena and Asha try to do the unfamiliar dance.

"Come on, babe, let's show them how to do it", extending her a hand to her husband. Fitz takes her hand and moves his feet the way she taught him years ago. The room is filled with music and raucous laughter as everyone Bop to the song. Gwendolyn is just getting warmed up when the song ends.

"Livvia, play The Temptations, _I Want a Love I Can See"_ , Gwendolyn calls out and Olivia quickly searches Spotify for her parents' favorite Cha-Cha song.

"Nice", Calvin's says with a smile as the rooms fills with the rhythmic sounds flowing from the built-in surround sound speakers. "You know your mother couldn't dance a lick when I met her", beginning to Cha-Cha."

"Not true", Gwendolyn says, dancing back in forth with her husband.

"Babe, they always argue about who taught who how to dance", Liv says, dancing with her husband.

"No argument here. Liv taught me everything I know."

"Not bad, Fitzgerald, not bad", Calvin says, admiring his son-in-law's foot work. "Now switch."

Fitz is now Cha-Cha-ing with Gwendolyn and Olivia is dancing with her father. Cena and Asha are dancing with each other and Jolie is still dancing with the sofa. When the song comes to an end Olivia starts another song.

"Line dancing time" she yells when _Wobble_ begins to play. They all form a line and dance in sync.

"I always loved to dance. I couldn't listen to this kind of music when I was growing up", Gwendolyn says as she turns and lifts her leg to the beat. "My mother was not going to have the devil's music in her house." Olivia is shocked by her mother's admission.

"One more", Olivia yells, searching for another song. Beyoncé's _Single Ladies_ starts to play.

"Queen Bee", Asha yells.

"And not the hair braider, Calvin", Fitz laughs out loud.

"Well, I guess we have to sit this one out, Fitzgerald. We're neither single nor are we a lady."

Calvin picks up Jolie who is struggling to keep pace with the other dancers and Fitz sits on the sofa watching the ladies do a bad job imitating Beyoncé. As the song comes to an end everyone is laughing and sweating from the impromptu dance concert.

"We should do this more often", Calvin says, bouncing Jolie on his lap."

"Maybe we'll dance at Jolie's birthday party next month", Gwendolyn says. "Our baby might be walking by then."

 **XXX**

When Fitz finishes reading the popular bedtime story, he looks down and sees that the three girls and Bowtie are fast asleep. He returns the tattered book to the bookshelf, lifts Jolie from the bed, and kisses Cena and Asha good night. He pats Bowtie on the head and the dog jumps down from the bed and follows Fitz over to the door, waiting for him to dim the lights, and Asha smiles in her sleep.

Over the past few days Asha has gone from being mostly silent to totally involved in the Grant family life. She likes when everyone sits around the large island in the kitchen talking nonstop about anything and everything. She likes when they all cuddle in Cena's big bed at night, with all the colorful fluffy pillows surrounding them as they listen to the nightly reading of _Goodnight Moon_. She really likes being here and is going to miss everything when she goes back home tomorrow.

 **XXX**

"You have a lot of stuff, Cena", Asha says looking around the room as they sit on the red bean bags playing with the dolls, after they finished eating another wonderful breakfast prepared by Cena's father.

"Like what?" Cena asks, looking at her friend curiously.

"I don't know", Asha says, shrugging her shoulders "Just stuff. You have your own room, a lot clothes, and books and toys", Asha says quickly.

"My mommy and daddy buy me _stuff_ ", repeating Asha's description of all the beautiful furniture, clothes, and toys she has.

"I don't have a daddy", Asha confesses sadly.

" _You don't?"_ Asha shakes her head from side to side and Cena's eyes are close to bulging from her head. She cannot imagine not having her daddy. She thought all children had a daddy.

"Why not?" Cena asks, fascinated by Asha's revelation. Asha shrugs her shoulders again and starts to cry. Cena leans over in her bean chair and pats her friend on the back, trying to comfort her.

"Don't cry, Asha. My daddy can be your daddy, too."

"He can?" Asha says, looking up at Cena with her big brown eyes. Cena shakes her head up and down.

"My daddy can be my daddy, JoJo's daddy, and your daddy, too. Okay?"

Asha nods her head and the tears stop flowing because she is finally going to have a daddy. Maybe her new daddy can call her by a special name like he calls Cena and Jolie. Maybe her new daddy can pick her up and carry her around his neck like he carries Cena. Maybe her new daddy can love her too and give her hugs and kisses like he gives Cena and Jolie.

 **XXX**

With a finger pressed to his pursed lips, Fitz shakes his head as he studies the budget cuts Mayor Wilson is proposing for the School District. He is proposing a ridiculous reduction in funding for the city's schools. Wilson is playing politics with the lives of the children who live in the city. The public hearings are scheduled to begin in June and the reductions to the School District's budget will surely be hotly debated, and he can understand why.

As he rereads the last paragraph of the budget, Cena and Asha walk into the study holding hands. Well, Cena is actually pulling a timid Asha into the room. The two little girls stand in front of the big desk watching Fitz frown as he reads the book in his hand. Sensing he is being watched, Fitz looks up and smiles at the little girls.

"Hi, Princess. Hello, Asha. Did you want something?" Looking back and forth at the two girls. Cena nods her head up and down.

"Use your words, Princess. What do you want?"

"I want you to be Asha's daddy. JoJo and I don't mind sharing", she adds quickly.

Over the past 10 years, Fitz has made a lucrative living using his verbal skills to negotiate some of the most complex corporate acquisitions, but right now the famous negotiator has been rendered speechless by his six-year-old daughter. He shifts uncomfortably in the chair, seemingly unable to find his voice. He hopes his face does not reveal his uneasiness. The two girls stare at him, waiting patiently for the answer. He looks into the eyes that match his, then at Asha, whose big brown eyes seem to have grown even larger in anticipation of his answer.

He wonders why his wife is taking so long at the mall. She and Gwendolyn left hours ago to buy Jolie a new pair of shoes. How long does it take to buy an infant a pair of shoes anyway? And why does Jolie even need shoes when she is not walking? And why did Calvin have to drive them? All of these questions swirl in his head while under the hot gaze of the two pint-sized jurors.

"Daddy, Asha doesn't have a daddy - so can you be her daddy? Pleeease."

He is still trying to formulate a response that would sound somewhat acceptable to two six year olds. Finally, he discovers his voice and clears his throat before presenting his argument to the jury.

"Well, sweetheart, I'm sure Asha's mother would have something to say about that", giving them a smile he hopes will send them away, but the two girls are unmoved. They continue to stare at him, waiting for him to come up with a better answer, so he continues. "Why don't mommy and I talk to Asha's mommy about this - okay?"

Cena looks at Asha and the two girls nod their heads in agreement. They know adults always have to talk to other adults about kid stuff.

"Good. Why don't you girls practice your dance one more time before mommy comes home - okay?"

"Yay", they squeal, running from the room chattering and laughing. Crisis averted. Bowtie lingers in the study and gives Fitz a sympathetic look.

"Man's best friend, hunh? You could've warned me", he says, chastising the pooch. Bowtie stretches his body across the floor and whimpers.

 **XXX**

After Fitz puts Jolie in her crib, he hurries down the hall to their bedroom. He has been waiting all evening to talk with his wife.

"Liv", he calls in a whisper as he rushes nervously into the room. He does not notice she is wearing the almost-sheer nightgown that signals she is ready for adult play time.

"Why are you whispering?" Smiling seductively as she wraps her arms around his waist. "Are the girls asleep?"

"Cee and Asha are out like a light - Jo is sleeping, too", he says anxiously, running a hand through his hair.

"Good – I'm ready to pay", standing on her tip-toes and sucking on his ear lobe. Preoccupied by what happened earlier, he does not get the reference. Olivia kisses down the side of his neck.

"Something happened earlier - while you were out", he says in an urgent whisper as she tries to capture his lips.

"Stop. Talking", trying to slide her hand inside his sweatpants.

" _Behave"_ , swatting away her hand and looking over his shoulder at the door.

"What's wrong with you? What are you looking for?" She asks in frustration.

" _Liv, this is important."_

"Okay, but please stop with the whispering. You sound like you're in some sort spy movie."

" _We have to talk"_ , walking over to the door to make sure it is locked.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you acting so weird?" Folding her arms across her chest.

Fitz pulls her over to the bed by the hand and squats in front of her. She starts to panic because his eyes reveal that something is terribly wrong.

"What's the matter? What's wrong?" She asks anxiously, and he looks over at the door again.

"Fitz –"

"Cena wants me to be Asha's father", he says quickly, looking at his wife with panic in his eyes. Olivia's eyes widen and her mouth falls open. Then she begins to laugh.

"Is that why you're whispering?" Falling back onto the bed and laughing hysterically.

"This isn't funny, Liv", pulling her upright so he can continue sharing the predicament in which his Princess has put him. "Apparently Asha's dad isn't around - in her life, and Cee told Asha I could be her father", looking into his wife's eyes for a life line. Olivia tries to put on her most serious face, but the panic in his eyes cause her to start laughing again. Annoyed because she is not taking the matter seriously, Fitz stands and starts pacing around the room.

"Babe, I'm sorry. I just think it is so sweet. I told you Cee has a big heart", walking over and caressing his panic-stricken face, trying to salvage the evening.

"This is serious, Olivia", stepping back and folding his arms across his chest. She groans silently because when he gets fixated on something he is not going to let it go until the matter is resolved.

"So what did you say?" She asks, knowing she will not be getting any loving tonight.

"I said we would have to speak Asha's mother", still whispering. "You have to handle this, Liv", looking at her in desperation.

" _Me? Why me?_ Asha isn't looking for a mother, she wants a father, babe - and that would be you." She walks to the closet to find a warm pair of pajamas. He has another thought, so he follows her to the closet.

"Do you think they might forget? They're young, Liv. Cena forgets things all the time."

"Babe, children don't forget things that are important to them", she says, yanking the flannel nightgown over her head.

 **XXX**

Olivia frowns as she watches her mother drop the grated ginger root into the pot of water simmering on the stove. She cannot understand the pleasure her mother gets from drinking the spicy tea. The only time she drinks the awful tea is when she is pregnant and needs something to settle her stomach. She wonders if her mother is pregnant. Of course she is being silly, considering her mother's age, but she finds the thought of her mother being pregnant to be absolutely hilarious. So, she continues to play out the scenario in her mind. If her mother is pregnant, that means she would have a brother or sister who is younger than her own daughters. And, Cena and Jolie would be older than their aunt or uncle. The whole thing is absolutely comical and she places a hand over her mouth trying to stifle the laugh.

"So how is my Jolie doing this morning?" Gwendolyn asks as she opens the refrigerator and slides the loaf of sprouted multigrain bread from the middle shelf. She lifts the jar of peach preserves from the shelf on the side door and she thinks about her mother. When she was a little girl, she sat on her knees in the kitchen chair and watched her mother make preserves from peaches and strawberries.

"The teething is causing diarrhea. This is the second time I had to change her this morning."

"It's just a phase, baby. She'll be all right", dropping the bread into the toaster then walks over to the stove with the boubou flowing around her. "Tea, Livvia?" Lifting the pot of simmering ginger root from the stove.

"No thanks, mom", scrunching her face at the thought of drinking the spicy tea. She does not which is worse, the ginger tea or her father's Café Touba. "Fitz and I are thinking about moving to the city", pouring a few more Cheerios onto Jolie's tray.

"I heard _you_ were thinking about moving to the city", Gwendolyn says as she fills her mug with tea.

"I think it's best for the girls, mom", trying to entice Jolie to drink the Pedialyte to rehydrate her from the diarrhea.

"I see", Gwendolyn says, squeezing fresh lemon juice into the mug.

"I know that tone, mom. Say what's on your mind", looking over at her mother who is stirring honey into the tea.

"Just make sure you're doing it for the right reasons—and your husband is okay with it." Olivia sighs, thinking here we go again with the motherly advice.

"Mom, when I look at Cena's classroom pictures she is the only child of color in those pictures. Children don't get to make decisions about where they live or go to school, mom. Parents have make sure their children have a balanced experience."

"Moving out doesn't mean moving down."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Looking at her mother as she spread the peach preserve on the toast.

"It means you and Fitzgerald are still going to be wealthy, even if you move to the city. You are going to live in an affluent community with people who are going to be like you and Fitzgerald – socioeconomically that is. You're going to be one of those people your father rails against – the gentrified." Olivia mouth twitches.

"Gentrification separates the haves from the have-nots, baby. If you move to the city, Cena and Jolie will end up living around children who are all alike - privileged. So you have to know what you mean by a balanced life", sipping her tea.

Olivia frowns.

"You know, Livvia, the problems in the city you want to fix with Bryson's philanthropy program are as real today as they were when your father's company relocated us here 20 plus years ago. Back then your father and I chose to live in Church Falls - living in the city just wasn't an option. Although there was a lot of love and sense of community in many of those neighborhoods – there was also a lot of crime – and the schools weren't very good. As adults – your father and I could handle the city – but we did not want that for you. Yes, things have gotten a little better for a few – but the same kinds of problems persist." Olivia listens intently as her mother shares why they chose not to live in the city. Something she has wondered since they moved here.

"Mom, Church Falls had it problems back then, too. I was tolerated – not accepted at school name. Until Ben and I became friends, I had no friends in school. No one knew how to interact with the _different_ girl. I don't want that for my children."

"We chose the lesser of two evils, baby. Or maybe the lesser of disappointing options."

"Well, I want real choices for my children – I want better for them", she says defiantly.

"Livvia, every day we all make compromises. And we do it with mature acceptance that that's how life is. We don't get everything we want, baby. Your father and I knew Church Falls was – is not the most diverse town in America – but it was a safe place to raise you. We knew we could provide you the rest – expose you to broader views elsewhere."

Olivia expels an audible sigh. She just wants her children to be, and not have to think about how to be because of who they are.

"Livvia, you have to accept that Cena and Jolie are going to be different wherever you live. Your job as their mother is to make sure they know who they are - whether you live here in Church Falls or someplace else. You have to know why you want to do this, Livvia. Is moving about Cena and Jolie or is it about you? Are you trying to fix the past – because that's not possible?"

Gwendolyn closes her eyes as she takes a bite from the toast. _Not as good as momma's._ Tired of the discussion, Olivia offers Jolie the cup filled with Pedialyte. Jolie pushes it away and shakes her head _no_. She has had enough of the drink.

"Asha wants Fitz to be her father", she says, wanting to change the subject.

"Aww – that's so sweet. She's such a lovely girl. How does Fitzgerald feel about it?" Raising the mug to her lips.

"Of course he was thrown off - totally unprepared for two six year olds to make such a request."

"It does take a village, Livvia."

"Asha has a father, mom, although it doesn't appear that he is in her life."

"Livvia, society has a shared responsibility for successfully raising _all_ children."

"I'm sure Fitz will be fine with being a male figure in Asha's life – I just doesn't want to confuse her."

"Livvia, in Senegal there is a word for non-family males who have an active role in a child's life."

"Really?" Looking at her mother with interest. "I was thinking perhaps she could call Fitz _uncle_ , but that also implies direct family ties. I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"Children in Senegal call these men _Baaba_."

" _Baaba"_ , Olivia smiles as she tests the word on her tongue. "I like it - but I have to speak with Kelly. I don't want to overstep."


	45. Chapter 45 Breaking up is Hard to Do

**AN:** **Denise** , Yes, Victoria is an irritant. Haha. You'll find out more about the cleaning lady in this chapter. **Monica** , yes, Victoria keeps her desk immaculate. Remember, she sees clutter as a sign of one being out of control. It served her purpose not to clean Fitz' desk. In her mind she thinks this is a way for her to manage him. **crabapplect** , good point about the racial composition of the school. You'll read more about this later. **Justbecauseican43** , so glad you're enjoying the story. **Guest1** , I know it's weeks late, but so sorry about your patient. Hoped the chapter helped just a bit. **Guest2** , Jolie is on track for reaching her developmental milestones. She already has a few teeth, she's just getting more. Also, she's been standing awhile, holding onto the sofa for a month or so. Her growth has been subtly described throughout. Asha is black, remember her braids? Here we go! Tell me what you think.

 **Chapter 45.** **Breaking up is Hard to Do**

The kitchen is abuzz with chatter and laughter and the air is filled with the wonderful smells of Hildie's fabulous cooking. Bacon sizzle in a skillet, vegetables sauté in another, and a second batch of cinnamon rolls bake in the oven. Hildie has outdone herself this morning, making Cena's favorite breakfast of pancakes with fruit and bacon, Mr. Grant's favorite cinnamon rolls, and Mrs. Grant's favorite omelet. The dance recital is tonight and Hildie is doing her part to help make this a special day for Cena — for all of the Grants really. Six months ago the devastating car crash cheated Cena out of the opportunity of dancing in her first recital, but this time will be different. Tonight she will be on stage dancing with all of the other children. Holding a strip of bacon in one hand and tearing off a piece with the other, Cena talks excitedly about her upcoming performance. She is more animated than usual this morning.

"Daddy, my dance recital is tonight", swinging her legs back and forth under the island.

"Don't talk with your mouth full, baby", Olivia says with a smile, happy that her daughter is happy.

"It is?" Fitz says, feigning ignorance as he winks at his wife.

"Yes, daddy. Miss Ebony say today is the big day", her eyes wide with excitement.

"Says", her grandmother corrects.

"Miss Ebony says today is the big day", Cena repeats with the same level of enthusiasm. "She says we have to be ready."

"Then I guess I better be there", Fitz says, filling his mug with coffee.

"Asha and I are ready", nodding her head up and down as she twists and turns in the chair.

"Break a leg, Cena", Calvin says, not looking up from reading the newspaper.

"GranPop, if I break a leg I won't be able to dance", looking innocently at her grandfather. With an arched brow, Calvin peers over the top of the broadsheet newspaper at his granddaughter and shakes his head. The other adults laugh out loud.

"Kids _still_ say the _darndest_ things", he says, resuming reading the latest installment on the opioid crisis that is plaguing the city.

"Fitzgerald, will Maura and Gerry be there tonight?" Gwendolyn asks, lazily stirring her morning ginger tea.

"Yes – Bennie, too", Fitz says as he stuffs a piece of cinnamon roll into his mouth. "John and Abigail won't. It seems like Abigail is having a difficult time with this pregnancy."

"I talked to Abby yesterday", Olivia says. "The morning sickness is worse this time." Gwendolyn shakes her head.

"Yay, Uncle Bennie's coming", Cena squeals and claps her hands. Jolie claps her hands, too, because she tries to emulate everything her big sister does.

"That's wonderful. I haven't seen Maura and Gerry in – well in forever", Gwendolyn says, bringing the mug to her lips.

"Will Nora?" Olivia whispers in her husband's ear as she sits next to him.

"No", Fitz says tersely, continuing to smile at Cena.

"Thank you, Hildie", Olivia says as the family helper sets the omelet in front of her. "This looks wonderful", smiling as she reaches for the fork.

"Finish eating, Princess, daddy's going to drive you to school today."

"You are?" Olivia says with surprise.

"I am. This is a special day and our Princess needs to save her energy for her big performance tonight."

"Yay, daddy's driving me to school, Nana."

"I heard, Cena. I heard", shaking her head in amusement. Fitz slips on his suit jacket then bends over so Cena can climb onto his back.

"Your chariot awaits. Hop on, Princess." Laughing raucously, Cena jumps onto her father's back and wraps her arms around his neck.

"Let me wash her hands, Fitz", grabbing the kitchen towel from the island and wiping the syrup and bacon grease from her daughter's sticky hands.

"Good-bye, wife", pecking Olivia on the lips. "Good-bye in-laws."

"Have a good day, Fitzgerald", Calvin says with a frown.

"Good-bye, messy baby", pecking Jolie on her food-covered lips and she immediately tries to grab his nose.

"Good-bye, Hildie. Wonderful breakfast as usual."

"Have a good day, Mr. Grant", smiling as she watches the playful man carry his daughter on his back.

"Cena, say good-bye, family."

"Good-bye, family", waving her hand like the princess in a parade.

"Don't forget her book bag, Fitz", Olivia calls out, pushing aside her plate and lifting the coffee mug to her lips.

"Got it", lifting Cena's book bag from the foyer table with his teeth.

"That man sure loves his children", Gwendolyn says, smiling adoringly.

"You picked well, Livvia. Fitzgerald is a good man", Calvin says, sliding a piece of cinnamon roll into his mouth as he continues reading the article.

 **XXX**

Victoria glances up from the document she is typing when she hears the heels walking toward the reception area. She sweeps her eyes across the woman's outfit, _Alexander McQueen_. That ensemble cost $2750.00. She knows the price because she admired it while flipping through the pages of _Elle_ magazine _._ At the time, she thought it was ridiculous the designer did not price the outfit at $2700 or $2800. Who cares about $50.00 when you can afford to spend that much money for a simple shift dress and matching bowtie blouse? She spends a small fortune on subscriptions to the top fashion magazines. _Vogue_ , _Elle_ , _and Harper's Bazaar_ are her go-to sources to learn about the latest in high fashion. Unable to afford the high-end fashions in the magazines, she shops at discount stores and outlets trying to get the look she sees in the magazines. She supposes the doctor comes from a family of means because the city definitely does not pay anyone enough money to allow them to buy designer clothes, not even a doctor.

"Good morning, Victoria, I'm here to see the council president." Marion's green eyes stares at the women, daring her to ask if she has an appointment. Victoria's mouth twitch. She is tired of everyone who passes this way taking the liberty of calling her by her first name, but she respects Dr. Harris, and to be honest, she is somewhat intimidated by the women.

"Of course, Dr. Harris", displaying a tight smile as she stands from her seat. "I'll let the council president know you're here." She walks over to the office door and knocks twice before entering.

"Thank you, Victoria", Marion says as she follows the woman to the door. _Another tight dress._

"Yes, Victoria", Fitz calls out without looking up from the document he is reading.

"Dr. Harris is here to see you, sir."

"Marion?" Standing quickly from his seat. "I wasn't expecting you", glancing at Victoria. She shrugs her shoulders.

"I'm sorry for barging in without an appointment, Fitz", Marion says, brushing past Victoria and stepping into the office.

"You don't need an appointment", walking from around the desk and giving her a hug and peck on the cheek. "Thank you, Victoria." Victoria nods with a smile and closes the door behind her. "Have a seat, Marion. Can I get you something to drink – coffee?"

"No – thank you, Fitz", waving a hand dismissively as she sits in one of the chairs facing the massive desk. "I won't be staying long." Fitz sits back into his chair and closes one of the document Darrin gave him.

"Fitz, my assistant told me that your researcher called looking for information on the city's opioid crisis."

"I asked Darrin to dig up as much information he could on the matter. I need to become more conversant on a topic that is affecting this city – hell – the whole damn country."

"Fitz, I always have the most recent reports and data. Just ask me if you ever need any information", she says with a smile.

"I didn't want to impose."

"It wouldn't be an imposition—quite the contrary. I'm happy you're taking an interest in this crisis."

"I can't believe what I've been reading, Marion. I had no idea."

"Fitz, UNODC, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, recently released its annual World Drug Report. The problem is only getting worse in this country. The U.S. consumes 90 percent of the world's opioids and we're only about five percent of the world's population. In 2014, 914,000 people aged 12 years or older reported using heroin— a 145 percent increase since 2007. And, the leading cause of death in this country is no longer car accidents — it's drugs."

"My God", Fitz says, running fingers through his hair as Marion rattles off the statistics.

"You'll find a copy of the report on this", handing him the flash drive.

"Thank you, Marion", stretching his hand across the desk to take the device. "I know how busy you are these days, but I certainly appreciate you bringing me the information", bouncing the device in his hand.

"If you ever need _any_ information - don't hesitate to call. I'll get whatever you need." He smiles, thinking his little brother has found a good woman and he is happy for both of them.

"Everyone suffers from this scourge, Fitz, is touched by it in some way. But the children suffer the most. Some children have lost both parents to this crisis – becoming orphans at such young ages. These children must either be placed with a qualified relative or end up in the system until they are of legal age."

Appalled by what he is hearing, Fitz shakes his head, thinking about his two precious daughters. He cannot imagine ever living without them, or them ever having to live with strangers. He will do everything within his power to make sure that never happens.

"It's all so incredible."

"We're all battling one demon or another, Fitz." He crinkles his brow and thinks about his sister.

"Add hopelessness, lack of jobs, and education – well it's a recipe for disaster. But don't be fooled, this thing impacts every socio-economic class – every community."

"Is this correct? Are three to five people overdosing every day in the city?"

"Yes — 90 a day nationwide. We're losing generations, Fitz." He shakes his head again.

"And the overdoses are increasing because people are mixing heroin with fentanyl."

"Fentanyl?"

"Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is much more powerful than heroin. Heroin and fentanyl is a deadly combination", shaking her head. "The health care costs associated with this drug crisis are astronomical, Fitz. It's straining my department's resources." He nods with a frown.

"Well, I'll make sure the Council approves the increases you put in your budget for the next fiscal year."

"It's going to be needed. At least that's one area Wilson didn't cut from his budget. I guess he's wise enough to know the business community won't be happy having a city infested with drug addicts."

"This city will never reach its potential if its citizens are dying from drug overdoses", Fitz says, thinking about all of the problems the city has.

"So true. Well, I don't want to take up any more of your time", Marion says, standing from the chair. "I just wanted to give you that report."

"I'll walk out with you, Marion. I have to get to a meeting down on two."

As he slides on his suit jacket, Marion smiles, thinking although there is a slight resemblance between the two brothers, Ben and Fitz are so different.

"Ready", placing a hand low on her back and guiding her toward the door. "Wait, I can't leave without this" jogging back over to the desk to get a folder. "So, we'll see you tonight?"

"You most certainly will", Marion says as they walk into the reception area. "Your brother wouldn't miss his niece's recital for anything."

"Cena is so excited. She couldn't stop talking at breakfast this morning. To be honest – I think she's a little nervous", he says as he stops at Victoria's workstation. "Victoria, I'm heading down to my meeting with Councilman Rogers."

"Just a minute", springing up from her seat and hurrying around the desk. She turns down the collar on his jacket and adjusts his tie. "That's better", she says, stepping back and appraising his appearance. Marion eyes the woman and wonders what the hell is going on with Fitz and his assistant.

"I guess I'm ready now", he smiles, returning his hand to Marion's lower back as they walk from the reception area.

 **XXX**

After Fitz exits the elevator on the second floor for his meeting, Marion thinks about the assistant's behavior as she rides down to the first floor. There is something about the woman that rubs her the wrong way. Deep in thought, Marion does not see her colleague, the Director of Business Development, when she steps off the elevator.

"Marion – Marion", Carlos Rivera calls, running to catch up with her.

"Hello, Carlos", she says, smiling politely.

"How are you? I haven't seen you around in a while. I missed you at the last staff meeting", smiling broadly.

"Meeting – what meeting?" Looking at the man curiously.

"Wilson called one of his surprise meetings last week. He's been more ornery than usual – ever since the calamitous budget address to the Council. That crowd really got to him. Perhaps it's best you weren't there."

"I see", Marion says, no longer listening to Carlos. Her mind is racing, trying to figure out if she missed the invitation for the staff meeting.

"I gotta go, Marion", Carlos says, jogging off to catch the elevator before the doors close.

"Take care, Carlos", Marion says half to herself as she looks down at the phone in her hand.

The accidental meeting with Carlos has been nagging Marion all day. She has missed a staff meeting with the mayor and that concerns her. She knows she is going to have hell to pay at the next meeting. Marion picks up her phone from the desk and scrolls through her inbox for the third time this afternoon. Nothing. She scrolls the trash and spam again. Nothing. She does not see a meeting invite from the mayor. Perhaps it was an oversight by his assistant, or maybe there is a problem with her email account. She will have I -T check her account tomorrow to make sure she is still set up to receive the mayor's emails.

 **XXX**

When Ben hears the cork pop, he glances over at Marion and sighs as she fills the glass with wine. They have only been home from the recital for 15 minutes. He looks back down at the tablet when Marion takes a long swig of the cool white wine. All evening she has been haunted by the thought of missing the meeting, or worse, being excluded from the meeting. She picks up her phone and scrolls through the inbox – still nothing. She bites her bottom lip then tosses the phone onto the counter.

"Cena was so cute tonight. Fitz and Olivia ought to be proud", finally deciding to interact with her boyfriend.

"This was an important night for Cena", Ben says, still looking down at the tablet. Marion nods as she raises the glass to her lips.

"Ben?"

"Hmm?" Scrolling through another children's website trying to figure out what to buy Jolie for her birthday.

"What do you know about your brother's assistant?"

"Who—Fitz?" Looking up at her with furrowed brow.

"Victoria Sanchez", she clarifies.

"Why would I know anything about her? I met her once when I visited Fitz at his office. Why do you ask?"

"There's something about her - I just can't put my finger on it", resting the rim of the glass against her bottom lip. "I get a certain vibe whenever I'm around her."

"What kind of vibe?"

"I don't know – she just seems too familiar - attentive — to your brother."

"She is his assistant, Marion."

Marion frowns and sighs softly. Ben can be so dense sometimes. She raises the glass to her lips again, thinking there is something peculiar about the woman.

 **XXX**

When the family returns home from the recital, Cena is still excited, dancing around the house and re-enacting the dance routine. The ice cream that Fitz insisted they get to celebrate Cena's performance certainly did not help. Hopefully, a nice warm bath before bed will help to relax her mind and body. As Fitz tries to read _Goodnight Moon_ , Cena talks incessantly about the recital. She does not seem close to falling asleep. Jolie is fast asleep as usual. Perhaps a few sips of chamomile tea will do the trick, he thinks as he listens to his chatterbox daughter.

"Daddy, tonight was so much fun", Cena says excitedly, kicking her feet up and down in the bed. It was the best night ever. Miss Ebony said Asha and I were the _best_."

" _You_ were the best – and I have the pictures to prove it", tapping her on the tip of the nose.

"Let me see, daddy, let me see", bouncing up and down. Fitz pulls the phone from his pocket and starts the video he took of her dancing on stage. She slides onto his lap to get a better view.

"You did a great job, Princess. We're all so proud of you." She smiles as she watches the video play.

"I was so nervous, daddy."

"I couldn't tell. You looked poised — elegant actually", smiling proudly at the screen.

"Really?"

"Really", wrapping his arm around his daughter and kissing the top of her head again. "We better finish reading the story — you have to get up early in the morning."

"Okay", curling into her father's side and listening to his voice read the familiar story. The sound of his voice vibrating in his chest begins to lull her to sleep.

"Daddy?" She says softly.

"Hmm?" Smiling down at his sleepy daughter. The long day is finally catching up with her.

"Can Asha go to my school?"

"Go to your school?" Surprised by the question, he lowers the book and looks down at his daughter. "Why do you want Asha to go to your school?" Cena shrugs her shoulders. "Use your words, Princess."

"She's my BFF", she says sleepily, and Fitz smiles at his little girl who is trying to be a big girl.

"Don't you have friends at your school?" Cena remains silent, wrapping her arm more tightly around his waist. "Hmm?" Brushing back her hair trying to coax her to answer.

"Not like Asha", she says reluctantly. He crinkles his brow and nods after a moment.

"And what are your friends like at your school?" With eyes closed, Cena shrugs her shoulders again. "I understand, sweetheart", he says softly, laying her onto the bed. "Go to sleep, Princess."

"Goodnight, daddy", Cena says, turning onto her side and hugging the pillow.

Fitz lifts Jolie from the bed and walks across the room to return the book to the shelf. He sits in the chair and Bowtie looks over at him curiously. For the next hour, he reflects on the many times over the years he held Cena in this chair. He thinks about her first night home from the hospital when he sat in the chair all night, holding her in his arms and marveling at the wonder he and Olivia created. He thinks about a few months ago when he sat in the chair consoling her because she was upset and did not want to go to physical therapy. He looks down at Jolie and smiles. She is blowing spit bubbles in her sleep. He watches both his daughters sleep and he knows he must always do what is best for them.

 **XXX**

Preparing to settle down for her nightly review of Fitz' personal Instagram page, Victoria sets the glass of scotch onto the tiny table next to the sofa then climbs onto the seat cushions. She places a few of the decorative pillows behind her then leans back against the armrest. She heard Fitz and Dr. Harris talking about Cena's dance recital tonight and she wants to see the pictures. She flips open the tablet and taps the Instagram icon and smiles when his face appears. She slowly scrolls past the one picture of all the children dancing on the stage, and smiles because the rest of the pictures are only of Cena.

Victoria reaches behind her back and lifts the glass from the small table and brings it to her lips. She closes her eyes, savoring the taste of the smooth liquor. She has grown accustomed to the taste of scotch, in fact, she rather enjoys its smoky flavor. She continues scrolling through the pictures, bypassing those of Olivia and her parents, and stopping at those of Fitz' brother and Dr. Harris, who are smiling happily. She assumes the other older couple is Fitz' parents because the man looks like an older version of Fitz. She takes another sip and licks her lips, thinking she is going to enjoy being a member of her new family.

 **XXX**

On her way to a meeting with the police commissioner, whose office is a few blocks away from City Hall, Marion sees thesuperintendent of schools turning the corner and walking quickly in her direction. She glances at her watch, she will have to be a few minutes late for her meeting with the commissioner.

"Chauncey – how are you – it's been a while", displaying her most cordial smile.

"Hello, Marion – it has been a while. How are you doing these days?"

"I'm well. A bit busy – as we all are", she sniggers.

"Yes, _our mayor_ has us all burning the midnight oil these days. Frankly, I'm not sure how many more 12-hour days I can take." Marion frowns because she did not know Wilson had the team working overtime.

"So what does Wilson have you working on these days?" Probing for information.

"Why the budget of course. Now that he has gotten a peek at the Council President's agenda, he has us all scouring it to find weak points before the hearings start. I'm really going to need a vacation once this exercise is over."

"I see",trying her best not to let on that the mayor has not involved her in the work.

"Well, Marion, I must be going. I'll see you at the meeting." He says, turning to leave.

"Meeting – what meeting?" Chauncey turns and looks at her curiously. "I've been having problems with my phone – not receiving emails", smiling weakly.

"I see. Another staff meeting - and it starts in 10 minutes - I must hurry, I don't want to be on the receiving end of _Your Honor's_ angry tirade this morning. I'll see you up there, Marion", Chauncey says as he hurries into City Hall.

Marion rushes back to her office and grabs the documents she thinks she will need to update the mayor on her department's activities, then she hurries down the hall toward the elevator. As she rides to the fifth floor, she sends the police commissioner a quick email letting him know she has another commitment and will reschedule their meeting. When Marion exits the elevator, she walks briskly down the hall toward the mayor's reception area, steeling herself to be admonished for being late. She nods and smiles nervously at the mayor's assistant as she hurries toward the office door.

" _Dr. Harris – Dr. Harris"_ , the woman calls out, trying to stop Marion from entering the office.

"I know I'm late – the invite wasn't on my calendar", Marion apologizes as she reaches for the doorknob.

" _Dr. Harris_ ", the assistant yells again as she stands from her seat. "You're not invited to this meeting." With brow crinkled, Marion turns and looks at the assistant until the words finally register in her mind.

"Not invited?"

"I'm sorry", the woman says apologetically.

"Oh - I see."

But she does not see. She does not understand why the mayor is suddenly excluding her from staff meetings. With downcast eyes, Marion slowly walks back into the hall and toward the elevator. The assistant watches the doctor and exhales a loud sigh and glances over at the office door. She shakes her head thinking she cannot wait until she retires from this madhouse.

Dazed and indescribably embarrassed, Marion returns to her office trying to make sense of what just happened. She now knows that she did not miss any meeting invite because they were never sent. She knows Wilson can be unpredictable and petulant, but she always holds out hope that they can work together to do what is in the best interest of the city. The longer Marion thinks about what Wilson is doing, the angrier she gets. She is a talented, board certified physician and she does not have to take this shit from him. Perhaps it is time to move on, find a job elsewhere. Although she loves her work as the city's top doctor and wants to help guide the city in defeating its public health challenges, she will not allow the mayor to humiliate and prevent her from doing her job. She looks down at her ringing phone and sighs – Ben is calling. She does not want to talk to him right now; she does not want to talk to anyone. She looks at her watch and stands from her seat. She has had enough of Wilson's games. She wants answers and she wants them now.

 **XXX**

The mayor's assistant smiles to herself when she sees Dr. Harris stomping toward the reception area for the second time today. She hopes the good doctor gives that little troll what he deserves.

"Is he in?" Marion asks with a tinge of anger in her voice.

"I'll let him know you're here", the assistant says, gleefully swinging around in her chair and reaching for the phone. She knows the mayor does not like unexpected guests, but hell, she does not like a lot of the things he does. She hangs up the phone and smiles at the doctor. "You may go in, Dr. Harris."

"Thank you."

Wilson continues reading the document on his desk, not bothering to look up when he hears the door open and close. The game begins, again. Marion stands in the middle of the massive office waiting to be acknowledged, waiting to be offered a seat. She fights with herself not to once again feel like that little girl of long ago who waited so many times to be acknowledged. Wilson finally looks up from the papers, leans back in the chair, and puffs on the cigar.

"Are you working with me or against me, _Dr. Harris_?" He says he name as if it has left a bitter taste in his mouth. Perplexed by the mayor's question, Marion remains silent until she knows the source of the accusation disguised as a question.

"I told you – I told all of you – Grant is the enemy. Are you spying on me – taking secrets back to the enemy? Is that what your _pillow talk_ is all about with _Dr. Grant?_ " Marion's eyes widen, wondering how he found out about her and Ben. Her heart rate increases and her pulse quickens, but she tries to appear calm.

"Don't look surprised, _doctor_. I told you — I know everything damn thing that goes on in my city."

"And I told you - you don't get to question my personal life."

"Don't get on your high horse with me, Marion. Now answer my damn question — are you trading secrets with Grant?"

"You're excluding me for meetings, and that's not good for this city."

"You know what happens to spies and snitches don't you?" Standing from his seat and glaring at the defiant woman.

"You don't frighten me. I'm not afraid of your threats", turning and walking toward the door.

"I'm fighting for my freedom – my life – so you ought to be very afraid, _Dr. Harris_. _If it weren't for this damn opioid thing, I would fire your ass on the spot."_

Marion slams the door and hurries down the hall, hoping he did not notice she was shaking like a leaf. She is not sure how much longer she can take working for that monster. She needs a drink.

 **XXX**

"Thanks for meeting me here, Liv. I had a packed schedule today and couldn't get away sooner."

"No problem, Ben. I was in the city today – working in the office", she says, walking over to the massive set of floor-to-ceiling windows. "Ben, your place looks absolutely wonderful. When did you do all of this?"

"A few weeks ago. Can I get you something to drink?"

"Just some sparkling water."

"All the credit goes to Marion — she really has an eye for decorating", Ben says as he walks into the kitchen. He peers in the refrigerator looking for the bottled water.

"Marion has wonderful taste", Olivia says, still admiring the view of the city.

"I think I spent a small fortune on everything", Ben calls out, as he fills the glass. "Do you need a new heart? I'm going to have to do a few more surgeries to pay for it all", he says jokingly.

"My heart is just fine – thank you very much", she calls back. "I've always loved your place — even without furniture. The views are to die for", still looking out the windows as Ben walks back into the room and sets the glass onto the cocktail table.

"I didn't think I needed this much furniture— definitely not these pillows – which I'm sure I will never use." He picks up one of the accent pillows from the sofa and tosses it across the room at her. Olivia tries to catch the pillow but it falls to the floor.

"I see you still can't catch", Ben laughs.

"I'm a runner not a softball player." They both laugh as she picks up the pillow and tosses it back at him. "I always loved the views from this room", turning back to the window and looking out at the skyline. "I'm glad you didn't put up any window treatments."

"That was Marion's idea as well", now standing next to her and looking out at the skyline. "The view is pretty nice on a clear day."

"I'm trying to convince your brother to move to the city", she says dreamily.

"You're kidding. Fitz will never go for that. He loves living in Church Falls too much."

"I know — but I think it's best for the girls."

"What do you mean?"

"Cee and Jo need to see different views of the world - experience different things to stretch their minds."

"Church Falls is too vanilla, huh?" He gently elbows her on the arm.

"You know that's not what I mean", walking over to the cocktail table and picking up the glass of sparkling water.

"I get it. Church Falls is a nice family town – but it is kind of limiting."

"You know what it was like for me when my parents moved here. I felt — well — so alone – like I didn't fit in. If it weren't for you …" She sits onto the sofa.

"I get it, Liv, I do. But my brother is such a traditionalist – in a Norman Rockwell kind of way", sitting next to her.

"Our family hardly qualifies for a Norman Rockwell painting, Ben."

"Well I'm sure you'll convince him."

"Why do you say it like that?" Sipping on the water.

"Because everyone knows how crazy Fitz is about you. He'll do anything for you."

"I want him to want this to, Ben", looking at him sincerely.

"Well - I'm sure you two will work it out. So how's the new job coming along?"

" _Fan-tastic"_ , she smiles brightly. "I've learned so much, Ben. With Bryson's philanthropy program we'll be able to help so many people –give them a chance in life."

"That's good. I know you're going to do a wonderful job."

"Thanks, Benster." She elbows him as they laugh at the old nickname. "But if I'm to be honest – I'm still a bit nervous about whether I can pull this off - if Bryson is going to be satisfied with my recommendations."

"You don't have a thing to worry about, Liv, Bryson is lucky to have you. You've always cared about the community – wanted to help people. You'll be fine", giving her hand an encouraging squeeze. "And if Bryson says otherwise, then I'll just have to go over there and remove his heart – without anesthesia", and they both laugh out loud again.

"So, why did you want me to stop by today?"

"I got the invitation for Jolie's birthday party. I can't believe she's going to be one already. Time is really flying."

"It is. Jo is even _trying_ to walk – she just can't seem to get her feet to cooperate." They both laugh.

"So what should I get a little girl for her first birthday? I'm clueless about those things you know."

"No – no", she laughs. "You're not getting off the hook that easy. You did a great job picking out gifts for Cee over the years - you'll figure it out", lifting the glass to her lips.

"I've been searching online for ideas — but I'm still coming up short. Maybe I'll have Marion help me find a proper gift."

"So things are getting serious between you two?"

"I guess so", he says sheepishly. "I really like Marion."

"I'm happy for you, Ben. Marion is a good person. She's good for you — you're good for each other."

"I think so, too", he smiles happily.

"So you wanted me to stop by your beautifully decorated apartment just to ask me what to buy Jo for her birthday?"

"Not quite", pursing his lips and trying to figure out how to present his real question to her. He sighs softly and begins slowly. "I visited Nora – shortly after she returned home." Olivia inhales slowly and leans away from him. "I know Nora caused a lot of problems—behaved badly", Ben continues quickly.

"Behaved badly? You make her sound like a six year old. She's an adult, Ben, made adult choices", her voice rising with anger as she thinks about the despicable things Nora did at the community center and in their home.

"I know – I know. And I understand that you're still upset. But, Liv, Nora needs her family now - all of us. Something happened to her while she was away – she's different—almost childlike. I guess that's why mom and dad are so protective."

"Ben, I wish Nora all the best – I do — but I'm just not ready to embrace her right now. I'm not willing to open myself to that kind betrayal again", setting the glass onto the table. "And I certainly don't want to expose my children to her." Ben presses two fingers against his temple and Olivia knows he is uneasy with the conversation. Well that makes two of them.

"Liv, you know I would never ask you to do anything to endanger my nieces." She crinkles her brow wondering where this conversation is going.

"What exactly are you saying, Ben?" Cocking her head slightly to the side and studying him closely. Ben hesitates for a moment, then proceeds cautiously.

"I'm saying – I'm asking you to allow Nora to attend Jolie's birthday party." Olivia recoils immediately, pulling her hand from his.

" _What?"_ She stands from the sofa and begins pacing around the large room.

"Liv—I will be there - my parents will be there. We won't let anything happen." She stops pacing and looks at him questioningly.

"Did your mother put you up to this? Did Maura ask you to do this?"

"No – of course not", walking over to her. "I just thought it would help Nora if she could see her nieces – to become a full member of the family again. She shouldn't be treated like a pariah, Liv. She's isolated – you know what that feels like." With chest rising and falling, she glares at him angrily.

"I can't believe you're blaming me for Nora's circumstance", hurrying over to the sofa and grabbing her purse. "Besides, Fitz won't have it." Ben gives her a look that says _you and I both know better_.

"Of course I'm not blaming you. I was just hoping you could find it within you to extend Nora some — some grace."

She stops fumbling with her purse and whips her head around and looks at him wild-eyed. The two old friends stare into each other's eye; one set of eyes says trust me, the other set says I do not trust her.

"Liv, I'm Jo's godfather, you know I would never let anything happen to her – to either of them. I would never do anything to put my nieces in danger." She shakes her head from side to side. She was not expecting this. She was not expecting Ben to put her in such a difficult position. She needs time to think.

Dressed in work-out gear, Marion enters the apartment, drops her gym bag to the floor, and tosses her keys onto the small table in the hall. A loud thump echoes from the floor and interrupts their stare down.

"Ben, I really needed that work-out. Wilson is …" Marion stops abruptly when she sees Ben and Olivia standing in the middle of the room staring at each other.

"Hello, Marion", Olivia says, quickly grabbing her jacket from the arm of the sofa. She gives Marion a quick hug and kiss on the cheek, then rushes toward the door. "I'm sorry – I must be going."

"Liv –"

"I have to go, Ben. Good-bye. She swings open the door and hurries down the hall. Marion frowns, wondering what the hell is going on when Ben rushes to the door.

"Liv – don't go", Ben pleads, but Olivia is already stepping onto the elevator.

" _Shit"_ , he exclaims, as he slams the door. "Liv is upset", he says, oblivious that his girlfriend is equally upset. Eyes flashing with anger, Marion watches Ben plop down onto the sofa. She needs to get out of the room, get away from him right now before she does something she might regret later.

"I'm going to take a shower", she says, stomping off toward the bedroom. He simply nods.

The long, hot shower does nothing to quell Marion's anger. She needs a drink — needed a drink all day. After her confrontation with Wilson, she fought back the urge to go home and down a bottle of Chardonnay, instead, she opted to go to the gym and work out her frustrations. _Wait a waste._

 **XXX**

Ben sits on the sofa contemplating whether he should call and check on Olivia. He did not mean to upset her, but he thinks it is important she understands that Nora is having a difficult time adjusting to being back home. He looks up when he hears Marion trudging from the bedroom dressed in pajamas.

"Are you okay?" Watching her walk past him and into the kitchen.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Rummaging through the kitchen drawer looking for the corkscrew. _"Dammit"_ , she yelps when she nicks her index finger on the opener's sharp tip.

"Are you all right in there?" Marion fills the glass and takes a long swig. "Mar …"

With the glass in one hand, Marion grabs the wine bottle from the counter with the other and walks into the living room. She sits at the far end of the sofa, away from him, and slams the bottle onto the cocktail table.

"Is something wrong, Mar?"

"What was _she_ doing her?"

"What?"

"Olivia – what was she doing here? "What's going on here, Ben?" He looks at her curiously. "You just cannot stop yourself from wanting to be with her – can you?"

" _What?"_

"If you want to be with her then go – be with her", taking another long swig.

"You don't know what the hell you're talking about."

"I know what I saw with my own two eyes."

"Really – then why don't you tell me what you saw?" He is not in the mood for this tonight.

"I saw a pathetic, sniveling, little man sniffing around his brother's wife again. _That's what I saw._ "

"For god's sake - when will this stop? Your obsession and jealousy of Olivia is unwarranted and tiring."

" _Unwarranted - tiring? You've never gotten over her._ It's annoying – I don't know how Fitz tolerates it", bringing the glass to her lips again.

"When will you get over your jealousy? I'm getting fed up –"

" _Fed up? You're getting fed up? Well I'm fed up. I'm fed up with you mooning over Olivia like you're some lovesick teenager._ It's pathetic", she spits out with disgust.

"Why do you do this? Why do you always have to make something out of nothing – create a problem when there is none?"

" _Why do you always give me a reason? Why is it I have to come here and find you huddled with Olivia? Answer that, Dr. Grant_ ", glaring at him angrily. Ben presses two fingers against his temple and closes his eyes.

"Marion", he begins slowly, trying to control his anger. "I asked Liv to meet me here to discuss Nora. I told you, my sister is still suffering and I was hoping I could convince Liv to allow Nora to attend Jolie's birthday party next month. That's why she was here – nothing more", he says tiredly. Marion's eyes widen and her mouth falls open. She has made a terrible mistake. She sets the glass onto the table and slides across the sofa toward him and tries to take his hand in hers, but he pulls away.

"Ben —"

"I don't know if I can do this any longer", he says, walking across the room and standing in front of the huge windows. Her heart nearly stops.

"What are you saying?" A nervous quiver lacing her voice.

"I'm saying maybe we need to take a break for a while – to see if this is what we both really want."

"Ben — you don't mean that."

"You obviously don't trust me – and if you can't trust me then what's the point?" Looking at her with disappointment.

"Ben – I'm sorry. A lot is going on at work. Wilson is excluding me — making my life a living hell."

"There's always an excuse. You attack me rather than ask what is going on. Your jealousy and anger are out of control."

"I told you – Wilson is –"

"This is not about Wilson and it definitely isn't about Liv. Something else is going on that prevents you from being happy." She slides one of the accent pillows onto her lap and hugs it close, trying to prevent the tears from falling. She is losing him.

"You are a beautiful, smart, and articulate women. But you make it so hard to be with you. You seem to get some sort of pleasure out of chaos – and you know I don't like that", walking over to the cocktail table and grabbing his keys. "I don't want to argue with you at every turn, Marion. And I damn sure don't want to be your punching bag."

"Ben …" He puts his hand up, stopping her from offering another excuse. She sees the anger on his face and knows she has pushed him too far this time.

"I'm going out - do whatever you want." He glances around the beautiful apartment before walking out the door.

The sound of the door closing gives Marion permission to let the tears fall. She doubles over and sobs uncontrollably into the pillow, hating herself for allowing her jealousy to become the true third person in their relationship. She hates herself for continuing to allow the past to ruin her life. She hates herself for creating the thing she fears the most.

 **XXX**

Olivia's visit with Ben this afternoon was unsettling, to say the least. When she arrived at his apartment she surely did not expect their visit to end the way that it did. She did not expect Ben to test their friendship, to blindside her with such an unreasonable request. She is so tired of the past continuing to show up in her life. Fitz watches his wife walk from the bathroom, almost in slow motion. She has not been herself all evening. She barely touched her dinner and said next to nothing as Cena carried on about the week-old recital. Not really in the mood to perform her nightly routine, she reluctantly reaches into the nightstand drawer and pulls out the jar. She unscrews the top, tosses it onto the nightstand, and sighs as she dips her fingers into the rich cream.

"What's the matter?" Watching her massage the cream onto her arm the way she has every night since they have been married. She sighs again and stops rubbing the cream onto her arm.

"I saw Ben today", she says flatly.

"You did?" Looking at her with surprise.

"He invited me to his apartment – he wanted to talk", she says solemnly.

"Talk — about what?"

"Nora."

" _Nora?_ What about Nora?" Furrowing his brow with curiosity.

"He wants me – us - to invite Nora to Jo's birthday party." She hesitates a moment, waiting for him to go berserk before continuing. And to her surprise he says nothing. "He's concerned about her and thinks it would be helpful if she spent more time around family." Fitz remains silent. "He said he and your parents would keep an eye on her – make sure everything is okay", subtly testing the idea with him.

"I see."

"He said I should extend _grace_ to Nora."

"What did you say?" Eyeing her closely. He has be thinking about his little sister a lot lately, thinking about her addiction and the emotional pain she must be experiencing.

"I said nothing really — I was shocked. I wasn't expecting Ben to put me in that kind of position, Fitz", looking over her shoulder at her unusually quiet husband.

"You're awfully silent about this. I would have thought you'd be ranting and raving by now."

"We all have our demons, Liv." She tilts her head slightly and wonders if the Grant men have lost their minds today.

"So are you saying you're okay with Nora coming to Jo's party?" Her voice rising slightly.

"I'm saying I want to put all of this behind us — don't you?" She tilts her head slightly and eyes him for a long while. _Something is going on with him._

"Is something wrong, babe? Are you all right?"

"I'm just so damned tired of being dragged back into the past", running fingers through his hair. "I want it all to be over." She stares into his eyes for a long time, reading the emotions in his eyes, and thinking maybe it is time to put the matter behind them. She slowly nods her head.

"I guess Nora is coming to Jo's party", pecking him on the lips. He deepens the kiss, and lowers her onto the bed.

"Thank you", he says, kissing down her neck.

"Grace", she says.

"You know you still owe me", sliding the nightgown strap down her shoulder as he climbs on top. "You didn't think I forgot?" Smiling mischievously while pinning her beneath him.

"Then I must pay", gliding her tongue into his mouth as she wraps her legs around his waist. Flush with passion, he slides down his boxes and kicks them off to the side "The door", she whispers.

"It's locked", running his tongue around her full breast. "I really, really missed you today", sucking on the firm nipple. She gasps and closes her eyes.

Leaving a trail of wet kisses down her stomach, he gently bites and sucks her inner thigh, and she trembles, opening her legs wide. He hooks his arms behind her knees and pulls her down the bed until their lips meet. He gives her other lips open-mouthed kisses, his mouth lingering on the soft, wet flesh. She presses his head closer, deepening the kiss.

"Mmmm", inhaling deeply as he slides his tongue inside the wetness. Holding her thighs tight, he plunges his tongue in deep, and she grabs fistfuls of his hair. "You taste so good, baby – so good", drinking in the flow of her juices.

"Oh, god, Fitz. Don't stop – don't stop – please don't stop." He furrows his brow and stares blankly at the opening. _"Fitz – don't stop."_

He spread the lips wide, hungrily eyeing the small swollen flesh. He lowers his head and slowly runs his tongue up and down the sensitive bud, and she lifts her bottom, encouraging him to suckle, and he does. His lips clamp down and her thighs squeeze shut, locking him in place. Every nerve cell in her body is tingling and she begins to laugh uncontrollably.

"I can't breathe, Liv", he mumbles from below, and she allows her thighs to fall open, releasing her hold on him.

"Babe, that was fan-tastic", grinning widely.

Fitz slides up her body and kisses her until they both are breathless. He strokes his hard, throbbing flesh and looks at her with desire, and she runs her tongue over her full lips. He nods and closes his eyes. She glides her tongue around the glistening tip and he twitches.

"Livvie", he exhales softly.

She opens her mouth and he slides inside the warm wetness, moaning with pleasure as her mouth moves up and down his length. And she moans at the feel of the thick veins brushing against her mouth.

"Livvie — Livvie", running his fingers through her hair.

She feels amazing. He feels amazing. He can cum right now, in this moment, and everything would be right in his world, but he wants to enjoy the pleasure she is giving him forever. His hips rock involuntarily back and forth and his heavy balls bounce against her chin, and she sucks harder. His face contorts with pleasure — he is close. He caresses the side of her face, their signal he does not want to cum this way. She nods. They kiss slowly and passionately as he slides in, and they both gasp from the connection. He pumps slowly, reveling in the most exquisite feeling ever.

"Deeper, baby – deeper."

He quickens the pace, riding her hard, and dipping deeper and deeper. He is in search of that magical place. The place where time always stands still. The place where everything tastes sweeter. The place where the colors of the rainbow always appear brighter. The place where the sun is always hotter.

"Oh God, Fitz. You feel so good – so good. Don't stop, baby, don't stop."

He frowns and glances up at her face which is glowing with ecstasy. He inhales a lungful of air and plunges deeper, and for a brief and precious moment, they are untethered, one from the other. They are floating in the magical place where everything is sweeter, brighter, and hotter. He wants to stay in that place forever. A few minutes pass before he slides out and rolls onto his back. He is trying to catch his breath and she is laughing again.

"Are you okay?" Turning his head and searching her face for any other sign that something is amiss.

" _Fan-tastic"_ , snuggling close and resting her head on his shoulder. "Why – was it not good for you?" She laughs out loud again.

"You're being silly", rubbing his hand up and down her arm.

"I've always wanted to say that", giggling again as she drapes a limp leg over his stomach. "Of course I'm fine. I'm always fine after making love with my favorite husband."

"I'm your only husband — always will be – don't ever forget it", running his fingers through her thick curls.

"Never – ever", she says sleepily.

"Kiss me", he demands as he looks into her drooping eyes.

She summons up enough energy to peck him on the lips before dropping her head back onto his shoulder and falling fast asleep. For the next few hours, with face set hard and lips pressed into a thin line, Fitz lay in the dark staring up at the ceiling.

 **XXX**

Olivia leans back in the buttery soft yellow leather chair and rolls her neck from side to side, trying to remove the kinks from sitting and looking at her computer screen far too long. Over the past three hours, she has been reading the content on the Diatell website and now she needs a break. She stands, gazes out the window, and smiles. The incredible view of the bay always makes her smile. She really thinks she can see the Space Needle in Seattle. Her full bladder interrupts her musing and she searches in her purse for the access card. With access card in hand, Olivia hurries down the hall toward the bathroom, and groans when she sees the housekeeping cart propping open the door. She knows she should not have waited so long but she was so engrossed in the work, the Diatell website is chock-full of valuable information. As a young girl, her mother always admonished her for waiting too long to go to the bathroom. She warned Olivia that doing so would ruin her bladder. She sighs because she knows she cannot make it to the bathroom on the next floor, so she taps the card on the door before entering.

"I am so sorry to interrupt - but I really need …." Olivia stops abruptly when the woman who is mopping the floor looks up.

"Hello. Mrs. Grant", Kelly says, trying to shield her embarrassment. She knew it was inevitable that one day she would see Olivia in this space, but that does not make her feel any less ashamed.

" _Mrs. Grant?"_ Olivia says, wondering Kelly is being so formal. "I had no idea you worked here, Kelly. How are you?" Trying to disguise her surprise.

"I'm fine", Kelly says, tightening her grip on the mop handle.

"And Asha?"

"She's also fine."

"The dance recital was over a week ago and can you believe Cena is still going on and on about it. She –"

"I better let you get in here, Mrs. Grant", Kelly says curtly. She quickly steps around Olivia and pushes the cart into the hall. Stunned when Kelly dashes from the bathroom, Olivia stands in the middle of the room and watches as the door slowly closes.

 **XXX**

Fitz walks into the bedroom where Olivia has already begun her nightly routine. It has been a long day and he simply wants to go to sleep.

"Babe, you broke your record tonight. You've been reading _Goodnight Moon_ forever."

"Three readings", he says, unfastening his watch and tossing it onto his nightstand.

"Guess who I saw today?" Looking at him tug at the bedcovers. "I saw Kelly", she says quickly, not giving him sufficient time to offer a response. "She works at Bryson's."

"Who's Kelly?" Olivia looks at her husband as if he has lost his mind. _"What?"_ Wondering if he has said the wrong thing.

"What do you mean who's Kelly? Asha's mother - remember?"

"Did you talk to her about -?"

"No, babe, I didn't get a chance."

"Liv, you have to handle this. You know Cena is going to ask me again about being Asha's father", flopping onto the bed and sighing loudly.

"Did you hear what I said? Kelly works at Bryson's", she says with urgency.

"Then you can talk to her the next time you're in the office", he says as he slides under the covers.

" _Fitz — Kelly cleans the bathrooms at Bryson's."_

He looks at her for a moment, then nods with understanding. Olivia stares at him expectantly, waiting for him to offer her some wise advice on how to handle the incredibly awkward situation.

"But you can still talk to her — right?"

"Fitz, what is wrong with you? Do you understand what I'm saying? I think Kelly was embarrassed."

"Why would you say that?" Turning onto his side and looking at his wife's distressed face.

"Because she couldn't get out of that bathroom fast enough. She even called me _Mrs. Grant_ — I felt awful."

"Awful? About what? You've done nothing wrong."

"You don't understand", she says half to herself.

"Just talk to her, Liv", turning onto his side and tucking the pillow under his head. Olivia looks at the back of his head and shakes her head in disbelief. She cannot believe her husband does not understand her predicament. Thank goodness she will be working from home for the next few days.

 **XXX**

Olivia has been working in their home office all day when Fitz called and asked her to pick up Cena from dance class. His meeting with Henri is going to run over time and he does not want Cena waiting for him at the studio. Carrying a sleeping Jolie in one arm and her purse over the other arm, Olivia struggles to press the dance studio's doorbell. She now regrets not bringing the stroller from the car because Jolie is even heavier when she is sleeping. When Ebony's teenage assistant opens the door, Olivia is surprised to see Cena sitting alone with her head down and twisting her fingers. She knows immediately that something is wrong. She glances around looking for Ebony and sees she is talking with a parent on the other side of the room. Olivia shifts Jolie in her arms and walks over to Cena to find out what has her daughter so sad. She sits on the chair next to Cena and lay Jolie across her lap.

"Cena, what's the matter baby?" Cena remains silent and continues to look down at her fingers. Olivia lifts her daughter's chin and realizes she has been crying. "Aww, Cee, what's the matter - why are you crying?"

The tears are now in full force and the crying gets Ebony's attention. She excuses herself from the parent and walks over to Olivia and her daughter. She sits on the chair next to Cena and strokes the little girl's back.

"Hello, Mrs. Grant", giving Olivia a sympathetic look.

"Hello, Ebony. Cena is upset. Do you know what's wrong?"

"I don't have all of the details, Mrs. Grant, but it seems like Cena and Asha had a little tiff today."

"A tiff? About what?"

"Like I said - I don't have all of the details, but I saw the girls talking before Ms Innis took her daughter home.

"Asha said we're not friends anymore", Cena manages to choke out through the crying. Olivia and Ebony look at each other astonished because the two girls have been inseparable since Cena joined the dance school.

"Did Asha say anything else, baby?"

"Her mommy said we can't be friends", poking out her bottom lip.

"I'm so sorry, Mrs. Grant, I had no idea."

"Go get your bag, baby. We'll talk about this at home. Okay?" Cena drags across the room to get her bag from the cubby hole.

X **XX**

When Fitz opens the door he is surprised when his greeting party is nowhere to be found. He frowns as he walks into the family room and only sees Jolie playing quietly on the play mat. He hopes Olivia did not forget to pick up Cena. He picks up Jolie, who is trying to grab his nose as they walk into the kitchen. He stuffs the little hand into his mouth and pretends to chew her fingers. Jolie squeals with laughter.

"That will teach you to grab daddy's nose, little girl", examining his wife's body as she bends over looking into the oven. He swats her on the butt and Jolie laughs again.

"Fitz", she whines, straightening her back and setting the casserole Hildie made for their dinner on top of the stove. "Are you laughing at mommy little girl?" Squeezing Jolie's red cheek.

"Where's my greeting party?" Pecking his wife on the lips.

"Upstairs. Cena is napping."

"Napping? Is she not well?"

"She's not sick, babe. Her feelings are hurt – she's sad", walking over to the copper farmhouse sink to rinse the vegetables.

"Sad? What's wrong – why is she sad?" Turning his face away from Jolie's grabby fingers.

"Babe, Cena was crying when I got to the dance studio."

"Crying? About what?" Concern filling his voice.

"Apparently, Asha said they can no longer be friends."

" _What?"_

Startled by the volume of her father's voice, Jolie stops grabbing for his face and looks at him with trembling lips. She starts to cry.

" _Shh – shh"_ , he says, rocking Jolie in his arm.

"Apparently, Kelly told Asha that she and Cena cannot be friends."

"Why would she do that? They've been friends for almost a year. That's a lifetime for little girls."

"I'm not sure - but I'm going to the office tomorrow so I can speak with her. I need to get to the bottom of this." Fitz nods.

"I'm going to check on her", he says, handing Jolie to his wife.

"Remember, babe, breaking up is hard to do – even for a six year old." He nods again as he walks from the kitchen.

"Dinner will be ready in 15 - bring her down, babe", Olivia calls to her husband who is already on his way upstairs.

 **XXX**

Taking two steps at a time, Fitz hurries up the stairs to check on his Princess. He stands in the doorway, glancing around the bedroom, and reflecting on when they were planning the design for Cena's big girl room. He chose the princess theme and worked closely with Olivia and the decorator to select every item in the room. He looks over at Bowtie, who is perched at the foot of the bed, then over at Cena, who is curled into a tight ball. With sad eyes, Bowtie looks up at Fitz, seemingly urging him to make his best friend feel better. He sits on the side of the bed and softly shakes Cena's small shoulder.

"Princess — wake up Princess", he says softly. Cena opens eyes that match his. "Hey, Princess", his voice filled with empathy.

"Hi, daddy", she says sadly.

"Do you want to tell daddy what happened?" He brushes the hair away from her face and the tears begin to stream fall again.

"Asha said she can't be my friend anymore."

"Aww, sweetheart, I'm so sorry", pulling her onto his lap and kissing the top of the head. "And that makes you feel sad." Cena nods her head up and down. "You can feel sad – that's okay. Do you want daddy to get you something to drink?" She shakes her head from side to side. "Do you want to come downstairs with me?"

"No", she says softly.

"That's all right, you can come downstairs when you're ready." Fitz places Cena back onto the bed and she slides a thumb into her mouth as he pulls the covers over her shoulders.


	46. Chapter 46 Rejected

**AN:** My intent is not to paint Fitz as clueless, but it's interesting some of you view him that , throughout the story Olivia and Fitz have been on different sides of various issues. Men and women just think differently about certain things. Lots of guest reviews for the last chapter - hope you can track my responses to your specific comments/questions.

 **Monica** , you'll learn more about Marion's insecurity in upcoming chapters. The drug crisis is impacting many families in my fictional city. Also, you are so perceptive, you should be curious about Fitz' demeanor after all that bumping and grinding. BTW, I will complete this story, although sometimes it might take me a little longer to publish because real life seems to get in the way. Like coming back from vacation and getting sick the next day. Jeez. **Cleo** , every line of your review cracked me up. I read it twice. Nothing more needs to be said. **Guest 1,** remember, it was Miss Cena's idea to share her father with Asha, not Fitz or Olivia's idea. Fitz wants Kelly to know about the request so they all can figure out how to handle it. Insightful comments about how Kelly might be feeling, though. You'll get more details about her feelings later. **Guest 2** , you nailed the assessment of all the characters mentioned in your review. Marion needs a therapist but she won't get one on my time. Haha. Yes, Asha has been raving to her mother about the fun she has at the Grants and other things she and Cena have discussed. You'll hear more about this later. **Guest 3** , If inquiring minds want to know then I must tell, a little bit. Calvin and Gwendolyn occasionally have dinner with the family. Remember, they are supposed to be spending time at Triumph Tabernacle helping to set up the new charter school. Hold tight, you'll find out more about what is going on with them in upcoming chapters. **Guest 4** , Fitz wasn't high at breakfast, he simply wanted to make the day special for his Princess. I see you haven't forgotten about those pills – good. **Guest 5** , you're right, I'm leaving clues all the time, glad you're catching them. Yes, Cena's silence about school speaks volumes, and Fitz finally understands what she is not saying. Did you catch the big clue in this chapter? **Guest 6,** you're right, Victoria's need to flaunt her imaginary status with Fitz brought her unwanted suspicion by Marion. You nailed it, Fitz is not clueless, just being a man. Men see things differently than women.

Here we go. Tell me what you think.

 **Chapter 46. Rejected**

Olivia stops setting the dinner dishes on the granite island top when she hears the heavy footsteps entering the kitchen.

"Where's Cena?" Looking over at her husband's distressed face.

"I told her she can come down when she's ready. She's really sad, Liv", Fitz says, sitting down in his chair.

"She'll be fine in time, babe", continuing to place the dishes on the island top.

"Maybe I should take her some ice cream - put some of those sprinkles on it she likes", he says quickly as if he just realized the solution to his daughter's woes. He walks over to the refrigerator and Jolie's eyes follow her father's every move.

"You can't fix this for her, Fitz. Her best friend has dumped her and she is going to be sad for a while", setting the basket of rolls onto the island top.

"I don't want her to hurt, Liv", his hand resting on the freezer door handle as he watches his wife fill his glass with iced tea.

"You know that's not realistic. You can't protect her from heartbreak at six or 16", setting the pitcher of iced tea onto the smooth surface.

"I don't want to think about her ever being 16", he says with sincerity, and Olivia rolls her eyes as he walks back to his seat.

"She has to learn how to deal with rejection, babe", scooping food from the pots on the stove and arranging it on his plate.

"Are you saying you want her to have grit?"

"No - I'm saying she's going to have many hurts in life and we have to teach her how to handle them without thinking the world is coming to an end", setting the plate of food in front of him. "We have to help her understand that sometimes people come into our lives for a little while and she has to be okay when they move on."

"How do we do that, Liv, she's only six?"

Jolie bangs her hand on the high chair and Olivia walks over and scoops more mashed potatoes onto her small plate.

"Somebody has an appetite tonight", smiling as she tousles her daughter's fine hair. "We help her understand she didn't do anything wrong – that this kind of thing happens all the time."

"It's more than that, Liv. She gets too attached — too soon. I told you I didn't want her getting too close to Asha - she did the same thing with Deon. I want her to have more friends — maybe schedule play dates", looking at the mystery on his plate.

 _Again with the play dates._ "Babe, you have to realize the breakup was not Asha's doing – it was her mother's. No amount of play dates will fix parents meddling in their children's relationships."

"Maybe we should enroll her in a different dance school — so she won't have to deal with the constant reminder."

"No – we're not going to teach our daughter to run away from her problems. We won't buffer Cena from difficulty."

"What is this, Liv?" Poking his fork at the food on his plate.

"I don't know — Hildie prepared it."

Jolie's squeals interrupt her parents and Fitz looks over at his daughter as she smears mashed potatoes on her face. He shakes head, thinking his baby girl always seems to have a messy face.

 **XXX**

The brass charm bracelet jingle as Gwendolyn stirs honey into her morning ginger tea and listens to her daughter update her about Cena and Asha's breakup.

"I don't understand why Kelly would do that, mom. Why would she tell Asha that she and Cee can no longer be friends? Poor Cena is confused and heartbroken."

"Livvia, I'm sure Asha is just as confused and heartbroken as Cena. Why Kelly did it – who knows. There could be a myriad of reasons. But, I can tell you one thing, Kelly loves her daughter."

Olivia looks at her mother wondering if Kelly's love for her child was ever in question.

"A protective kind of love, Livvia. Most parents want to protect their children from hurt of any kind. You know when they were here for Cena's birthday – Christmas celebration – I saw Kelly comforting her daughter. I overheard Kelly explaining to Asha why Fitzgerald calls Cena a princess and why Cena has so many nice things."

" _Really?"_ Olivia says with surprise.

"Whether that has anything to do with any of this - I don't know. After all - she did allow Asha to spend the weekend to practice for the recital", raising the mug to her lips.

"I know – that's why none of this makes sense", Olivia says, sliding a spoonful of food into Jolie's mouth. "Fitz wants to find another dance school for Cee. He doesn't want her to deal with the rejection. Mom, I put Cena in that particular school for a reason."

"Fitzgerald just wants to protect his daughter from further pain, baby."

"Well he can't protect her forever."

"And you can't stop him from trying. You should understand that by now."

Surprised by her mother's comment, Olivia frowns as her mother walks over to the stove to make another batch of ginger tea.

 **XXX**

With hands crossed on top of her thighs, Victoria balances her frame on the five-inch stilettos and watches the young man set up lunch on the credenza. When he is finished, she inspects the set-up, nodding her head with approval when she sees Mark has gotten her order right this time.

"Thank you, Mark. Everything looks lovely - as usual."

"I gave you some extra cookies this time, Ms. Sanchez - the ones you like", smiling adoringly at the object of his desire.

"That was so kind of you", flashing her phony smile at the obviously smitten young man.

"Have a good afternoon, Mr. Grant. I'll see you next time, Ms. Sanchez.", grinning at Victoria as he pushes the food cart from the office.

"Yes — thank you, Mark. Have a good day", Fitz says somewhat distractedly as he reviews the notes for his lunch meeting.

 **XXX**

Darius' stomach grumbles as he approaches the council president's reception area. He is hungry and ready to fill his belly with another free lunch. When he enters the reception area he is relieved that Victoria is not at her desk. He is not in the mood to pretend to ignore her today. He continues toward the office, but stops short of the door when he hears her voice. She is standing in front of the desk talking to Fitz.

"Is something wrong, Fitz?" She noticed he has not been himself all morning. Fitz tosses the yellow legal pad and ink pen onto the desk and sighs.

"Cena, my daughter, has experienced her first breakup." Victoria tilts her head slightly and frowns. Cena certainly is not old enough to date so she is not sure what he means.

"Her BFF — best friend forever – turned out not to be. She told Cena they can no longer be friends — and now my daughter is really sad."

"Aww – rejection is tough for a little girl. It's tough for us big girls, too", chuckling lightly. Fitz smiles politely, knowing better not to follow up on the comment.

Darius admires how the tight dress hugs her ass and he knows from experience she is not wearing anything underneath. His tongue reflexively moves across his lips as he remembers the countless times he sat on the edge of her bed watching her unwrap his gift. He remembers smiling like a loon when her dressed dropped to the floor and she revealed the present. He remembers thinking she was perfect in every way and she belonged only to him. He rubs his thumb against his index finger, remembering the feel of her silky, smooth skin when his hands traced her full breasts and caressed her round ass. He inhales deeply, remembering how she would straddle him and how he pulled her close and sucked her nipples hard, the way she demanded.

He remembers how she would lay across the bed, spread her legs wide, and lick the tips of her fingers. He remembers the sounds of her moans and the quickening of her breath as she moved her hips up and down. He remembers getting harder and harder as he reveled in her self-pleasure, eagerly awaiting her signal. And when she sucked her fingers, he knew she was ready for him to finish what she started. He remembers how he hungrily buried his head between her thighs: kissing, sucking, and worshipping her like a rabid animal. And when she shuddered, he remembers lapping up every drop as she quivered in his mouth. His tongue moves across his lips again, searching for a trace of her sweetness, but too many years have passed.

He watches the material strain against her ass and remembers the feel of her soft lips gently kissing and sucking his sac as if they were prized baubles in the Crown Jewels collection. His pants twitch when he remembers the red streaks she left as her mouth glide up and down his erection, bringing him close to the brink. She always loved having him in her mouth, she was insatiable in that way. He remembers how he would beg her, without shame, to let him cum, and he remembers how her laughter filled the air because she controlled both their pleasure. When she finally granted him permission, he remembers how alive he felt as he flowed endlessly into her mouth. And, he remembers she always swallowed, unlike his wife, and that made him love her even more. He closes his eyes and remembers how her glorious mouth would quickly bring him back to life so he could slide inside. And when they were completely one, he remembers how the tears streamed down his face because she felt like home and he did not give a damn how many men had been there before him.

They always made love no less than three times, sometimes four, if they could summon the energy. And when they were thoroughly fulfilled, they would lay in each other's arms for hours, planning their future together once he was the mayor and she was the city's First Lady. And when it was time for him to return to work or go home to Yvonne and the children, he remembers, like new lover, how they always planned their next time together. No other woman has ever made him feel the way she made him feel and he knows no other woman ever will.

Fighting back the tears, he shakes his head in despair because all he has left of them are his memories. And, unfortunately, his hand has become a poor substitute for her mouth during his morning and evening shower. He feels pathetic because he has been doing a lot of that lately while his wife lay asleep in their bedroom.

Her slightest movement cause the dress to shift across her ass and he wants to bend her over that desk and make sweet love to her as he unashamedly pleads in her ear for forgiveness. But she has rejected him, wants nothing to do with him. He is not worthy of her because he caved in when things got tough. So now she has set her sights on Fitzgerald Grant, a man who can give her everything she has ever desired. He balls his hand into a tight fist because the thought of her sucking and swallowing another man is almost too much for him to bear. His anger rises as he watches her offer herself to Fitz. Her movements are subtle, but he recognizes them all too well. The slight jutting of her hips as she shifts her weight from foot to foot. The placing of the index finger at the corner of her mouth, listening intently, as if whatever Fitz is saying is the most important thing in the world. She knows how to make a man feel like a man — make a man feel important — in and out of the bedroom. As he watches her performance, he does not know who he hates more, her for degrading herself in this way or himself for allowing them to get to this place.

Finally mustering the courage to make his presence known, he taps twice on the burled wood door. He never knocks. Victoria turns with a triumphant smirk on her face because she knows he has been watching her. He is always watching her. She sweeps her eyes over him with contempt, and he wants to crawl into the deepest hole.

"Darius — come in — we were just finishing up", Fitz says, smiling as his friend silently walks into the office. "I'm sure you're more than ready to chow down - ready to chew off your arm I suspect", Fitz says jokingly.

"Well, I better let you two gentlemen get to your meeting", Victoria says, turning back to Fitz with a warm smile.

"Thank you, Victoria, for listening to my parental problems."

"No, thanks necessary, sir. I'm sure Cena is going to be fine. Just give her some time." Darius balls his fist tighter when he hears the subtle flirtation in her voice. "Enjoy your lunch, Councilman Moton", she smiles at him with cold eyes as she walks from the office and closing the door behind her.

"Let's dig in, Darius, we have a lot to discuss today", Fitz says, walking around the desk and toward the spread of food on the credenza. Darius is in no mood to eat, his appetite vanished before he set foot into the office.

 **XXX**

Darius sees Fitz' lips moving but he hardly hears anything the man is saying. He can only think about her red lips kissing and sucking Fitz.

"So, what do you think?" Fitz asks through chews, shaking Darius from his thoughts.

"I'm sorry — what did you say?" Giving Fitz a blank stare.

"Is something wrong, Darius? You seem distracted today. And you've hardly touched your lunch — which we both know is highly unusual", he chuckles.

"Wilson's trying to undermine your agenda before the hearings begin. He has his people going through it with a fine-toothed comb — he's coming after you", tossing his napkin onto the table in frustration.

Taken aback by the out-of-the blue comment, Fitz stops chewing, slowly sets his fork onto the side of the plate, and stares at Darius. Under the thinly veiled guise of a mentor cautioning his mentee, Darius lashes out at Fitz. Each word that spills from his mouth is more vicious than the last. He is a jealous ex-lover who is going to take down his replacement.

"You didn't think he was going to sit back and let you block him from selling off the police department – did you? You know he owes his donors. _You can't keep acting like some damn rookie if you want to make a difference in this city. You can't walk around here with your head in the clouds — or doing whatever you do in this office — while Wilson plots against you."_

With lips pressed in an angry, thin line, Fitz' blood begins to boil and he prepares to retaliate. He does not know what the hell is wrong with Darius, but he will not be chastised like a child by Darius or anyone else.

"Submitting your agenda was just the battle — now the war begins. And you need to figure out if you're up for the fight — or if you're going to cave when things get tough — because things are about to get real nasty. Wilson will use every trick in the book to discredit you — to bring you down — so you better be clean. _Are you clean, Mr. President?"_

Darius is becoming more agitated, talking a mile a minute and sweating profusely. Fitz crinkles his brow, now realizing something is wrong. He sits back in the chair and closely eyes the ranting man.

" _You didn't actually think Wilson was going to hand this city over to you on a goddamn silver platter — did you? He's_ _building support for his budget with his supporters in council — and what the hell are you doing? Is this all a game for you? Are you just playing at politics until you get bored and return to that fancy business of yours?"_

" _Those campaign promises you codified into your agenda will go down in flames if Wilson has his way. So, you better make damn sure you have enough votes in council and the community is behind you."_

"Darius — "

" _And, you have to decide if you're a part of this city or if you're just a goddamn interloper._

 _You can't say you're fighting for the interests of the people when you have one foot in and one foot out — no matter what the hell you tell yourself - you have to be all in. Are you all in, Mr. President?"_

Fitz furrows his brow and watches as usually confidant man unravels before him.

" _Wilson will cut your legs from under you while you're standing and laugh while doing it. You gotta start seeing this kind of shit coming or he'll have you for lunch"_ , angrily pushing aside his untouched lunch. _"You think Charlie Barber was vicious — who the hell do you think wrote his playbook?"_

Fitz' eyes widen and his heart rate quickens at the mention Charlie's name. The dead man still has an effect on him. Darius stands abruptly and stomps toward the door.

" _You better get something on Wilson — shut him down — before he shuts you down."_

Shaken by the mention of Charlie's name and what the animal almost did to his family, Fitz walks over to the desk, snatches open the drawer, and the bottle of pills rolls forward. He stares at the brown plastic bottle for a long while, then slams the drawer shut.

 **XXX**

Darius stomps past Victoria's desk, hurries to his office, and slams the door behind him. He paces around the office feeling ashamed and embarrassed about his jealous outburst. He has to get his shit together. He cannot risk a setback and he damn sure cannot risk Yvonne finding out about the affair. She already suspects something is wrong.

When Victoria refused to continue the affair after he dropped out of the mayoral race, Darius spiraled into a deep depression. After a few weeks of not getting out of bed, Yvonne insisted he seek therapy. His loving and caring wife thought he was depressed because he dropped out the mayoral race to support her through the breast cancer. But the truth of the matter, he was a man in love with a woman who was not his wife. And, he was heartbroken because the love of his life no longer wanted anything to do with him.

Darius worked hard over the past two-and-a-half years to get over her, or at least pretend to have gotten over her. But today brought back all the memories, and when he watched her flirting with Fitz, he could no longer fake it. So, he lost it, fell apart, and took out his hurt on an unsuspecting Fitz. God only knows what Fitz thinks of him now.

 **XXX**

Olivia glances down at her watch and thinks Kelly should be on her way to the women's executive restroom. She wants to speak with Kelly before she begins her work and, hopefully, Kelly will agree to have the private conversation in her office.

"Excuse me - Kelly?" Olivia says to the women who is bent at the waist wiping down the shower walls. When the woman turns around Olivia frowns, somewhat discombobulated. "Oh —I'm so sorry — I thought you were Kelly."

"Kelly's not here today. I'll be finished in a minute so you can get in here, ma'am."

"Take your time", Olivia says as she turns and leaves. She takes a few steps down the hall then walks back into the restroom.

"Excuse me – my name is Olivia —what is your name?" With face twisted in frustration, the woman sighs as she looks up at Olivia.

"Rhonda", she says, placing a hand on her hip.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you, Rhonda, but would you happen to know if Kelly will be back to work tomorrow?"

Rhonda sighs again because she does not have time for the chatty executive. She is already behind schedule because when she arrived at work this morning she was told she would have to clean the bathrooms on her assigned floors and the executive bathrooms. This happens every time Kelly is out sick. _Maybe she should slip and fall so she can have an excuse to sit at home and watch daytime television._

"I have no idea. Nobody tells me nothin' around here. You should ask Miss Deanna", turning her back and resuming her work.

"Thank you, Rhonda", Olivia says to the woman's back before exiting the bathroom to find Deanna.

 **XXX**

"Deanna", Olivia says somewhat hurriedly as she approaches the reception area.

"Why hello, Olivia. I'm sorry I missed you when you came in. It's been such a hectic morning."

"No worries, Deanna", wanting to quickly dispense with the pleasantries. "Deanna, Rhonda told me that Kelly is out sick today."

"Yes — poor thing. I hope she has someone to help her with her lovely daughter this time."

Olivia furrows her brow.

"Oh — of course you wouldn't know. Kelly broke her arm last year — slipped while cleaning the shower. The injury flares up periodically — and of course she cannot perform her duties with an injured arm."

"Of course,", Olivia says with genuine concern. "Do you know when Kelly will return to work?"

"Perhaps in a few weeks. That's usually how long she is out."

"I see. Thank you, Deanna. I guess I'd better get back to work", flashing Deanna a smile before walking back to her office

"Olivia, dear, may I order you lunch?"

"No — thank you, Deanna. I don't have much of an appetite right now. I'm just going to work a few more hours before going home."

 **XXX**

Neither Fitz nor Cena is enthusiastic about playing the board game tonight, but for totally different reasons. So, after two unexciting games, Calvin stretches and yawns, announcing he is turning in for the night. Gwendolyn struggles to stand from the floor to join her husband.

"I'll put away the game, Princess. You go upstairs with mommy and get ready for bed." Olivia looks up from her tablet then over at her husband. _Something is wrong, he has been quiet all evening._

"Come on, Cee. Let's get ready for bed. Give Nana and Grandpop hugs and kisses."

"Goodnight, Nana. Goodnight, GranPop", Cena says gloomily as she kisses each on the cheek.

"Goodnight, Cena", Gwendolyn says, giving her granddaughter a tight and reassuring hug.

"Don't let the bedbugs bite", Calvin says with a smile. When Cena does not question one of her grandfather's old idioms, Calvin knows his granddaughter is really down in the dumps.

"Don't forget daddy, Cee."

"Goodnight, daddy", she says softly, giving her father a hug and kiss.

"Goodnight, Princess", tapping her on the nose. "I'll be up shortly to tuck you in."

After he puts away the game, Fitz walks over to the bar for a hefty pour of scotch, no rocks this time. When the girls came along, he decided to limit his drinking to special occasions. But today has been stressful and he wants something to take the edge off. He takes a long swig, and as the smooth liquid flows down this throat, he vows he will not allow himself to get hooked on any damn pills. He has to think about his family. He sits on the sofa and thinks about Darius' unusual behavior earlier. Frankly, the man's behavior was disturbing and unsettling; something is not right. The rambling rant is out of character and Fitz wonders if Darius and Yvonne are having marital problems. He sighs, takes a long sip, and closes his eyes as he savors the taste of the malty liquor. He really loves scotch.

He leans against the back cushion and stares at one of Jolie's stuffed animal sprawled on the floor, reflecting on what Darius said about reading the landscape, seeing the possible repercussions of his actions, seeing how one action can trigger another. He made that mistake with Charlie and is still paying. He thought things were over after the fight and after he won the election. He takes another sip and swears not to make the same mistake again. He pulls the phone from his pocket and sends Victoria a text to schedule a meeting as soon as possible. He downs the remainder of the drink, picks up Jolie's toy from the floor, and turns out the lights.

 **XXX**

"Hey, Princess, are you asleep?" He asks, sitting onto the bed.

"No", Cena says softly, turning onto her back and looking up at her father. "You smell funny, daddy."

He smiles and taps her on the nose.

"Daddy?"

"Hmm?"

Why doesn't Asha's mommy like me?"

"Aw, sweetheart, it's not that she doesn't like you – who wouldn't like such a smart and beautiful Princess?" Kissing his daughter on the forehead.

"Then why can't Asha be my friend anymore?" Folding her arms.

"Honestly, sweetheart, I don't know. But trust me – you trust me, right?" Cena shakes her head up and down. "It's not your fault – you did nothing wrong. Sometimes adults do things that don't make sense. Okay?"

Cena nods her head up and down then turns on her side, ready to fall asleep.

"I love you, daddy", he says with a smile.

"I love you more, sweetheart", kissing the top of her head before walking down the hall to the nursery.

 **XXX**

"You gave me _Goodnight Moon_ duty tonight", Olivia says playfully as he walks into the room. "Luckily Cee wasn't in the mood for more than one reading tonight", shaking her head as she walks over to the vanity table.

"You know it wouldn't kill you to read it every now and then", he says somewhat annoyed. "Cena still enjoys it. Stunned by his response, Olivia watches as he walks into the bathroom to brush his teeth.

"Did you speak with Kelly?" He calls out from the bathroom.

"No — "

"Olivia – I asked you to speak with her today", he snaps.

"If you would let me finish my sentence then you would know Kelly wasn't at work today. _Sheesh._ Deanna said she'll be out for a while. Apparently, she has some sort of injury that sometimes prevents her from working."

Olivia tosses her earrings onto the silver tray as her grumpy husband walks back into the bedroom and snatches open his drawer looking for pajama pants.

"Babe, did you know that 30 percent of the children in the city live at or below the poverty line? The research shows there is a direct link between poverty and a child's ability to learn."

Fitz sighs as he rifles through the drawer for a pair of pajamas.

"Social class is the biggest influence on how ready to learn a child is when she first walks through the doors of kindergarten. I'm happy Fred is committed to ending inter-generational poverty."

"Damn billionaires", he mumbles as he pulls on the pants.

"What did you say?" Looking at him with brow arched.

"Nothing", he says grumpily as he digs in another drawer for a tee shirt.

"Don't say _nothing"_ , looking at his reflection in the mirror as she removes her necklace.

"I don't want to discuss this with you", he says tiredly, pulling the tee shirt over his head.

"What do you mean you don't want to discuss _this_ with me?" Tossing the necklace onto the tray.

"Because you get too emotional about these things. It'll only end in an argument."

" _Emotional?"_ Turning and looking at him with a hand on her hip.

"Besides, we agreed not to do this — discuss business in our bedroom — or have you forgotten that, too?" She frowns because he has been persnickety all evening.

"Well, I think that's ridiculous since we're working on the same issues."

"One — it's not ridiculous because we agreed", glaring at her and daring her to say she has changed her mind. "Two — we're not working on the same issues. I write legislation to help the people of this city, you're working with a billionaire who wants to control the lives of those living in poverty - decide how poor children are educated. Bryson's _dabbling_ in public education."

"That's not true. Fred is dedicated to the city and he's willing to put his money where his mouth is to help those who live in impoverished communities. And are you saying I'm also _dabbling_ in public education?"

"Liv, please, not tonight." He is tired and frustrated by the politics and not in the mood to debate his wife.

"Why not tonight? Why can't we discuss our shared work projects?"

"You see that's the damn problem — you thinking we have a _shared_ work project. Well we don't. And it's problems – _plural_. The city has a million of them."

"Well I didn't know how bad things were with the schools until – "

"Just because you're just learning about the _problems_ doesn't mean they didn't already exist."

If she did not love him she would leap across the room and wrap her hands around his throat and squeeze that Adam's apple until the life slowly left his body. He has been moody all evening so she ignores the smart-ass comment.

"If we can work together to help put an end to inter-generational poverty – "

" _Work together?_ " Looking at her like she is insane. "Contrary to popular opinion in this bedroom — you're not the 10th member of council, nor are you my co-president."

" _What?"_ Surprised by his outburst.

"Go to bed, Olivia", he says with frustration as he yanks at the tightly tucked covers.

" _Go to bed? Who am I Cena? You don't tell me when to go to bed"_ , folding her arms across her chest and watching him trying to pull back the bed covers.

" _Dammit"_ , he growls. "And we're firing Hildie. I mean it this time, Liv. I can never get into this damn bed. I don't know why the hell she's started tucking the covers so damn tight again. And— what' s wrong with her cooking lately?" Olivia begins to laugh hysterically, which only angers him more.

"What's so funny?" Scowling at her.

"We're not firing Hildie."

"Then I don't want her making our bed any longer."

Giving up on trying to pull back the covers, he sits on the side of the bed and sulks. Olivia sits next to him, rubbing her hand up and down his back.

"What's the matter, babe? You've been in a foul mood all evening."

"The goddamn city is a mess – everybody has an agenda. Everything is a damn battle. Work is stressful enough — I don't want our home to be stressful, too. I don't want you stressed."

"I'm not stressed — why would I be stressed? I'm now clear on what I'm going to deliver to Fred."

"I don't want to have a partnership with you, Liv. Geoffrey is my business partner and I don't want you as my political partner. I want a wife. I want us. I want our family. I want work and our family life kept separate. I don't want to come home and discuss failing schools, gentrification, or any of the millions of problems in the city. Do you understand that?" She studies his face for a while and sees the stress in eyes. He looks tired.

"Okay", pecking him on the cheek. "Now stand up." He stands and watches as she pulls back the covers with ease. "Go to bed, babe. Get some rest."

For the next hour, Olivia watches her grumpy husband sleep and wonders what happened at City Hall today. She pecks him on the lips then walks into the bathroom and closes the door behind her.

 **XXX**

Victoria rolls her eyes when she sees one of Fitz' ragtag supporters walking toward the reception area. _At least he didn't bring the rest of that motley crew_. As Rashid approaches the reception area, he wonders how Mr. Grant got stuck with a witch for his assistant. He chuckles to himself wondering who Mr. Grant pissed off. The woman might be pretty on the outside, but it is clear she has an ugly spirit.

"I have a 9:15 with the council president", Rashid says without salutation, setting his briefcase onto the edge of the desk. Not bothering to acknowledge his presence, Victoria glances at the tattered briefcase then walks over to the office. She knocks on the door two times.

"Mr. Grant, your 9:15 is here", dehumanizing Rashid by referring to him as an hour on a clock.

"Thank you, Victoria. Please send in Rashid", standing and sliding on his suit jacket. Victoria presses her back against the door and motions her head for Rashid to enter. Rashid ignores her as he walks into the office.

"Rashid, it's good to see you", Fitz says with a genuine smile as he walks from behind the desk to shake the young man's hand.

"Hello, Mr. Grant", Rashid says flatly, accepting the handshake. Victoria rolls her eyes again as she closes the door.

"Can I offer you something to drink?" Motioning toward the credenza that houses the assortment of beverages and fruit.

"No thank you - I'm good."

Although several weeks have passed since their argument in this very office, Rashid is still angry. He believes Mr. Grant reneged on his agreement to support charter schools.

"Have a seat – please", motioning to the chairs placed around the conference table. He wants to reestablish their personal relationship, not allow the desk to put more distance between them. "I wanted to meet – just the two of us – without distraction – to _explain_ my policy on charter schools."

Rashid sits in one of the chairs and sets his briefcase on another chair. He waits for Fitz to continue.

"Rashid, I know you're not pleased with the legislation - the moratorium - I've proposed. In fact, you're probably disappointed – and I understand that."

Rashid remains stone-faced.

"I want to do whatever I can to help you understand my decision — give you every opportunity to ask any question you want."

"It's a little late for that don't you think. You already submitted your agenda to council."

"Rashid, we both want the same thing."

"Why did you ask me here today, Mr. Grant?" He asks with frustration.

"It's easy to make promises when campaigning — it is a different story when you have to govern", Fitz confesses.

Rashid sighs. "At least you're now being honest", he says angrily.

"Rashid, we both want the children of this city to get a quality education."

"Well they won't get one as long as they're forced to go to those failure factories. Those schools are nothing more than a systematic plan to fill the prisons."

"Public charter schools are not the silver bullet either. Some of them have as many challenges as the traditional district schools."

"And doing nothing is not an option", Rashid shoots back. "You're taking away parents' choice. You really fooled us — me. I really believed you were different - but you're no better than the establishment, do-nothing career politicians. Get into office and forget about the people who got you there", Rashid says with disdain.

"I understand that you're angry."

"Don't patronize me, Mr. Grant."

"I'm not patronizing you – nor am I suggesting we do nothing. I'm proposing a moratorium on opening new charters so we can take time to understand the problems — so in the future parents have a pool of quality schools to choose from."

"You want to close charters."

"I'm going to shut down _failing_ charters. Failing charters do nothing to close the achievement gap."

"Incremental change is being made at some of those so-called failing charters."

" _Well incremental change isn't good enough for me. Is it good enough for you?"_

The two men glare at each other.

"When you shut down those schools you'll have to tell the parents — those children — that they have to go back to their neighborhood school or find another charter that will accept them."

"The School District has been plagued with problems for decades. We are not going to fix the problems overnight, Rashid."

"I told you before — our children — the children who _actually_ live in this city — don't have time for another damn study."

"No charter will be closed during the moratorium - not even those that aren't meeting the mark. But, we need time to study why some charters are successful and why others aren't."

"What about vouchers? Give families vouchers so they can send their children wherever they want. That's real choice" Fitz runs a hand through his hair and expels a loud sigh.

"I'm for the voucher system - I am. But the problem with vouchers is every taxpayer has access to them — regardless of income or need. Families who already have their children in private schools can enroll them into a public school one day and walk right back out the door the next with dollars earmarked for the public schools and put their children back in a private school. The voucher system allows people like me to take needed money from the public school system to send their children to the select private schools. Most of the families in this city can't afford to make up the difference in tuition to send their children to private schools."

"All private schools aren't elite, Mr. Grant. There are some good and affordable private schools."

"Rashid – we need to try to fix the system we have right now before we can think about handing out vouchers."

Then it sounds like we're having a circular discussion."

"No - I'm saying we have to work on one problem at a time. Rashid - I want to do what is best for the children of this city. To do that — I'm going to need your help. If the people are going to buy into the moratorium they need to know that you and the others support it. Will you work with me?"

"It sounds like you're asking me to sell out", Rashid says defiantly. "I'm no longer interested in doing your bidding, Mr. Grant."

"I'm asking you to compromise – not sell out", looking Rashid in the eyes. "Sometimes you have to compromise to get what you want - but you never have to sell out yourself or the people of this city." Rashid looks at Fitz for a long while, contemplating what he said.

"I need time to think about this. I have to discuss it with the others."

"Of course. The hearings start in a few months."

"I'll get back to you before then. Have a good day, Mr. Grant", standing and grabbing his briefcase from the chair.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me, Rashid", Smiling as he shakes the young man's hand. Rashid walks over to the door, stops for a moment, and looks into the council president's eyes.

"By the way, Mr. Grant, you wouldn't qualify for a voucher— you don't live in the city."

 **XXX**

A few days have passed since Darius' unexpected eruption and Fitz has not seen him since. Although the accusations were hurled in a fit of rage, they are no less thought-provoking or true. The jarring outburst has challenged Fitz to do some serious soul-searching and question his commitment to the city. Darius accurately called him out for wanting to have it both ways — for wanting to keep one foot in and one foot out the city. And, that is exactly what he has been doing. In fact, he has been resistant to Olivia wanting to move to the city, frequently countering her reasons for wanting to move with the benefits of suburban living and the argument they can find many ways to expose their daughters to more diversity. Stuffing his hands deep into his pants pockets, he stares out the window and sighs. He wonders if he can truly be committed to the people who voted for him if he is unwilling to live where they live. Frankly, he is not sure if he wants to spend his time trying to help fix a city that many seemingly do not care about. He is not sure if he wants to try to persuade a disengaged council to fulfill their legislative responsibilities. He is not sure if he wants to go to war with Wilson. Above all, he is not sure if being a politician is good for his family. He lets out a heavy sigh, picks up the City Charter and reads it again.

 **XXX**

"How do we know if we can trust him? I no longer believe our interests are his interests", Rashid argues.

"Mr. Grant is a good man. Besides, what difference will a year make?"

"I guess you would say that since he bought you off with that fancy job", Rashid snipes.

"Go to hell, Rashid", Marcus shoot back, running a hand down his chest to smooth his tie.

"Hey – hey. We can't turn on each other", Marcella says, positioning her body between Rashid and Marcus. "This is not about us. This is about trying to do what's best for the children. Turning on each other does nothing to get us there."

"He's already changed his position once — how do we know he won't do it again?"

"Technically, he didn't change his position. It seems like once he got into office he was able to really understand the problem - he adjusted his thinking."

" _That's called changing your mind - no matter where you work",_ Rashid shouts and Marcella sighs because once these two go at it there's no stopping them.

"You can't be so entrenched in your position that you hurt the very people you _claim_ you're trying to help", Marcus retorts.

"Says the man who has left his neighborhood behind without looking back. Look at you, wearing a tailored suit and those damn shoes." Sweeping his eyes over Marcus as if he is disgusted by the sight of him.

" _What the hell do you want from me, Rashid? Would it make you happy if I still lived in Roosevelt? Would it make you happy if I still lived in that dilapidated apartment? What the hell is point of fighting for these kids to get an education if you're going to relegate them to what they already have. Isn't the point of getting an education to enable them to live a better life?_ With chest rising and falling and nostrils flaring, Marcus glares at Rashid.

" _Every damn body who doesn't look like us are clamoring to move into our city — take over our neighborhoods. They're coming here with their foreign cars and mini dogs and they have the nerve to look at us like we don't belong there. These are our neighborhoods. We've lived here all our lives. And people like you — once they get a decent job - want to move the hell out."_

" _When did I become the enemy, Rashid? Just because I choose to live elsewhere and wear nice clothes. Does supporting the community mean I have to remain poor? If that's what you're fighting for then count me the hell out",_ kicking a chair across the room _._

"Okay, let's calm down", Marcella says, looking at the chair sliding across the floor, but Marcus is not finished. He is tired of the Rashid's self-righteousness.

" _If you want to continue to live in Tilghman – then fine – do so. Bu don't criticize me because I no longer choose to live in the 'hood. Don't call me a sell-out because I'm doing exactly what we're fighting to give our children the opportunity to do."_

" _Don't you get it – they're trying to displace us. You see what they've done down at the waterfront – moved all those people out and put up those fancy condos."_

"For God's sake, Rashid, how many battles do you want to fight? Marcus asks tiredly. "Do you want to fight for quality schools - or do you now want to fight against gentrification - or do you just want to fight?" Shaking his head from side to side. "I have to go. For what it's worth - I vote for the moratorium", Marcus says as he walks from the room. Marcella and Jason look at each other.

"We have to find common ground", Jason finally speaks. "There is a quid pro quo, in a literal sense. Mr. Grant's interests are our interests. And, for the record, I'm fighting for better schools."

"The man doesn't even live in the city. His kids don't even go to our schools. He doesn't have any skin in the game", Rashid counters.

"I don't give a damn if his children go to our schools or not. I'm fighting for quality schools for the children who live here", Jason says. "Mr. Grant is in an influential position and can still help our cause - so I vote to support the moratorium."

"Nobody's perfect, Rashid", Marcella says, looking at him pleadingly. "I also vote to support the moratorium."

 **XXX**

Hildie shakes her head as she stands at the stove preparing breakfast. Mr. Grant is agitated about something this morning because he has called Mrs. Grant upstairs no less than three times for one reason or another.

"Liv — _Olivia"_ , he yells louder, as he looks over the bannister outside their bedroom. He

paces back and forth in the hall and calls his wife again.

"I'll finish feeding the baby, ma'am", Hildie volunteers.

"Thank you, Hildie", Olivia says somewhat exasperated. "Jo, your daddy is being a pain this morning", standing to go see what her husband now wants. His yelling is only making her headache worse.

" _Oliv — "_

"What is it, Fitz? You have to stop yelling this morning", rubbing her right temple. "Why aren't you dressed", looking at his untucked shirt.

"Where are they?" Looking at her with desperation in his eyes.

"Babe, I do many things, but I don't read minds. Where's what?" He exhales a loud sigh and throws his hands up in frustration and stomps into their bedroom.

"My special cuff links. You've moved them again."

"I did no such thing. Why would I move _your_ cuff links?" Following him into the room.

"Liv — please. You know I need to wear them today."

"You should calm down. You're going to be fine. The council will agree with you. If Wilson had any decency he would have stepped down long ago."

"My cuff links, Liv", not interested in her pep talk right now. He made up his mind a few days ago what he needed to do.

"You know, babe, I still can't believe you' re superstitious", walking into the closet and sliding open his valet drawer.

"It's not superstition, Liv", annoyed by the thought he would believe in such a thing. "It's just a fact that everything always goes well when I wear them."

"Babe, I bought those cuff links for your birthday long after we were married. How do you account for all your successes before you got them – before we were married?"

"The cuff links, Liv", he says, growing more agitated.

"Call it whatever you want — but it's nothing but plain old superstition", still searching the drawer for the little black leather box. "For someone who is so rational — here they are", waving the box in the air. "Apparently, they fell — "

"Just put them on, Liv", holding out his arms. "I have to get going."

"Why do I have to put them on — "

"Because that's part of the ritual. Things always go well when you put them on."

"My point exactly", shaking her head as she fastens the jewelry to the cuffs of his shirt.

"Can you meet me for lunch today – after council?" Sliding on his suit jacket.

"I don't think so, babe. I have too much to do. You know Jo's birthday is next month."

He sighs.

You're going to be fine", standing on her toes and brushing her lips across his. She presses her hand to the back of his head and glides her tongue over his lips, grazing her fingernails through the fine hairs at the nape of his neck. She smiles because he got a haircut yesterday. She backs him against the wall and tugs at his tie and they moan as she squeezes his lips with hers. She deftly slides her tongue into his mouth and he slowly circles her tongue with his. She slips into a deep kiss as she unbuckles his belt, and he moans softly. Ears aflame, he wraps his arms around her and kisses her passionately as her fingers find the pull tab and slides it down. The sound of the sliding zipper shakes him from the haze and he jumps back and stares at her like a frightened deer.

"What?" She asks, still trying to slide down the zipper.

"I gotta go, Liv", hurrying into the bedroom and zipping his pants.

"All right, but you owe me, babe", swatting his butt as he looks in the mirror and adjusts his tie.

"You' re pretty randy this morning", he says, buckling his belt.

"Well you kept calling me up here. What did you expect?" She says, smiling mischievously.

"Try to meet me for lunch", pecking her on the lips before leaving the bedroom.

 **XXX**

When the council president opens the side door to the council chambers, Ernest, the sergeant-at-arms, immediately calls the special session to order and the nine council members and stenographer stand as Fitz enters the room. When he takes his place at the podium, Ernest announces everyone can be seated.

"Thank you, Ernest", Fitz says, smiling politely at his sergeant-at-arms as he pulls the speech from the inside jacket pocket. He sets the papers onto the podium and glances around the room at the members of council. Slumped in his chair, Darius looks down at his phone, avoiding eye contact with Fitz. Henri smiles eagerly and Johnston sits back in his chair waiting to find out what the special session is all about. Wilson's toadies wear scowls on their faces, none too interested in being involved in whatever is about to happen. With fingers poised, the stenographer waits for the council president to begin.

 _Good morning and thank you for joining me for this special session of council. I have called this closed session to address matters that have plagued this austere body for many years. A snake has found its way into our garden and it has negatively influenced what we were all elected to do — and that is to serve the people of this city._

 _For decades, this council and its leadership have failed the people of this fine city. This council has allowed our government to be the object of a hostile takeover, engineered by a confederacy of corruption, cronyism, and campaign consultants._

Outraged by the attack the council president has levied against they, the members of council grumble and squirm in their seats. Ernest looks at Fitz out of the corner of his eye thinking things just got real.

 _As articulated in the City Charter, the city founders wisely structured the city government into three distinct - but equal entities: the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. But somewhere along the way the Legislative branch decided to cede its authority to the city's Executive - capitulating to the Executive — and acting more like the mayor's employees rather than his equal._

"This is outrageous shouts one of Wilson's supporters." Fitz looks over at the red-faced councilman and Ernest takes a step toward the man and places his hand on his holster. The councilman looks at Ernest's hand resting on his gun and leans back in his seat. He throws a pencil across the room in protest.

 _Our city is in trouble - and we can no longer turn a blind eye to the corruption that has plagued - and continues to plague our government. It is time we start working together and rise above the particular interests of a few. It is time we work across all interest groups in government, business, unions, and even individual citizens to do what is best for this city. It is time we rise to the occasion and build a larger vision for a city of which we can all be proud. And, it is time we take back what the founders of city deemed to be our responsibilities as legislators_.

 _So today, in this place, I am asking you to join me in passing the resolution to sanction the Executive branch — to limit the mayor's ability to issue Executive directives, until the public can participate in the budget hearings over the summer._

An audible gasp escapes the mouths of the council members and mutterings and grumblings fill the room. The members look at each other wondering if they really heard what they thought they heard. The stenographer stops typing and looks over at her friend Ernest, who is looking up at the council president in disbelief. This is the most stunning thing he has heard in council chambers in the 30 years he has worked in City Hall. To say everyone is shocked would be an understatement. What the new council president is asking is bold and unprecedented. This is a watershed moment.

Darius finally looks up at Fitz with surprise and respect, thinking the man has gone further than he ever would have imagined. Fitzgerald Grant definitely has balls, big balls _._ Proposing to sanction the mayor is brilliant. Doing so prevents Wilson from harming the city further, and hamstrings him until his trial begins. If the council approves the resolution, Wilson can kiss good-bye any chance of getting his budget approved while he is in the middle of a corruption trial. Darius smiles, and with a slight nod of his head, silently congratulates his friend.

 _And, we must all decide if we are all in — if we are all really committed to making this city great again. We must stick together and not acquiesce when things get tough. So, I stand here today to let you know that I am all in. I am committed to this city and I am willing to use the power of my office to make shit happen._

He looks at Darius and nods, silently saying, _I heard you_.

 _In closing, I would like to quote Sir Winston Churchill:_ _Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning._

 **XXX**

The necktie was discarded long ago and now the once crisp white shirt sleeves are rolled up to his forearms. He won the council over — at least for the next few months. The council passed Fitz' resolution to sanction Mayor Wilson by an overwhelming majority. And today, Fitzgerald Thomas Grant the Third proved he really is the most powerful man in the city, and giving everyone in the city a lesson on how their local government is supposed to work. As he sits at his desk, he sighs because he knows his victory will be short-lived. He just fired the first shot in the Grant-Wilson war and Wilson is not going to take being sanctioned lightly. Not having the power to pay back his donors is going to send him through the roof, and Fitz knows he has to be ready this time.

Victoria enters the office carrying a fresh carafe of coffee and walks across the room and sets the carafe onto the credenza behind the desk. She intentionally bumps the array of family photos and diffuser. She pours him a cup and sets it on the desk next to his phone.

"Thank you", lifting the cup to his lips. He did not have breakfast before he left the house this morning.

"Nice cuff links", Victoria says as she looks at the shiny objects on the desk. He sets the cup back onto the saucer and smiles as picks up the special cuff links. Bouncing them in the palm of his hand, he thinks about his wife.

"Liv gave them to me — a birthday present", dropping them into his shirt pocket. He never wants to lose them.

"Everyone is talking about how you took the Council to task — shamed them for being Wilson's lackeys."

"My goal wasn't to shame anyone, Victoria. I simply wanted to remind the legislators of their duty — why people voted for them. I needed to remind them that the people of this city are counting on them to help make their lives better. I needed to remind them they work for the people — no one else."

"Whatever your reasons — everyone in this building is talking about what you accomplished - historic", smiling at him with admiration. She finds his authenticity and strength extremely attractive. He is a man of integrity and a man of action, consequences be damned. He is the real deal.

"I'm sure the man on the fifth floor is none too happy", he says, looking down at the ringing cell phone.

"I need to take this, Victoria", smiling as he picks up the phone from the desk.

"Of course,", she says with a fake smile as she turns to leave. She knows Olivia is calling so she leaves the door slightly ajar so she can listen to his end of the conversation.

"Liv", he says, leaning back in the chair, his smile broadening. "It went surprisingly well. Except for two of Wilson's supporters, the council is onboard. Are you coming here for lunch — I'm hungry? Okay, give my messy-faced baby girl a kiss for me. Well she is. She always has something on her face. I'll see you when I get home — we have to talk. I love you, too."

 **XXX**

It never takes long for news and rumors to travel through the corridors of City Hall, and the news that the mayor has been stripped of his authority has spread like wildfire. Work has come to a screeching halt as people from the fifth floor to the basement huddle around water coolers, in hallways, and in bathrooms spread the rumors about how the mayor and council president got into a fistfight on the floor of the council chambers when the decision to sanction was announced. Others say Ernest shot the mayor when Wilson pulled out a pistol and tried to shoot the council president. Whatever the case, Theodore Wilson has the unenviable honor of being the first mayor in the city's history to be sanctioned. As the news reverberates through the halls of the fifth floor, the mayor's assistant decides to take an early lunch. She does not want to be around when the man starts yelling and breaking things. She will have someone from maintenance come up later to clean whatever he has destroyed this time.

The media are clamoring for a response from the mayor and have circled the building waiting for him to stroll toward the ever-present black SUV. But Wilson remains locked in his office, throwing a tantrum and various objects against the wall. He is reaching his breaking point, living under the specter of a jail sentence for the past few months is taking its toll on him. With glass filled almost to the rim with bourbon, Wilson scowls as he looks out the window at the people going about their are clueless about what he has to do to make their lives better. They have no idea the kind of horse-trading he does to make things happen in this city. They are all ingrates. As for those weak-kneed, knuckle-dragging council members and that matinee idol they decided to follow, well they are all going to pay for rejecting him.

He ignores the phone ringing in the locked desk drawer andraises the glass to his lips. He does not have a damn thing to tell them. The council has boxed him out, blocked him from using the powers of the office. The City Charter states the mayor cannot be impeached unless convicted of a crime. However, the city's founding fathers, in their infinite wisdom, gave the council power to sanction the mayor for a period of time they deemed necessary. Wilson is crippled, unable to use his Executive authority to issue directives, which the city departments are legally obligated to enforce. Issuing an Executive directive was the last card he planned to play to privatize the police department. Now, he is left only with ceremonial responsibilities. He can give speeches at the Chamber of Commerce, serve as the Grand Marshall in parades, and participate in ribbon cuttings. As the phone continues to ring, Wilson downs the rest of the bourbon then hurls the glass against the wall. If he is going to have any chance of staying out of jail he has to stop Grant, and fast.

 **XXX**

Fitz stretches across the bed and lay his head on his wife's lap. He slowly closes his eyes and expels a heavy sigh. It has been a stressful week, starting with Kelly, then Darius and Rashid, and now Wilson. His stress feels immeasurable. Olivia looks down at her husband and smiles as she rubs the excess body butter on his arm. She slowly massages his scalp because that always helps him to relax.

"You had a good day, babe. You gave the people hope again. I'm so proud of you."

Fitz remains silent, frowning slightly as if he is trying to solve a complex mathematical equation. He lets out another sigh, opens his eyes, and looks at her smiling face. He still thinks his wife is the most beautiful woman in the world and he will do anything to make her happy, especially during these stressful times.

"I'll call Joan tomorrow — have her start looking for houses in the city — _just_ to give us an idea of what's out there", holding up a finger to temper her enthusiasm. Olivia's eyes widen at the unexpected announcement and stops massaging his scalp. It takes everything in her not to push him onto the floor so she can jump up and down.

"Okay", she says in her best unaffected voice as she silently screams with joy. Fitz turns onto his side, wraps his arms around her waist, and presses his lips to her nightgown.

"Good night, Liv."

"Good night, babe", smiling brightly as she resumes massaging his scalp.


	47. Chapter 47 Rich Kid, Poor Kid

**AN: For those of you with an eagle eye, two** name corrections/changes:the name Gwendolyn suggests Asha calls Fitz is Babu - means willing, not Baaba. The HR lady's name is changed from Helen Elverson (first occurrence in an early chapter) to Janice Roberson, because I've used it so often.

 **Sweet160717** , Nervous excitement is the appropriate emotional response. That's a good place to be. Haha. Things are going to heat up soon. Darius is lovesick. **Guest1** , Fitz didn't deny Olivia sex. Remember, he was getting ready for work. He had to present to the council. But, there was something else going on with his response to Olivia. You'll find out more about this later. Liv is his punching bag? Hmm **Guest2** , Addicted to my story, what a compliment. Always say your prayers first, and send one up for me. **Guest3** , so a sad Cena is like drinking flat pop. Yuk. Liv is the assertive parent and Fitz is the permissive parent. Liv did not engage with her ornery husband because she knew something was bothering him. The Darius meltdown helped Fitz to honestly address questions he had been thinking about. He's frustrated with the way local government works, or isn't working. **Guest4** , Hildie's cooking is not suffering because she is babysitting Jo. We'll find out what's going on with her in upcoming chapters. **Sister1256** , Victoria really laid something on Darius, because you're right, the man is whipped. Don't forget, he is a married man. Do you believe he was going to leave his family for Victoria if he became mayor? Hmm. **Guest5** , so you thought the Victoria and Darius sexcapades was gross so you scrolled past it. Do you know how long it took me to write it? LOL. I love your directness — too funny. The detail was intended to show how tortured Darius is by his "love" for Victoria and how it affects his relationship with Fitz. The man is whipped, as another reviewer said. Hey, there were several Olitz moments in this chapter. Wink. **Denise** , Darius sees what Victoria is up to because he knows her tactics and he's jealous. You know Wilson is plotting something. Hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving. **CeresHelena** , Eu aprecio que esta é uma história é um dos seus favoritos. Eu gosto que você tome o tempo para refletir sobre o que você lê e ver como tudo está se juntando, que faz sentido para você. BTW, sua tradução está bem, espero que a minha seja também. (I appreciate this is story is one of your favorites. I like that you take the time to reflect on what you read and see how everything is coming together, that it makes sense to you. BTW, your translation is fine, I hope mine is as well.) **Monica** , Wilson's house is definitely crumbling around him and he is not going to wait for the third strike — that would mean he's off to the big house. Fitz is a bright contracts lawyer and he read the City Charter (a contract of sorts) to find a way to stop Wilson without using dirty tactics, as Darius suggested. Darius fell hard for Victoria; he has to get over that. Several characters have taken that residency jab at Fitz, even the police commissioner. I wonder if this gentrification thing will influence Olivia's desire to move to the city. We know how Calvin feels about gentrification. **Guest 6** , glad you decided to continue reading after Chapter 10. Glad you mentioned that communication thing because you will see how it factors into their marriage — again. They have to remember the lessons Avril taught them at Mirage or they are bound to repeat the mistakes of their past. **Guest 7** , you think the story is all over the place. You have to follow carefully, if you choose. Would like to hear more.

Thanks to all who continue to support this story. I enjoy reading the reviews. Here we go!

 **Chapter 47. Rich Kid, Poor Kid**

For the past four months, Fitz has made the five-minute trek from City Hall's underground parking garage to his office on the third floor without incident. In fact, except for an occasional nod and grunt from Dennis, the close-to retirement police officer who mans the front desk in the lobby, his arrival to work has been — well — uneventful. But that changed last week when news of the council's decision to sanction Mayor Wilson spread through the city like wildfire. Reporters immediately descended on City Hall, clamoring for comments from the mayor and council president. Wilson ignored their requests and Fitz responded with a prepared statement that left the media dissatisfied. After a few days of getting the same responses from the mayor and council president, the media moved on to the next story, but the citizens did not. Each morning when Fitz steps into the lobby, he is immediately surrounded by a crowd of no less than a dozen people waiting to greet him. Some want to shake his hand and congratulate him for stopping Wilson's corruption, albeit temporary. Others want to know when he will rid the city of the other crooked officials. And, a few women just want to sneak a kiss on his cheek. In just one week, Fitzgerald Grant has gone from being the rookie council president, to what some would call a political celebrity. The attention is unexpected, overwhelming, and most of all, unwanted.

This morning is no different when he walks into the lobby, or so he thinks. After spending a half-hour answering questions from the greeters, he politely excuses himself and hurries over to the bank of elevators. He longs for the days when Dennis was the only person who acknowledged his arrival to work. As the elevator doors start to close, he hears the unmistakable voice of Shelby Sage calling him. Shelby, the intrepid reporter who followed him throughout the campaign, hurries over with her cameraman.

"Council President Grant, may I have a few words with you?" Shelby asks, holding the elevator door with one hand and sticking the microphone toward his face with the other.

"Come see me in an hour, Shelby", he says somewhat flustered.

Shelby nods with a smile when sees the tiny beads of sweat dotting his forehead. She removes her hand and allows the elevator doors to close. Fitz presses his back against the elevator's wall, closes his eyes, and expels a heavy sigh. He needs to find the back stairs.

 **XXX**

When she hears the unmistakable sounds of his heavy footsteps clomping on the marble floor, Victoria glances at the clock in the bottom-right corner of the monitor and shakes her head. The crowds are making him later and later.

"More groupies today?" Victoria asks playfully. Fitz frowns and continues toward his office. "You're a rock star", she calls after him, enjoying his new political cachet more than him.

 **XXX**

One hour later, Shelby Sage exits the elevator on the third floor with her cameraman in tow. She has walked down these halls many times over the years when Marla Briggs was the council president. The two women had a good professional relationship, but even Shelby was surprised when she learned Marla was also corrupt. Shelby shakes her head, thinking politicians cannot be trusted. Although most start out with good intentions, after a while, even the most well-intentioned find themselves embroiled in some kind of scandal. And, Shelby believes it is her responsibility as a journalist to expose their indiscretions to the public.

When Victoria sees the brash reporter walking toward the reception area, she does not bother to mask her displeasure. She detests the woman who has made a lucrative career from exposing the salacious details of a politician's life on that tawdry news segment called the _Sage Report_. After Darius dropped out of the mayoral race, she learned the reporter was preparing to expose their affair.

"Shelby Sage - WKRS – Channel 7. We have an appointment with the council president", the fast-talking reporter says with a confident smile. Victoria sighs and pretends to search for the reporter's name on the meeting scheduler displayed on the monitor.

"I'm sorry, Miss Sage, I don't seem to have you on the schedule this morning", eyeing the woman with disdain. Shelby glances down at the nameplate on the desk, then back at the woman.

" _Victoria_ — the council president invited us up for an interview this morning", Shelby says, smiling over her shoulder at her cameraman. They both know Victoria's story and they know politicians dare not refuse to meet with Shelby Sage if they want to keep their names off the nightly 10 o' clock news.

"I'm sorry, _Miss Sage_ , the council president didn't mention anything about an interview today. Perhaps I can schedule you for – "

"It's _Ms._ Sage", Shelby says, leaning forward against the desk and placing her freshly manicured hand on her hip. "Be a dear, _Vic-toria_ and let Council President Grant know Shelby is here."

"Shelby - come in", Fitz calls out from the office when he hears the reporter's voice. Shelby smirks at the fuming assistant and motions for the cameraman to follow her.

Fitz buttons his jacket and walks around the desk to greet the reporter. Shelby was tough, but kind to him during the campaign and he wants to repay her with an exclusive interview.

"Good morning, Shelby", Fitz says, extending his hand to the relentless reporter.

"Good morning, Council President Grant", accepting the handshake with a broad smile. "You remember my cameraman, Ken", motioning her hand toward the burly video photographer and sometimes bodyguard. The two men shake hands. "Thank you for the sit-down, council president."

"You're quite welcome, Shelby. Have a seat - please", sweeping a hand toward one of the chairs situated in front of the desk. "Where do you want me?" He asks, knowing reporters like to stage interviews so they show better on television.

"I think at your desk", Shelby says, glancing over at Ken, who nods in agreement. Fitz sits in his chair and straightens his tie. "This is on the record, sir", Shelby informs him as she sits in one of the chairs. Fitz nods with a smile and Shelby motions for Ken to start filming.

"Council President Grant, in the four short months since you've been in office you've begun to tackle what some would say are big— tough issues. In fact – you've done what no other council president has done in the history of this city — you sanctioned a sitting mayor. Did you consider the historical relevance of such an unprecedented move?" Fitz smiles inwardly, thinking the woman does not waste time getting to the point.

"Shelby, the full council voted - with an overwhelming majority - to impose sanctions on Mayor Wilson."

"That might be true, sir, but the council members follow your lead", Shelby persists.

"This is a democracy, Shelby. The vote was seven to two. I have only one vote." Shelby nods, thinking the rookie council president has learned how to handle the tough questions.

"So – should the citizens of this city regard this move by the _council_ as a declaration of war on Mayor Wilson?"

"Not at all. The council is simply leveraging one of the tools the city's founding fathers provides the legislative branch to ensure power does not go unchecked."

"From the looks of the crowd downstairs this morning - the people seem to be firmly on your side. They seem excited their new council president is shaking things up in this city.

"We just want to do what is best for the people, Shelby."

"The people have lost trust in their elected officials, sir. How do you regain their trust —overcome their skepticism – in your first term?"

"That's a legitimate question. Whether this is your first term or your 10th term in office - the people must hold their elected officials accountable. But – to answer your question — I must be truthful — I have to do what I promised. That is how I gain the the people's trust."

For the next 15 minutes, Shelby peppers Fitz will a variety of questions from education to business development. She is impressed how the man comports himself; he seems like the real deal. She smiles internally, hoping the man is not just a pretty face. Perhaps Grant can make her a believer again.

"So - what's next? What's on your agenda, sir?"

"The council has much work to do between now and when the hearings begin this summer. No one should over-read this moment."

"Thank you, Council President Grant, for taking time out of your busy schedule to speak with us today", Shelby says with a smile. "That's a wrap, Ken", signaling the cameraman to stop filming. Fitz walks around the desk and places a hand on Shelby's shoulder.

"You're tough, Shelby", Fitz says, giving her a genuine smile as he shakes her hand.

"Just doing my job, Fitz. You know how to handle yourself", she says as she stuffs the microphone into its case. "You shouldn't think this thing with Wilson is over", she says, staring into those blues eyes that can turn dark and cold in an instant. "I've been covering Wilson for a long time - he's cunning. You've repudiated him — taken away his power – he won't take the sanctions lightly. You better be prepared because Wilson is not interested in ending up in the city's ash heap of history. He certainly doesn't want to go to jail."

"Thank you, Shelby", he says with a nod and a tight smile as he guides the reporter to the door.

"You can watch the interview tonight on the _Sage Report_ , council president." Fitz nods politely as they all walk into the reception area. Shelby stops suddenly in front of the assistant's desk as if she just remembered an important question she did not ask him.

"By the way, how are Olivia and those two beautiful girls of yours?"

"Liv is fine – the girls are good. Our youngest will be turning one in a few weeks", he smiles proudly.

"Well – tell Olivia I said hello."

"Will do. Take care, Ken", Fitz says before returning to his office. Ken flashes the none-too happy Victoria a smile, which she promptly ignores.

 **XXX**

The sun is high in the sky as Fitz stares out the window with his hands stuffed deep into his pants pockets. He inhales deeply, filling his lungs with the scent from the diffuser. Shelby's warning reverberates in his ears. The line has been drawn, the bets have been placed, and there is no turning back. He exhales slowly, knowing he has to prepare for Wilson's inevitable retaliation.

"Penny for your thoughts", Victoria says, walking into his office carrying a few folders in her hand.

"Politics is a dirty business, Victoria", he says without turning from the window. The warm sun feels good on his face.

"Indeed - it is", waiting for him to continue.

"To be in this business you have to be willing to get in the mud – do horrible things at times."

"Is something wrong, Fitz?" Thinking he has been solemn since that reporter left.

"No — nothing", finally turning around to face his concerned assistant. "I don't mean to sound so ominous", giving her a weak smile.

"No apology necessary - I'm always willing to listen."

"Did you need something, Victoria?"

"Just your signature on these documents", holding up the folders as she walks toward him. He takes the folders from her hand and tosses them onto the desk.

"Why don't you take off for lunch, Victoria. I'll set these on your desk on my way out this evening."

"Are you sure you don't need me? I'm more than willing to stay."

"Enjoy your lunch, Victoria", giving her a forced smile. She nods and reluctantly leaves him alone.

When Fitz hears Victoria's high heels walking down the hall toward the elevator, he picks up the cell phone from the desk and calls Chuck. He needs to get security for Olivia and the girls. This time he needs to do everything he can to make sure they are safe. He will not survive if anything was to happen to them.

 **XXX**

In the family room, Cena rolls the red rubber ball across the hardwood floor to her sister, who is sitting on the play mat clapping her hands. Jolie squeals as the ball rolls toward her and begins to smile. Fitz and Olivia sit on the sofa laughing as they watch their daughters play. He lifts his wife's hand to his lips and she smiles. He loves this time of the day when he can relax and spend time with his family.

"Pick it up, Jo", Cena directs when the ball stops in front of her sister's outstretched legs. Jolie looks at the ball and claps her hands again.

"Pick it up, Jo", Cena directs again. Jolie finally picks up the ball and immediately brings it to her mouth.

"Don't put it in your mouth, Jo", Cena says, and Jolie's little body starts to shake with laughter, as if she just heard the funniest thing ever. Bowtie looks up at the laughing baby and whimpers. "Roll it back, Jo", Cena says, patting her hand on the floor trying to coax her sister to return the ball.

"Keep practicing, Princess. She'll get the hang of it soon."

"Five more minutes, Cee, then it's time for bed", Olivia says. Cena crawls across the floor, grabs the ball, and starts the game all over again.

 **XXX**

When her husband walks into the bedroom, Olivia bookmarks the house she has been viewing on her tablet. Finding a house in the city is proving to be slow-going.

"I didn't know you had an interview today with Shelby", she says, removing her eyeglasses and setting them onto the nightstand.

"I didn't - it just sort of happened. Shelby was kind to us during the campaign - so I gave her an exclusive. She says hello — by the way."

"I like Shelby. You looked good on TV, babe. A little tired — but good."

"Things have gotten crazy at City Hall. It now takes me forever to get to my office. I need to find the back stairs", he says tiredly as he begins his nightly routine of unfastening the watch from his wrist.

"Everybody loves you. You did a brave thing." He sighs because he is tired of being commended for doing what should have happened long ago. "People are seeing a sea change. Sanctioning Wilson is something most people never thought would happen. They just want to express their gratitude – their appreciation."

"Victoria says I'm a rock star", he says sarcastically as he tosses the watch onto the nightstand. Olivia rolls her eyes at the mention of the vacuous assistant's name.

"Babe, the people want their political leaders to work for them — help make their lives and the lives of their families better - nobody's looking for a _rock star_."

"I just want to get to my office in the mornings, Liv", he says tiredly.

"Look at this house, babe", holding up her tablet so he can see the house she just bookmarked.

"I don't want to look at houses tonight, Liv. I'm tired and just want to go to sleep", setting his phone onto the charger. "I read _Goodnight Moon_ three times and Jolie still didn't want to go to sleep. I had to play with her for another 20 minutes before she finally closed her eyes."

"She's getting older, Fitz. She doesn't want to miss out on anything", pulling back the covers so he can climb into bed. "Lie down, babe – get some rest." He crawls into bed and rests his head on her lap.

"Where are your parents? It seems like I haven't seen them in forever?" He mutters next to her stomach.

"They're at Triumph. Dad says the school is on track to open in the fall. He's really excited about the new school."

Fitz groans silently at the mention of Rev. Walker wanting to open a new charter school. He is advocating for a moratorium on new charter schools, which means Rev. Walker nor anyone else in the city will be able to open a new charter school for at least a year. Another battle he thinks.

"Your father is a good man, Liv. He's wise."

"You two have become best buds. I like that", slowly massaging his scalp.

"We have a lot in common."

"Like what?" She asks with a tinge of surprise in her voice.

"First — you. We both love you very much", pressing his lips against her stomach. "Second - like Calvin — I will do anything to protect my daughters."

"You're such a good father, babe."

"I just want the best for you and the girls — want to keep you safe", he says with such intensity she shudders.

"Is something wrong, babe?" Looking down at him with concern in her eyes.

"I'm fine, Liv."

"You'd tell me if anything was wrong - right?" She asks somewhat anxiously.

"Liv, I'm fine. Don't get yourself worked up."

"I'm not getting worked up. I just want to know if my husband is all right. I don't want you keeping secrets from me, Fitz."

"I'm fine, Liv. Let's just get some sleep — please."

With brow crinkled, Olivia watches his eyelids slowly close. She brushes back his hair with her hand and studies his face; even in sleep he looks tired. She strokes the side of his face, wondering if something happened at the office today. She smiles when his light snoring interrupts her thoughts, shakes her head, and resumes scrolling through the list of houses Joan emailed. She needs to find a house they both will like.

 **XXX**

Darkness has blanketed the city and Mayor Wilson is once again alone in his office enjoying his second bourbon on the rocks. He grabs the remote from the desk and unmutes the television when he sees Shelby Sage interviewing Fitzgerald Grant.

" _We all have to work to rebuild this city — make it a center for innovation - government can't do it alone, Shelby."_

" _Spoken like a true Republican",_ Shelby interjects withasmall smile _,_ but Fitz ignores the comment.

" _We need a blend of public-private partnerships. We need reinvestment in our city — remove blighted homes and buildings from our neighborhoods. Why do families have to walk through blighted neighborhoods with factories that have been abandoned since the 1970s? They should all come down."_

Shelby nods.

" _We have to invest in research and development — incubate companies so we can grow our way to the new economy."_

" _You sound passionate about this, council president."_

" _I'm passionate about growing our city, Shelby. I didn't spend months away from my family campaigning just to maintain the status quo. Everything that has happened had to have been for something",_ he says with intensity. His piercing blue eyes send chills through the usually unflappable reporter.

" _So - is sanctioning Mayor Wilson a day of reckoning?"_

" _It's not a reckoning. It's fulfilling the promise we all made to the good people of this city._ _No one is above what the founding fathers envisioned for this city."_

Wilson scowls as he watches his nemesis speak idealistically about public service. He takes another long swig of his beloved bourbon and remembers when he was idealistic and eager to work on behalf of the people. He remembers when he used to challenge corrupt politicians. He remembers when he used to be Fitzgerald Grant. He downs the remainder of the drink and turns off the TV before leaving the office for the evening. _This is not the time to get sentimental. Tomorrow is a new day._

 **XXX**

Fitz leans back against the headboard, settling in for what has become their nightly routine of house hunting online. They each have drafted their must-haves in a new home. Fitz' list is long and specific, whereas Olivia's is short and general, for the most part. Olivia reads his list of must-haves and shakes her head, he has too requirements. Slowly scrolling down the latest list of houses, Fitz shakes his head from side to side. He does not see anything he likes.

"Do you like any of the houses Joan sent over?"

"Babe, it's going to be hard finding a house in the city that has as much space as we have now. Five bedrooms and five baths – that's a lot to ask. And why do we need a living room, Fitz? We hardly use the one we have. It's such wasted space."

"We can just stay here", giving her that smile that usually gets him what he wants.

"Don't give me that look, mister. Maybe we should find another agent – someone who is more familiar with properties in the city?"

"Let's give Joan more time - she found those other houses."

"But, babe, you didn't like any of those houses. You said _no_ to the last house we were to tour before Joan could drive down the street."

"I said _no_ because all I saw on that street was a bunch of cookie-cutter houses connected to each other."

"That's what townhouses are like. They're usually connected on at least one side – maybe two", she says softly, not wanting to rekindle his resistance to moving.

"That's not going to work, Liv", shaking his head as he looks down at the tablet. "I don't want to live in a house where I can hear our neighbors' conversations."

"Well - you didn't like the condo either. There was only one other condo on that floor and it was at the other end of the hall."

"I told you - I don't want my family living in an apartment."

"Need I remind you _we_ lived in an apartment in the city when we were first married."

"Need I remind you _we_ didn't have children back then", giving her a pointed look.

"Fitz, that was a really nice apartment. I remember you thanking me profusely for helping you find it."

"I was trying to date you back then", he says flatly. "Plus - it was near your apartment."

" _You mean you didn't like it?"_

"I could always smell what everybody was cooking, Liv."

"That's not true. Once maintenance fixed the exhaust fan in your neighbor's kitchen everything was fine. Besides, I'm sure your neighbors didn't like the smell of burning food coming from your apartment when you were learning how to cook." The corner of his mouth twitch.

"What about the shower?" He asks, seemingly out of nowhere.

" _What?"_ Tilting her head to the side attempting to follow his thought pattern.

"Our shower — I love that shower, Liv", glancing over at the adjoining bathroom. "We've had wonderful times in there. The different shower heads — the settings — the lights …."

"You're kidding — right?" Realizing he is throwing out all kinds of silly roadblocks. "How about the other house on Crescent Street?" He sighs and swipes the tablet screen until the five-story dwelling is displayed.

"It's a townhouse — and not practical", shaking his head again. She stares at him with arched brow, waiting for him to offer more explanation.

"It's five stories - and they all aren't full levels", frowning at the pictures.

"There's an elevator", she adds, and his frown deepens.

"I don't want to live in a department store, Olivia. Besides — the staircases – _all four of them_ — aren't safe for the girls. There aren't any risers - they can fall through the steps." She nods in agreement.

"How about the loft on Renaissance Avenue?" She offers another suggestion.

" _A loft?"_

"Yes — a loft. That old factory has been converted to lofts", swiping her index finger across her tablet screen to display the open floor plan. "They're huge."

"You're kidding - right?" Staring at her as if she has lost her mind.

"Why would I be kidding? We would have the entire floor to ourselves. It _screams_ city", she says dreamily as she looks at pictures of the large and open space.

"It _screams_ no privacy. It's wide open — all the spaces flow into each other", shaking his head with disapproval. "I'd feel like I'm on display all the time — especially if all of those windows are uncovered. I'm not going to live in a zoo, Liv." She rolls her eyes because he can be difficult when he is opposed to something.

"Maybe we can put up a few walls", she suggests, still looking down at the open floor plan and trying to reimagine the space.

" _Put up walls?"_

"Yes — put up walls - create discrete rooms. Does the idea sound so farfetched?"

"That kind of defeats the purpose of living in a loft", he says sarcastically, and she sticks out her tongue while he is looking down at his tablet searching for the house that caught his eye earlier.

"I told you I know when you do that."

"How do you always know? Do you have eyes under all those curls?"

"How about this one?" Shoving the tablet close to her face.

"I don't like it", she says flatly, barely glancing at the house.

"You hardly looked at it."

"Don't have to."

"What do you mean _don't have to_?"

"Because I always know what you're going to show me."

"Come here smarty pants", grabbing her legs and pulling her across the bed.

"No, Mr. Grumpy Pants", she says through the giggles.

"You're going to pay for that."

"Make me – make me", she says, laughing hysterically.

 **XXX**

The kitchen is quiet as each member of the Grant family is engrossed in their own thoughts and activities. Cena is sitting next to her father at the granite island top drawing on her tablet. Jolie is in the high chair, picking up Cheerios from the tray and watching them fall to the floor, and Bowtie sneakily laps up each piece he can get. Fitz is drafting a plan on his tablet of the things they need to do _if_ they decide to move. Olivia is standing at the counter next to the copper farmhouse sink filling small glass jars with organic, homemade food for Jolie. She wonders if her baby will outgrow her allergies. All the research she has done indicates some children lose their allergies as they get older; she prays this is true. She does not want Jolie to be limited or feel left out just because she cannot eat certain foods. As she vacuum-seals a jar, she shakes her head thinking Cena is like Fitz in so many ways. They both can eat anything and nothing seems to upset their stomachs. She and Jolie, on the other hand, are not as fortunate.

"Daddy, look what I'm making for JoJo's birthday", Cena announces, holding up the tablet so her father can see the banner she has been working on for the past few days.

"Wow - that's really nice, Princess. You spelled all the words correctly", tousling his daughter's head of springy curls.

"Mommy helped me", Cena smiles proudly at her father.

"Mommy's a good teacher, sweetheart." Cena nods her head up and down then resumes drawing the colorful banner for her sister's first birthday.

"We have to make a plan, Liv."

"A plan — for what?" Looking over her shoulder at her husband who is typing on his tablet.

" _If_ we move - there's a lot that needs to be done."

"Okay — what's on the plan?" She smiles inwardly, thinking they are making progress.

"First — we have to sell this house", and she nods, continuing to fill the jars.

"What else?"

"There's a week-by-week checklist online that lists everything we have to do — at least two months before moving. We have to donate or toss things we don't want to take with us, buy moving supplies, notify the utility companies …. It's a lot. Moving from a house is not like moving from an apartment, Liv. We have a lot more stuff now."

"Suppose we don't sell this house?"

"Are you kidding? Who wouldn't want to live here?" He blurts out without thinking. Olivia turns instantly and gives him a pointed look that says I thought we were beyond this. He looks at her sheepishly then walks over and apologizes with a kiss.

"Did I ever tell you John helped me to find this house – before you saw it?" Quickly changing the subject.

"You never told me that", looking at him strangely.

"It was his way of making up to me."

"Making up for what?"

"For complaining about me talking about you all the time – for spending all my time with you. I couldn't stop talking about you to him."

"You never told me that."

"He was jealous. He thought we'd be hanging out a lot when I moved back home — but I found a _girl_ ", smirking as he pulls her close. "The more I saw you the more I wanted to be with you. If we had lunch I couldn't wait for dinner. I was _smitten_."

"Me too", wrapping her arms around his waist.

"You didn't act like it —not in the beginning."

"I was busy, babe. I was in the middle of trying to get funding for those wells. It broke my heart those seniors didn't have access to clean water." He kisses her.

"What was that for?"

"You have such a big heart - you care about people. I always loved that about you."

"Aww, babe, you're so sweet. I knew early on you were a keeper - well maybe not early on."

"You did?"

"You were such a good kisser."

" _Were?"_ Giving her a wounded look as he presses his body against hers, pinning her against the sink. He kisses her again.

"Still are, babe. Still are."

"I prepared for that kiss you know — planned it for weeks", he confesses, and she looks at him with surprise.

"You did not", playfully swatting his shoulder.

"I did. I always made sure I had mints whenever we were on a date."

"Babe, that kiss outside my apartment was hardly planned", dreamily looking up at the ceiling as she remembers their first kiss.

"Things don't always go according to plan, Liv. I knew I had to act fast when you said you didn't want to see me again."

"I thought you wanted me to be your personal shopper, babe. Mona knew otherwise. She said you weren't calling me all the time just to go shopping. I didn't have a clue – "

"That I had fallen madly in love with you?"

"I was so upset with you that night."

"But I won you over?" Smiling triumphantly.

"Truth be told – I couldn't think, babe. That kiss had my head swimming. I knew I was physically attracted to you - you're a good-looking man after all. But that kiss — well it sealed the deal."

"I like kissing you — always have", slowly brushing his lips over hers.

"I know, babe – anytime – anywhere."

"That's because I want everyone to know how much I love my wife."

"Aww, babe, you're so sweet."

"And handsome. And a good kisser", he says playfully, punctuating each statement with a kiss.

"You better not ever share those lips with anyone else", she says in a not-so playful warning tone.

"No chance of that."

"Do you remember the time we were at the market and you started kissing me in the dairy aisle?"

"And that old guy yelled: _"'Get a hotel room.'"_ Their laughter fills the air and Cena looks over at her parents who are doing what she has seen them do so many times in her short lifetime.

"We didn't get a hotel room — but we went back to your apartment …."

He steps closer and she closes her eyes because she can feel that he wants her. He presses his lips against hers and she moans, running her fingers through the hairs at the nape of his neck.

"Look, JoJo, daddy's kissing mommy — again. He does that a lot", Cena educates her sister about their parents' activity. Jolie stretches her arms toward her father and puckers her lips.

"Jo wants a kiss too, babe", Olivia giggles when her husband frowns at the wet Cheerios covering Jolie's mouth.

 **XXX**

Olivia sits cross-legged on the bed, smiling at the Greek Revival-style house on her tablet. She shakes her head from side to side as she thinks about their honeymoon. That was the best week ever.

"Look at this house, babe. Doesn't it remind you of our honeymoon villa?" Fitz glances at the picture, shrugs his shoulders, then walks into the closet.

"I can't believe we almost didn't get married", reflecting on the fight between their fathers at the family meet and greet. "Your father — my father …"

"It was going to happen, Liv. We were getting married — with or without our families", he calls from the closet.

"Didn't you like our villa? I loved it", scrolling through pictures of rooms in the house.

"Did you pick up my blue suit from the cleaners?"

"I forgot, babe — wear the brown one." He huffs, somewhat annoyed. He does not want to wear the brown one. He wanted to wear the blue suit to the breakfast meeting tomorrow morning with local business owners. He pulls one of the gray suits from the rack and hangs it on the valet rod. He drapes the lavender-colored tie over the suit jacket then walks back into the bedroom.

"I loved when you got naked on the beach. Isn't that the name of a drink?"

"Sex on the Beach, babe. The drink is called Sex on the Beach."

"I especially loved having _sex_ on the beach", laughing as he plops onto the bed.

"I was so nervous. I'd never done anything like that — getting naked in public." She whispers as if someone could hear her.

"It was a private beach, Liv", tossing his watch onto the nightstand.

"You should have told Stavros it was a private beach when he kept walking back and forth."

"He was harmless. When he found out we were on our honeymoon he kept sending us bottles of champagne", setting his phone onto the charger.

"We drank way too much that night, babe", reminiscing about the nonstop flow of champagne. She still cannot believe they danced naked around the beach late into the night.

"We slept under the stars all night", he says as he climbs into bed and opens his tablet.

"It's called passing out, babe." They laugh until tears roll down their faces.

"Best honeymoon ever. We should do it again", he says through the laughter.

"What — get drunk and pass out on the beach?" Her cheeks beginning to hurt from laughing so hard.

"Renew our vows — go back to Greece. Get _naked_ on the beach. Make _love_ on the beach. Have _sex_ on the beach", he laughs again, thinking that is a silly name for a drink.

" _Renew our vows? Are you serious?_ "

"It'll be 10 years soon. We should go back."

"Wow — I hadn't thought about renewing our vows", she says, staring across the room at nothing in particular. "Planning a wedding is a lot of work, Fitz. We're so busy."

"It doesn't have to be as elaborate as the first one. Think about it." She nods, still trying to process the unexpected suggestion.

"How about this one?" Turning the tablet toward her face.

"Fitz, that's a handyman's special."

"I'm handy."

" _Since when?"_ Arching her brow.

"Just look at it. It's one-of-a-kind."

"I'm sure it is", she says sarcastically.

"It's called Briarwood."

"You mean it has a name?"

"It's a 10-bedroom Tudor Revival mansion — built in 1930."

" _A mansion?_ That's too much house, babe."

"It's has a lot of great details, Liv - leaded glass windows, eight fireplaces, coffered ceilings, gargoyles, and meticulously sculpted woodwork and stonework", reading the realtor's description of the mansion.

" _Gargoyles?_ That sounds creepy, Fitz. The girls will be scared. I will be scared."

"It has a lot of space for entertaining: two billiard rooms, a solarium, and a spacious library with a _charming fireplace alcove_." She rolls her eyes as he continues reading the realtor's description.

"Babe, that's way too much house for us and Hildie to maintain."

"Don't you like the grand entrance foyer with its impressive stone fireplace and equally impressive carved main staircase?"

"Sorry, babe. I can't get past the gargoyles. Besides, the house needs work: the woodwork needs refinishing, the butler's pantry could stand updating, and that linoleum floor in the kitchen and the appliances have to go. Cross it of your list." He bookmarks it just in case he can convince her later.

"We have appointments on Saturday to look at the latest houses Joan sent over."

"I don't think we're ever going to agree on a house, babe", taking off her eyeglasses and setting them onto the nightstand. "We have to negotiate a compromise", pecking him on the lipsbefore turning off her lamp.

 **XXX**

Marion has been arriving to work early these days since she no longer has Ben to keep her in bed in the mornings. She has not heard from him since he left her in his apartment the night she accused him, again, of wanting to be with Olivia. She cannot blame him for not calling. Ben is such a sweet, kind, and loving man, but even he has his limit. What is so sad about the matter, she thinks Ben really likes her, and she really likes him. She even allowed herself to imagine them having a future together, but as usual, she found a way to sabotage another relationship. She presumes that is what damaged people do. She brushes the tears from her cheeks, grabs the gift bag from the desk, and heads upstairs to Fitz' office. He should be in the office by now.

Impeccably dressed, as usual, in a black, two-piece pants suit and red silk blouse peeking from under the jacket, Marion walks down the marble halls toward the council president suite of offices, practicing her excuse for why she cannot attend Jolie's party. She does not know if Ben has told his brother about the breakup, so she wants to be careful what she says to Fitz. She cannot possibly tell him Ben broke up with her because she is jealous of Olivia. She simply wants to give him Jolie's gift and get out of there as quickly as possible.

Marion stops abruptly in the reception area when she sees Fitz' assistant standing behind his desk and running her thumb over a photograph of Fitz and Olivia on their wedding day. The mix of longing and hate on the woman's face cause her anger to rise.

"What are you doing?" Marion demands as she steps into the office.

"Dr. Harris", Victoria says, startled by the intrusion. "The council president is at an outside meeting this morning", she says quickly, realizing she has been caught.

"Answer my question", Marion insists as she watches the woman slyly return the photograph to the credenza.

"I'm Mr. Grant's assistant. I — I -"

"Whatever you're doing here — or whatever you think you're doing here - stops today."

"Excuse me", Victoria says, trying to shield her nervousness.

"Fitz and Olivia are my friends - so whatever you're up to — it will not end well for you." Victoria tries to interject but Marion takes another step toward her.

"I've heard the whispers about you, Victoria, but I don't believe everything I hear", standing nose to nose with the woman. "Subjecting yourself to the dictates of a man — any man. Abandoning your own agency in favor of some man's agenda."

"You know nothing about me", Victoria retorts, her eyes close to bulging out her head.

"I don't know you - but I've known women _like_ you my entire life. Attractive and greedy — always looking for a payday from some man—married or otherwise."

"I don't know what you're talking about", Victoria says, trying to step around Marion only to be stopped by the tight grasp Marion has on her forearm.

"Women like you are extinct", Marion's green eyes flash with anger. "Fitz is off limits to you - do you understand?"

"If you don't mind, Dr. Harris, I have work to do", trying to snatch her arm free from Marion's grip. Marion holds on tighter and stares into the women's eyes a long while. The tension in the air is palpable.

"Find someone who's available", Marion says before releasing her hold on Victoria's arm. Victoria hurries from the office with the too-tight dress hugging her assets and Marion sighs as she sets the gift bag onto Fitz' chair. She scribbles a quick note to let him know she is unable to attend Jolie's birthday party.

When Marion returns to her office she wishes she had a drink to calm her nerves. She detests women like Victoria who are always looking for a wealthy man to subsidize their lifestyle. She leans back in the chair, closes her eyes, and thinks about her mother. She does not bother to wipe away the tears.

 **XXX**

Calvin grimaced when Olivia announced at breakfast that she and Fitzgerald were once again going to look at houses in the city this morning. He understands his daughter wants a more diverse environment for his granddaughters, but he is not keen on his daughter's willingness to be an active participant in the scheme to remove the poor from the city.

"It seems like you and my daughter have decided to move to the city after all", Calvin says in a disapproving tone.

"No decision has been made, Calvin. We're just exploring our options— seeing what's out there", Fitz says, shaking his head as he brings the mug to his lips.

"I know what's out there, Fitzgerald", Calvin says with disgust. "Growing hipster neighborhoods — enclaves of overpriced homes restricted to the wealthy. That's what's out there. The city's lawmakers should be doing something about combating poverty rather than pushing out the poor."

"I am the city's top lawmaker, Calvin, and I can assure you no one is being pushed out. There are neighborhoods that have been economically depressed for decades, and we need to do something about that. But — we can do more than one thing at a time. We can grow the city to attract businesses and families — and we can help provide opportunities to pull people out of poverty."

Calvin sucks his teeth and resumes reading the newspaper. He is not buying what his son-in-law is selling. Fitz shakes his head and downs the rest of his coffee. He is not in the mood to have another gentrification debate with his father-in-law today. He also is not in the mood to go house hunting on a Saturday morning.

"I'm ready", Olivia says cheerily as she breezes into the kitchen. "Fitz and I are getting ready to leave, dad. Mom's upstairs with Cee and Jo."

"Humph", Calvin grunts as he continues to read the newspaper. Olivia frowns at her father's response and looks at her husband for an explanation. Fitz simply shrugs his shoulders.

"Call us if — "

"Your mother and I know how to care for children, Livvia", Calvin says tersely.

"O-kay", she says slowly, looking at her father's twisted face before grabbing her purse from the chair and pecking him on the cheek.

"We'll be back after lunch, Calvin", Fitz says, steering his wife from the kitchen.

"I wonder what's wrong with him this morning", Olivia whispers as they walk toward the foyer.

 **XXX**

Three hours later, Olivia sighs silently as Fitz drives to the restaurant for lunch. She rubs her forehead, feeling the beginnings of a headache. She does not think they are making any progress because once again her persnickety husband did not like any of the houses they toured today. Joan says there is not much inventory in the city that meets his criteria.

"Babe, we've been looking at houses for weeks now. We've visited over a dozen and you didn't like any of them."

"I want the best for our family, Olivia. I want you and the girls to live in a safe environment."

"Well it's taking too long, Fitz."

"That's absurd", he says, as he turns left onto Leavenworth Street.

"What do you mean _absurd_?" Not liking his choice of words.

"I mean it will take however long it takes, Olivia."

"Well - I won't be able to go house hunting next week. I have to work on my recommendation for Bryson — and finish planning Jo's party."

"Then I'll just have to find something without you", smiling mischievously.

"Don't you dare. We'll be living at our current address if it were up to you."

Olivia frowns when she looks out her window, finally noticing her surroundings. She does not remember ever taking this route to get to Restaurant 52. As Fitz drives down the street, she sees row after row of dilapidated houses and abandoned commercial buildings. Most of the buildings appear to have been abandoned for decades. As they drive through the neighborhood, loud music blast from expensive car speakers. Young men stand on street corners, seemingly without purpose. It is not yet noon and they are drinking something out of brown paper bags. Children without safety helmets weave their bicycles in and out traffic, causing Fitz to slam on the brakes. Her anger rises when she realizes what her husband is doing.

"Take me home", she says tightly.

"Liv –"

" _Now."_

 **XXX**

The 45-minute drive home is quiet, and periodically Fitz glances over at his wife. Her arms are folded across her chest and she is stone-faced. He decides it is best to remain silent and let her process what just happened. Olivia does not know what emotion she feels more: anger because he showed her what she has been blind to, or sadness because of the conditions in which others must live. As he drives home, she looks straight ahead and watches as the vibrancy of the city transitions to the subdued suburbs. The blaring car horns and loud music thumping from low-rider cars have relented to the sounds of chirping birds. The dilapidated buildings fade to stately homes with well-manicured lawns. There are no children riding dangerously in streets on bicycles. There is no one trying to sell them bottled water from a dirty cooler at traffic lights. There are no fast food restaurants on every other corner. Nor are there malnourished stray cats digging through trash cans trying to find food for the day. None of that is present in Church Falls.

As the truck ambles over the smooth, pothole-free streets, she notices no one is walking about and socializing. Then, she remembers all social activities in Church Falls typically occur inside the beautiful homes' well-appointed entertainment rooms or out back on the massive decks. Some families opt to join the local country club to interact with other people who are like them.

Olivia leans back against the plush leather seat and inhales deeply. Nothing. Her nostrils are filled with absolutely nothing, and she immediately misses the smells of the ethnic foods intermingling in the city air. She misses the hustle and bustle of the city. She misses the liveliness and creativity.

As Fitz navigates the truck up the long driveway, she stares sadly at their beautiful Federalist-style home. It is a stark contrast to the run-down buildings she saw in parts of the city. Fitz turns off the car, letting the keys dangle from the ignition as he watches his wife quietly slide from the car and walk up the steps to their home. It had to be done. She needed to see all parts of city life before they make such a big decision for their family.

 **XXX**

" _Mommy – mommy"_ , Cena yells, running down the hall to greet her parents. "GranPop, Nana, and I finished the puzzle", she says excitedly. "Do you wanna see?" Trying to pull her mother into the family room.

"That's really nice, Cee", Olivia says wearily, forcing a smile as she looks at the puzzle on the huge cocktail table. Gwendolyn and Calvin look at each and wonder what is wrong with their daughter.

"Do you want to do another puzzle, mommy?" Cena yells, smiling up at her mother expectantly.

"Mommy's tired, sweetheart", Fitz says, when he walks into the room.

"I'm going to lie down for a while", turning and brushing past her husband. Calvin looks at Fitz for answers.

"It was an enlightening day", he says without offering further explanation.

"Daddy, do you want to make a puzzle?"

"Of course, sweetheart", smiling at his daughter and caressing her face.

Fitz helps Cena make the same puzzle two times before going to the kitchen and quickly preparing a light dinner. All of Hilde's meals are frozen and, under the circumstances, he is not in the mood to do much cooking. He sets the table for his in-laws and Cena and places Jolie's food on her high chair tray.

"I'm going to take Liv something to eat. She didn't have lunch", glancing back and forth at his in-laws.

"I'll feed, Jolie", Gwendolyn says as Fitz carries the tray of food from the kitchen.

 **XXX**

The bedroom is almost dark and he can see she has pulled the covers up to the point of nearly covering her face. He flicks on the light switch, walks over to her side of the bed, and sets the tray onto the nightstand. He sits cautiously on the edge of the bed.

"Liv", he says softly, resting his hand on her shoulder.

"Hmm?" Slowly stirring from her nap.

"I have dinner for you. You didn't eat lunch", giving her an apologetic look. Stretching and yawning, she pushes herself up against the headboard and folds her arms across her chest. He smiles because her hair is a mess and he thinks she looks absolutely beautiful.

"Do you want me to feed you?" Brushing the stray hair from her face and she looks at him as if he has lost his mind.

"I'm not sick, Fitz. I'm just tired—exhausted really."

"Do you want something to drink?" Glancing over at the tray.

"What you did today was mean and uncalled for", she says, reaching for the glass of iced tea on the tray. For some reason, she is parched.

"You needed to see both sides, Liv. That's the only way you understand what I tell you sometimes. I have to show you." She squints at him and sets the glass back onto the tray.

"That's not true. I listen to you all the time."

"You listen when it suits your purpose - but I love you anyway", pecking her on lips.

"Have I've been living in a hermetically sealed bubble? How did I not see it? The foundation is in the city. I've been to the Springfield Heights Community Center …."

"One - your foundation is downtown - not in one of the surrounding neighborhoods. Two — you — we all see what we want to see. We can be blind to what's happening right under our noses. Open", sliding a spoonful of soup into her mouth.

"You're not playing fair, you know this is my favorite soup."

"I know. I'm trying to redeem myself", he smiles impishly. "Bite", sliding the grilled cheese sandwich into her mouth.

"You make the best grilled cheese sandwich, babe", savoring the many flavors of melted cheese. "You still won't give me the recipe."

"You're no longer angry with me?" Giving her his best puppy dog face.

"It's not right, Fitz. Parts of the city are beautiful - then there are other parts that look like a Third-World country. How can both exist in the same city?"

"There are many reasons the city is in the condition it's in, Liv. The problems did not happen overnight and they won't be fixed quickly."

"It breaks my heart to see the despair. It's not fair some people have so much and others have so little. Those children I saw today could have easily been Cee or Jo."

"Livvie, whatever we decide - whether we move to the city or not – we have to do it fully aware of what we are getting into. Do you understand?"

"I'm tired, Fitz. I'm going back to sleep", she says, her voice filled with sadness.

 **XXX**

Olivia runs her fingers through her hair and sighs as she looks at the monitor reading Satell's latest report on poverty in the numbers are staggering and heartbreaking. The report only confirms what she saw when Fitz drove through those neighborhoods on Saturday. The data show 12 percent of the region's population live in the city, but 46 percent of the poor live there. More disturbing, 25 percent of the children in the city experience poverty, and that rate has doubled since 1970. She swings her chair around and stares out the floor-to-ceiling windows in her office. It really is a beautiful city, at least from this perspective. She shakes her head as she strains her eyes to see the Space Needle. On a clear day, she can see the observation tower in Seattle.

She shakes her head, because the many issues facing the city, including crime, health, and public education, are rooted in the economic status of its less well-off residents. However, the sad part of it all, there are no real answers to what it will take to move people out of poverty. There is no way a corporate philanthropy program alone will resolve the city's poverty problem, but that does not mean she will not do everything she can to help those in need. Her stomach churns and she walks across the room to the beverage bar and fills her cup with hot water. She dips an Earl Gray Breakfast teabag into the hot water and chuckles when she reads the label. It is already after the lunch hour and she cannot remember if she ate breakfast this morning. She lets the teabag steep and rushes to the restroom. When she sees the cart propping open the bathroom door she sucks in a lungful of air. She hopes Kelly is back to work, but prepares to come face to face with the not-too talkative Rhonda. She knocks on the door and the two women lock eyes.

"Kelly, I'm so glad you're feeling better. Deanna said you were ill", Olivia says with a genuine smile, glancing quickly at Kelly's arm.

"Hello, Mrs. Grant. I'm doing better — thank you. I'm just finishing up in here", turning to gather the cleaning supplies from the counter.

Olivia pushes the cart into the hall and lets the door close. Kelly tightly grips the utility bucket handle as she watches the door close. She does not want to have this conversation. She wishes she had something to steady her nerves.

"Kelly — first of all — I'm Olivia — not Mrs. Grant — you know that. You've been to my home. Our daughters have been in the same dance class for almost a year. They were — are friends."

"I have to protect my daughter, Mrs. Grant", Kelly blurts out. "So – no - Asha can no longer be friends with your daughter." Stunned by the outburst, Olivia takes a step toward Kelly.

"Protect Asha - from what? Oh my, God, did Asha say we harmed her?" Olivia asks with concern.

"I have to protect her from disappointment - from hurt - when she sees the differences between her and Cena. She sees that Cena gets to live in a big, beautiful house where her parents give her anything and everything she dreams of. She sees Cena get a storybook birthday party and wonders why she can't have the same kind of party. You had horses for god's sake, Olivia. The most I can give my daughter for her birthday is a store-bought cake from Bryson's - and _maybe_ a small gift if I can scrape together enough money after paying my rent. I can't give my daughter what you can give your daughter. I have to count every penny – there's nothing extra."

With eyes wide, Olivia stares at the woman wondering how as a society they have gotten to a place where children cannot be friends because of the of size of their parents' wallets are different.

"Are you saying our daughters cannot be friends because of something neither of them has any control over – something neither has chosen?"

"Yes", Kelly says, glaring at Olivia defiantly. "I have to protect my daughter", she repeats.

"Kelly — Asha and Cena don't know anything about income – they just know they like each other. They just know they like to dance together and fall on the floor giggling and laughing when they mess up Ebony's dance routine."

"That's where you're wrong, Olivia. They might not have the words to express it - but they surely know there are differences between them. They know one has and the other does not. The look of disappointment on my daughter's face when I told her she couldn't go to Seattle to see Misty Copeland was too painful. Do you know how I felt when I had to explain to my baby that I did not have the money to pay for a hotel and buy her the right clothes to wear? The list goes on and on."

Olivia silently kicks herself because Cena told Asha about the trip before she had a chance to speak with Kelly. The trip was supposed to be their gift to Asha.

"If Asha stays with her own kind – people who have what she has - then she won't get hurt."

"Kelly — "

"I guess I just lost my job", Kelly says, grabbing the utility bucket containing cleaning supplies from the counter.

" _What?"_ Olivia says, looking at Kelly in disbelief.

"I guess you're going to tell Miss Deanna about this conversation."

"No – of course not. I will do no such thing. I would never."

"Well, if you're finished, Mrs. Grant, I need to get back to work."

Kelly brushes away the tears with the back of her hand then flips the reeds in the diffuser before leaving the restroom. Olivia closes her eyes thinking about the overpriced diffuser she placed in Fitz' office. It seems so ridiculous right now.

 **XXX**

Olivia sits quietly on the side of the bed watching her husband rifle through his drawer for a tee shirt. She has been thinking about her encounter with Kelly earlier and the reality of their circumstances saddens her.

"If we decide to move —we have to find a new school for Cena", she says solemnly.

"Private", Fitz says with finality as he pulls the tee shirt over his head.

"How can you say private? There are so many options we should consider."

"Liv – "

"I want a school that is diverse — a mix of students from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Cena would benefit from being in a school where there are children from all kinds of backgrounds, Fitz." He slams the drawer shut in frustration. He is not in the mood for another diversity discussion tonight.

"What's wrong with you? What are you trying to prove?"

"What are you talking about?" She says defensively.

"This socioeconomic integration in schools is just the latest attempt at social engineering. We have the resources to send our children to any one of the fine private schools in the area, and you want to what – send Cena to a low-performing school? On what planet does that make any sense?"

"It's a moral issue, Fitz. It's important to understand that the inequality we see, school segregation, is both structural and systemic. But it's also upheld by individual choices. As long as individual parents continue to make choices that only benefit their own children there won't be any change", trying to make an intellectual case about an emotional situation. He looks at her as if she has lost her mind and shakes his head.

"Let's get one thing straight, Olivia. My children aren't going to be a part of anybody's damn social experiment - so you need to get that out of your head. The public schools in the city are a complete mess – have been for decades – and it's going to take decades to fix them. I will do all I can to help - but my children won't be a part of the equation."

"Isn't it hypocritical of us — people like us - who say they believe in equality until it comes to where we live or what school they send their children. I need to live my values — not contribute to the problem."

"You can _live_ your values – but _if_ we move – which is becoming less likely - my children won't be going to some underperforming school."

"Nothing will change if people like us continue to send their children to private schools. Research shows that socioeconomic diversity in schools can improve -"

"Where we choose to send our daughter to school won't have a damn thing to do with any research", yanking back the bedcovers and climbing into bed.

"Fitz, the poor -."

" _Poor is the operative word, Olivia. We're not poor and I won't pretend to be. We live where we can afford to live and we send Cena to a school we can afford. I don't know why we have to keep having this discussion."_

"Well – "

"What do you want, Olivia, because you can't have it both ways", he says, thoroughly frustrated. "You no longer want to live in Church Falls because you say it's not diverse enough. Okay — I get that. Now you're complaining about the lack of diversity in the city's schools. What you fail to realize is the city is as racially polarized as Church Falls. This isn't about diversity – and it certainly isn't about our daughter. You know it and I know it."

" _It's unfair"_ , she shouts.

" _It has always been unfair. Do you think the economic disparities just started because you're now noticing them? It's been going on since the beginning of time."_

" _That doesn't make it right."_

" _Then do something about it – fix it. Isn't that why Bryson hired you. But - don't think you're going to put our children at risk because you can't seem to get over your guilt. You better decide what you want to do because I'm tired of having this circular this discussion."_

Her bottom lip trembles and she starts to cry. He closes his eyes and runs his hand down his face. He does not want to upset her but he is tired of going around and around. Too much is going on for them to have the same debate over and over.

"What is this about, Livvie? I thought we were beyond this", he says wearily.

"I spoke with Kelly today", finally ready to reveal what tonight's discussion is really about. "She says Cena and Asha can't be friends because she wants to protect her daughter."

"Protect her — from what?" Looking at her with surprise.

"From our families' differences —economic differences. She says Asha wonders why she doesn't have nice things like Cena — why they don't live in a big house. Fitz, she even brought up the trip to Seattle to see Misty Copeland. Cee apparently told Asha about the trip before I had a chance to speak with Kelly. I should've made time to talk to her", she says softly.

"Liv, you're not responsible for Asha's circumstances – and Cena damn sure isn't." Lip still trembling, she looks at him with sadness in her eyes. "I won't let Kelly or anyone else make my daughter feel ashamed about who she is. I won't let her shoulder that kind of responsibility, Liv. Do you understand?" Olivia slowly nods her head as she wipes the tears from her face.

"I'm so damned tired of being judged because of what we have - what we've worked hard for. Nobody gave us a damn thing. People have no idea what we sacrificed to build our businesses. And yes - Cena and Jolie will benefit from our success — but they shouldn't be ashamed of it – I won't allow it."

"Cee doesn't even know why she and Asha can no longer be friends", Olivia says sadly.

"Liv, Kelly has every right to do what she believes is best for her daughter – but so do we", taking her hand in his. "If Kelly doesn't want Asha to be friends with Cena then that's her choice. But - I will protect my daughter the same way she wants to protect hers."

"It shouldn't have to be this way, Fitz. A line shouldn't be drawn. This is not Asha's fault."

"And it damn sure isn't Cena's fault", he says emphatically.

"She's still sad, babe."

"I know — but she'll get over it — is getting over it. And when we move", deciding in the moment that is best for their family.

" _What?"_ She says tearfully, and he brushes the back of his hand over her cheek and smiles.

"When we move — we'll find a school that is diverse – in every way. A school where Cena can make new friends. A school with a lot of extra-curricular activities. A school where she can choose what she wants to do. Okay?" Bringing her hand to his lips.

"Are you sure?" She asks through the sniffles.

"I'm sure. We're going to move."

 **XXX**

When Olivia enters the kitchen carrying Jolie on her hip, she greets her mother and Hildie in a sing-song voice. She is feeling much better this morning since talking with Fitz last night. He is right, they cannot fix all the social inequities of the city, nor can they put their family at risk trying to do so. But she also knows, to whom much is given, much is expected. As she sets Jolie in the high chair, her smile quickly fades when whatever Hildie is cooking connects with her nose. She wants to fling open the kitchen door and windows tolet in fresh is right, something is wrong with Hildie.

"You're in a good mood this morning, Livvia", Gwendolyn says as she stirs honey into the ginger tea.

"It's a good day, mom. Right Miss Jo? Isn't it a good day big girl?" Jolie squeals and reaches for her mother's necklace and Hildie smiles to herself when she hears the baby's squeal.

"Every day is a good, Livvia", Gwendolyn says as she brings the mug of steaming ginger tea to her lips. Hildie sets Olivia's breakfast in front of her and Olivia walks across the room to open the window.

"Mom, Fitz has agreed to move to the city", she says excitedly as she returns to her seat.

"He has?"

"He has. Of course - he insists on Cena going to private school — he won't budge on that. I'm so excited."

"I'm happy for you, baby. Fitzgerald is a good man. He always does what's best for his family. So — have you found a house?"

"No - not yet. Fitz' requirements are so specific", she sighs. "Joan, our realtor, is having a hard time finding something he likes. We've looked at — well I don't remember how many houses we've seen", she says, pushing aside her plate.

"I'm sure you'll find something that you both like."

"I hope it's soon — I want Cena to be in her new school in September. I'm bummed I can't look at more houses this week. I have to work on my report for Bryson and we have to finish planning _somebody's_ birthday party", playfully pinching her daughter's chubby cheek.

"I'll prepare all the food, ma'am", Hildie says excitedly and Olivia frowns as she continues to scan the party's to-do list. "And, I'll bake the cake, too, ma'am."

"That's a lot of work, Hildie. We can just order a cake from the bakery", hoping to discourage the woman from wanting to take ownership of the second most important part of the birthday celebration.

"I insist, ma'am. I assure you it's no trouble at all. I want to make our baby something special."

"Okay", Olivia says reluctantly as she turns to her mother. "You and dad are going to pick up the decorations - right?"

"We have it covered. Livvia, I've gotten Jolie the most gift for her birthday", Gwendolyn gushes.

"Mom, Jolie hears everything we say. You don't want to ruin the surprise", smiling at her daughter who is looking around the kitchen. "I've told Fitz more than once he needs to watch his language around her. Jo is like a sponge - she absorbs everything."

"Well - Nana doesn't have a potty mouth— isn't that right, Jolie?" Brushing her finger under Jolie's chin, causing the baby to smile and grab for the jingling bracelet.

"Mom, Nora's coming to the party." The dish suddenly slips from Hilde's hand and crashes to the floor.

"Hildie, are you all right?" Gwendolyn says, rushing over to the woman.

"Hildie …." Olivia says, standing and looking at the woman with concern.

"I'm all right, ma'am. I'm so sorry", bending to pick up the shards of pottery.

"Sit down, Hildie, I'll get that", Gwendolyn says, guiding the woman to a seat at the island.

"I'm fine, ma'am."

"Sit down, Hildie", Gwendolyn insists. Olivia closely eyes a shaken Hildie. Something is wrong; Hildie has been acting strange lately.

"Drink this, Hildie", Gwendolyn says, offering the woman a glass of water.

"Hildie, is something wrong? Are you all — "

"Yes — yes, ma'am. I'm fine", taking a sip of water.

"You should go lie down, Hildie. I'll clean this", Gwendolyn says.

"I'm fine, ma'am."

"Lie down, Hildie. We'll handle things here", Olivia insists, placing a comforting hand on Hilde's shoulder.

"Yes, ma'am", Hildie finally complies, walking from the kitchen with head bowed.

"Something's going in with Hildie, mom."

"I've noticed", Gwendolyn says as she sweeps the broken pottery onto the dust pan.

"Has she said something to you?"

"Hilde's a private woman, Livvia. She seems like a woman who has a sad past", Gwendolyn says as she drops the broken pottery pieces into the waste bin.

"Why would say that?"

"A person who never shares anything about their life has a lot they want to keep secret – and they can't be good."

 **XXX**

When Fitz walks into the bedroom with the towel draped around his waist, he notices his wife frowning as she sets the jar of cream onto the nightstand.

"What's the matter?" Letting the towel drop to the floor as he digs into the drawer for a pair of pajama bottoms.

"I'm almost out of my body butter. I keep forgetting to buy a jar when I'm in the city", licking her lips reflexively as she stares at his manhood.

"You see something you like?" Smiling as he pulls on his pajama bottoms.

"Babe — I think you might be right — something's going on with Hildie."

"I told you, Liv", pulling the tee shirt over his head. "The bedcovers — her cooking. What happened now?" He asks as he climbs into bed.

"When we were planning Jo's party, she suddenly dropped a dish. It was as if she was shaken by something. I don't know — something just isn't right. Maybe she needs some time off. Maybe taking care of Jo and everything else is too much for her."

"You need to talk to her, Liv — find out what's going on. If she's not capable of taking care of Jo then we need to start looking for a daycare."

"Mom thinks Hildie has a lot of secrets."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. Mom thinks there is something in Hildie's past", looking over her shoulder at him. "You ran a background check on her — right? Was there anything unusual in her file?"

"She didn't have a criminal record since living in the States for the past 30 years. Her references were impeccable." Fitz makes a mental note to have Chuck investigate Hildie again.

"Why don't you talk to her, babe. She likes you — Mr. Grant", mimicking Hilde's Austrian accent.

"You talk to her, Liv. I don't want to make her nervous. Do it soon —I don't want anything to happen to my daughter."

Olivia crawls across the bed and straddles him, slowly brushing her lips over his. "Yes —I saw something I very much like", she says, slipping her tongue into his mouth.

He devours her mouth as one hand caresses her butt and the other works to push his bottoms over his hips and down his thighs. His rigid manhood springs free and Olivia quickly lowers herself onto him, gasping as he slowly fills her.

"Oh — God", she exhales, closing her eyes as she slowly swirls her hips. Enjoying the feel of her wetness gliding up and down, he kisses her hard. He feels the difference, so he pulls her closer, kissing her with all his love. They ride each other fast and hard, each wanting a quick release. Down the hall, Bowtie's ears shoot up when he hears the familiar sounds coming from the bedroom.

 **XXX**

Olivia cannot believe her recommendation to Bryson is due in a few short weeks. She shakes her head as she sits at the desk in their home office reading the Satell report on the state of nonprofit organizations in the city. According to the report, it has gotten harder for nonprofits to fund-raise. There has been a proliferation of nonprofits in the city at a time when there is not enough funding to go around. Many of the large corporations that nonprofits relied on for funding have long left the city, resulting in organizations competing for the finite dollars. Olivia sighs because she is all-too familiar with the challenges of raising funds to support a cause in which you believe. To make matters worse, most of the nonprofits in the city are not well organized and barely have enough in reserve funds to pay the utility bills. She knows it is going to be difficult finding the right organizations to implement the philanthropic plan she is drafting for Bryson.

Jolie stops gnawing on the red ball and drops it onto the play mat. She looks over at her mother and claps her hands; she is ready to play, again. Olivia smiles at her daughter and realizes it is almost time for her lunch.

"Come on baby girl — let's get you some lunch. You've been such a good girl all morning while mommy's been working", bending to pick up a gurgling Jolie.

The doorbell interrupts their late morning conversation and Olivia wonders who is visiting at this time of the day. Carrying Jolie on her hip, she looks at the monitor to see who is at the door. Lately, Fitz has been insisting she always check the monitor before opening the door.

"Good afternoon, ma'am. I have a delivery that requires a signature", the young man dressed in the brown uniform says.

"Of course,", Olivia says, shifting Jolie on her hip so she can sign for the package.

"Here you go, ma'am", the delivery man says as he places the square box in Olivia's other arm. "Have a good day", flashing Olivia and Jolie a smile before turning to leave.

Olivia balances the package under her arm and kicks the door closed. She places the package on the foyer table and resets the alarm. She does not want to hear Fitz complain about her being home alone with the alarm system disarmed. She reads the name on the package and wonders what her husband has ordered. Olivia walks toward the kitchen thinking whoever said working from home is easy surely did not have a family or had someone to help around the house. Olivia is doing the lion's share of work around the how since she insisted Hildie take the rest of the week off, with pay, of course. Although Hildie resisted, she finally relented when Olivia made it clear the matter was not up for discussion.

When Olivia reaches the kitchen, she stops abruptly in the doorway and gasps when she sees the floor is covered with trash from the bin and Cheerios are scattered everywhere. With the evidence of his crime still stuck on his head, Bowtie's eyes widen because he has been caught. But he is hungry, and Olivia always forgets to feed him when Hildie has the day off.

" _What did you do?"_ Olivia screeches as she runs toward the dog, but Bowtie scampers to the other side of the island, trying to escape her wrath. The box of Cheerios falls from his head, sending the rest of the cereal over the floor.

" _Get – get. Get out of here you - you …."_ Jolie laughs out loud as Bowtie runs from the kitchen and up the stairs to Cena's bedroom. He hides under the bed until his best friend comes home from school.

 **XXX**

Fitz glances at his watch, it is almost noon and he needs to get down to the waterfront to tour a house he thinks might be perfect for them. It has almost everything on his must-have list, and it is near the bay, something Olivia wants. Victoria taps on the door then walks in carrying documents for his signature.

"I'll sign those later, Victoria", he says, flipping through a stack of papers on the desk. "Just leave them until I return this afternoon."

"All right", eyeing him suspiciously. "I didn't know you had an outside appointment this today."

"It's a personal appointment", grabbing his cell phone from the desk.

"I see", catching a glimpse of printouts for the houses Joan sent over. "Are you house hunting?" She asks with surprise.

"We are", running his fingers through his hair as he continues to rifle through the papers. He makes a note to file the papers when he returns. He does not want Olivia to see the desk is getting messy again the next time she visits. "Liv wants to move into the city", he says, and Victoria rolls her eyes at the mention of his wife's name.

"Wow, that's a really big move. I thought you were more of a suburbs guy", picking up one of the listings from the desk and reading the description of the property.

"We think the city would be good for the girls."

"I see. Will Mrs. Grant be touring the house with you?"

"No. Liv's busy this afternoon. Besides - I want to surprise her — if it's the right house for us."

"That's so sweet. I love touring new homes. How about I go with you – give you a woman's perspective — in Mrs. Grant's absence?"

"Victoria, that's kind of you —I'm sure you have better things to do."

"I don't mind at all, Fitz. Like I said — I love touring the newer homes in the city. And from the looks of this listing it's quite impressive. I'll meet you at the elevator in five minutes", she says quickly before he can change his mind.

"You sure you don't mind?"

"Not at all. Elevator in five", her red lips stretching into a broad smile as she sashays from the office.

 **XXX**

Down on the second floor of City Hall,Janice Roberson smiles as she dials the all-too familiar phone number. She leans back in the chair, fingering her pearls, and waiting for him to answer. Things are beginning to heat up.

"They're on the move, Mr. Mayor."

"Thank you, Janice, I won't forget this", Wilson says, excitedly. He hangs up the desk phone and quickly grabs his cell phone and presses the number on speed dial.


	48. Chapter 48 House Hunters

**AN:** I have been searching high and low for the file with my responses to Chapter 47 reviews, and have had no luck finding it. Didn't want to delay posting this chapter another day, so here it is without my usual comments. I appreciate and enjoy all the reviews. Thanks for continuing to support this story, even when it frustrates and angers you. As an author, that is a good thing. Here we go!

 **Chapter 48. House Hunters**

Perched high on the ergonomically designed chair, Dennis has a bird's-eye view of all activity that takes place in the lobby of City Hall. From eight o' clock in the morning to four o' clock in the afternoon, he sees everything and everyone that comes through the lobby. He sees who comes to work early and leaves late. He sees who comes to work late and leaves early. He sees cliques of employees socializing and making plans for the weekend. He sees citizens coming in to meet with elected officials. He sees politicians huddled in corners whispering and making deals. And, he sees the council president and his assistant walk across the lobby toward the door that leads to the underground parking garage. Dennis leans back in the comfortable chair, folds his arms on top of his protruding belly, and shakes his head. He knows from experience that a woman who wears a dress like that and walks like that can only be trouble.

 **XXX**

"Fitz, I'm still surprised you drive an SUV—and one so big. I thought you were the type to drive something sporty – something fast", twisting her body around in the passenger seat so she can look in the back.

"It's a long story", he says, looking left then right before pulling the Yukon Denali from the parking garage onto Main Street.

"It's a virtual toy store back there", somewhat surprised when she sees the two car seats and an assortment of toys scattered across the backseat.

"I do have two small children, Victoria", he says, focused on navigating the truck through the late morning traffic. Victoria turns around and buckles her seatbelt, enjoying the feel of the butter-soft leather.

"It's always so busy in the city. It seems like the hustle and bustle never ends. People pushing and jostling – competing for a small amount of space", crossing her legs and allowing the dress to ride up her thighs.

Fitz remains silent, thinking he should have left the office earlier because traffic is always a nightmare this time of the morning. Victoria pulls her sunglasses from the purse and slides them onto her face.

"How long have you and Mrs. Grant been house hunting?" Studying his profile as he merges the truck into the right lane.

"A few weeks. We've toured a few houses — but most of our search has been online."

"Moving from the suburbs to the city is going to be a major lifestyle change. Most people would kill for the tranquility of Church Falls – especially after working in the city all day."

"The city has a lot to offer, Victoria", turning the steering right so he can turn onto Freemont Street. "There's a lot of new development happening downtown. I'm sure you've seen how the waterfront has been revitalized."

"The city has a lot offer for _some_ people, Fitz. Everyone can't participate in the urban renaissance."

"I think that's it over there", pointing to the row of townhouses on the other side of the street.

"They're beautiful. I've always loved this part of the city" she says dreamily.

"I'll park over here - we can walk across the street."

Fitz buttons his suit jacket as he walks around the truck and Victoria climbs down from the passenger seat, slamming the heavy door shut. They both look left then right, waiting for an opportunity to cross the busy street. When the traffic finally subsides, Fitz places his hand low on her back and she grabs ahold of his arm as they dash across the street. Standing on the sidewalk, tilts her head back and gazes up at the three-story townhouse. She has imagined what it would be like to live in one of the posh homes a thousand times. Fitz presses the doorbell and Victoria smiles when she hears the elegant door chime. Within seconds, a short, middle-aged woman sporting a severe bob haircut opens the door. Dressed meticulously in a navy blue and white cardigan, matching skirt, and white silk blouse, her eyes twinkle when she smiles at the attractive couple.

"Come in — come in", stepping aside and allowing the couple to enter. "My name is Rheta Lawson — I'm the seller's agent", her pink lips smiling as she extends a handshake.

"I'm Fitzgerald Grant and this is Victoria", accepting Rheta's handshake. Victoria slides the sunglasses from her face.

"It's wonderful to meet you both", reaching for Victoria's hand, whose eyes come close to popping from her head when she sees the jaw-dropping, two-story foyer. The house is more elegant than she imagined. It certainly is grander than the houses her mother cleaned for those snooty people when she was a young girl.

"Joan said you have limited time this afternoon - so I'll just give you a quick overview of the house amenities before letting you explore on your own. Here are the details for the house", handing each a sheet of paper. "This is an exquisite, four-bedroom home — a real showcase. It has lots and lots of fabulous windows throughout - making it airy and full of light during the day and sparkly at night. There is a generous amount of space on the first level for entertaining. The second floor has an exquisite master retreat that composes the entire floor. It is to die for. You'll never want to leave", smiling cheekily at the couple. "On the third floor - you will find three additional bedrooms and a large bonus room." Victoria nods.

"The owners recently finished renovating the _entire_ house. Everything is brand new – top of the line", clasping her hands and glancing around the foyer. "Unfortunately— they must sell — a divorce", Rheta mouths, as if the owners are within earshot.

Fitz half-listens as Rheta describes the features of the house. He has read about the house more than once and toured it online a few times. He simply wants to view it in person to make sure it will meet their needs. Victoria listens intently, quietly thinking she can see them living in a house like this.

"Any questions?" Rheta asks, her eyes darting back and forth between the couple.

"Thank you, Rheta", I would like to go upstairs and look at the bedrooms."

"Of course, Mr. Grant. The staircase is just around that corner", pointing her small wrinkled hand down the hall, causing the row of gold bangles around her wrist to jingle. Fitz is already walking down the hall before Rheta can finish directing him.

"I'll look at the rooms down here", Victoria calls after his retreating back.

"He's quite anxious", Rheta says to Victoria with a smile.

"This is an absolutely beautiful foyer, Rheta", still amazed by the high ceilings and spectacular chandelier.

"It is - wait until you see the rest of the house." Victoria nods and strolls off to explore the first floor.

"Take your time. I'll be in the kitchen if you have any questions", Rheta calls after the attractive woman as she walks into the living room.

 **XXX**

Fitz climbs the stairs up to the private living areas and is immediately impressed by the size of the space. The entire floor is dedicated to the master retreat, which includes the massive bedroom and en suite, a large sitting room, and his and hers walk-in closets. Floor-to-ceiling windows flow from room to room, providing spectacular views of the bay. Looking out the windows, he nods his head up and down, thinking Olivia is going to love watching sunsets from their private balcony. He surveys the adjoining bathroom and is pleased with the large standalone, frameless shower and deep claw-foot bathtub. Satisfied with the accommodations on the second floor, he climbs the stairs to the next level, where the children and guests' bedrooms are located. The bedrooms are slightly smaller than what they currently have, but he is confident Olivia will like them since they all have an adjoining bathroom. Walking down the hall in search of the bonus room, he wonders if Olivia will be okay with the girls' bedrooms not located on the same floor as theirs. He likes the size of the bonus room and that there are plenty of windows in the room.

The girls and Bowtie will have lots of fun in this space he thinks as he looks out the window onto the backyard.

 **XXX**

Victoria saunters around the first floor, basking in splendor and luxury. She loves the elegantly staged living room, thinking this is the lifestyle she was born to live. She would make a few changes to the style and placement of the furniture, of course, but overall, it is a stunning room. She walks toward the family room and gasps when she comes face to face with the wall of floor-to-ceiling windows. She brings a hand to her mouth when she sees the lush foliage in the backyard. With the high ceilings and windows, the room is nothing less than spectacular. She can see them entertaining guests here and out back when the weather permits.

Rheta looks up from her paperwork when she hears the high heels striking against the hardwood floors. Victoria's red lips are stretched broad when she sees the kitchen.

"Amazing — isn't it? The owners had this Carrara marble shipped from Italy — two inches thick", Rheta says, running her hand over the island top. "The professional-grade appliances are also new. Do you enjoy cooking, Mrs. Grant?" The short, stocky woman climbs down from the tall, plush barstool.

"Excuse me?" Victoria replies with a look of surprise.

"It's a wonderful kitchen if you enjoy cooking."

"I don't do a lot of cooking — but this kitchen will definitely inspire me to think about doing a little more. It's absolutely beautiful."

"Well - I'm sure your husband will love to make it yours", winking when she hears the heavy footsteps walking toward the kitchen.

"I'm going to check out the size of the backyard. The girls are going to need outdoor space to play as well." Rheta and Victoria nod as he slides open the glass door that leads to the backyard.

"And how many daughters do you and Mr. Grant have?"

"Two — we have two daughters. Cena and Jolie. Excuse me, Rheta - I'm going upstairs to look at the bedrooms."

"Prepare to be wowed. A floor dedicated to the master suite — a girl can dream." Victoria smiles as she hurries from the kitchen, enjoying being mistaken for Mrs. Grant.

A few minutes later Fitz returns to the house and walks around the kitchen, nodding his head in approval as he eyes the decor. He the professional-grade, stainless steel appliances. He can see himself preparing meals in here and having family discussions around the large island.

"This is a beautiful kitchen, Rheta. I like the appliances. The island is similar in size to what we currently have."

"So - _you're_ the cook in the family?"

"I enjoy cooking when I have the time."

"What did you think about the upstairs? There's lots of space for your two girls."

"All the bedrooms are a good size - the master retreat is incredible. My wife is going to love the view of the bay. I also like the bonus room on the third floor. It'll make an excellent playroom for the children. Overall - I like what I see — but I am somewhat disappointed there isn't an office. My wife and I work from home a lot."

"I understand. Perhaps you can use the bonus room as an office?" Fitz' mouth twitch in disapproval. He likes having a dedicated space for Cena and Jolie to play.

"My wife and I need to discuss it further. How about I have Joan get back to you?" He says as they walk from the kitchen and through the family room, stopping in the hall at the bottom of the staircase.

"That'll be terrific — but I wouldn't wait too long, Mr. Grant. Several couples have already looked at this property. A house like this in the city doesn't stay on the market very long."

"I understand", shaking Rheta's hand. "Come on, Victoria - we have to get going", he calls up the stairs before walking down the hall to the front door.

 **XXX**

An audible gasp escapes Victoria's throat when she walks into the luxurious bedroom in the master retreat. The space is larger than her entire apartment, and it certainly is much bigger than any of the small, one- or two-bedroom apartments her family lived in when she was a child.She meanders around the space until she finds his and hers closets. She practically swoons when she walks into the lady's closet. The room is filled with elegant cabinetry, all kinds of shelves, racks, and cubby holes to hang and store her wardrobe. She spread her arms wide and twirls around the space, imagining herself returning home from shopping in the exquisite shops on Ranstead Boulevard and filling the closet with designer everything: clothes, shoes, handbags and, of course, negligees. She certainly would not have a problem showing her gratitude in that stunning bedroom for his generosity.

Rheta glances at her watch as she waits patiently at the bottom of the stairs for Victoria. She plays with the reading glasses hanging from the gold chain around her neck, thinking the woman has been upstairs for quite some time, which is always a good sign. A few minutes later Victoria descends the grand staircase as if she is already the lady of the house.

"Rheta, the master retreat is to die for. The views — and those closets …."

"I told you — it's really something to behold. And what about the children's rooms — the bedrooms for your girls? Will they meet your needs? There's another bedroom for a nursery", she says suggestively.

"I didn't see them - I'm sure they'll be fine", waving her hand dismissively.

"Oh — I see", taken aback by the women's disinterested demeanor. She assumes Mr. Grant is the nurturing parent.

"Thank you, Rheta. It really is an exquisite home. We will have to discuss it further before making a decision."

"Of course. Mr. Grant is waiting for you in the foyer." Rheta follows Victoria down the hall to the front door thinking the woman does not have a maternal bone in her body. She seems to be the kind of woman whose sole interest is her.

"I will have Joan schedule another appointment, Rheta", Fitz says as he opens the door.

" _Oh my"_ , I had no idea we were to get downpours", Rheta gasps, bringing her hand to her chest, and Victoria groans silently. She does not want the rain to ruin her hair.

"I guess we have to make a mad dash to the truck", Fitz says, squinting as he looks skyward at the pouring rain.

"Take this", Rheta offers, lifting the black umbrella from the stand next to the door.

"Thank you", Victoria says, quickly taking the umbrella from the woman's hand.

"But what will you use? You'll get drenched", Fitz says.

"I'll just wait it out here. I have lots of paperwork to keep me busy", glancing at the woman and wondering how the kind man ended up with such a selfish woman.

Victoria pops open the umbrella, shielding them both from the rain as they hurry down the steps. Rheta pulls her sweater tightly around her body as she watches the couple wait on the sidewalk for the traffic to pass. She shakes her head thinking Mr. Grant better have a lot of money if he wants to keep a wife like that.

 **XXX**

"This storm seems to have come out of nowhere." Victoria says, digging into her pocket for her compact.

"Thanks to Rheta we didn't get completely soaked." Victoria's stomach grumbles and they look at each other and laugh. "I guess I better feed you since you were kind enough to give up your lunch hour to come with me."

"That sounds nice - we can compare notes. It really is a beautiful house, Fitz."

As Fitz drives the oversized truck down Freemont Street, the torrential rains make it more difficult for him to see what is ahead of him. The windshield wipers are working overtime trying to keep pace with the unrelenting rain. Victoria leans back against the plush leather seat, crosses her legs, and looks at the compact's mirror. She smiles as she swipes the powder puff over her face, liking they are spending the afternoon together outside of the office.

Fitz turns onto Ranstead Boulevard, the street known for its luxury goods stores, and the rain begins to dissipate. Driving the speed limit down the commercially zoned street, something across the way catches his eye. He makes a quick U-turn, causing Victoria to slide against the passenger door and annoyed drivers blow their horns.

" _What's the matter?"_ Looking perplexed and somewhat shaken.

"I have to make a quick stop", pulling the truck into the first available parking space.

"Oh — okay — I'll go with you", dropping the compact into her purse and unbuckling the seatbelt.

"No — wait here — I won't be long", climbing down quickly from the truck, and she eyes him suspiciously as he slams the door shut. She looks out the back window, watching him enter a store and wonders what is so important in that store that he almost caused an accident. She looks down at her watch and sighs, hoping he will not be too long because she is hungry. Fifteen minutes later Fitz returns swinging a bag in his hand and whistling. She recognizes the name of the upscale store on the bag.

"You really needed to get to that store", she says somewhat sarcastically, hoping he will tell her what he bought.

"I apologize if I scared you. I saw the store that sells Liv's body butter. It's actually called skin _caviar_ ", he says with a chuckle. "She needed another jar – I also got her a few other items in the same line. The saleswoman says they all work better as a system."

"May I see?"

"Sure", handing her the bag of expensive skin care products. "Now I'm starved - we better get to that restaurant."

Her eyes almost bulge from her head when she pulls the large blue jar of the famous La Prairie Skin Caviar from the bag. She knows the jar alone costs almost $500.00, and he has bought three other items in the system. She quickly calculates he has spent over $1000.00 on luxury skin care products. She sets the bag onto the center console thinking she needs Fitzgerald Grant. She needs him to stop traffic and buy her a gift. He wants him to worship and adore her, she just needs to bide her time. _A_ s Fitz drives to the restaurant, she silently sings Gladys Knight's, _If I Were Your Woman_

 **XXX**

When they enter the restaurant, the hostess recognizes the council president and seats them immediately. Victoria smiles internally because she likes the status she derives from being with him.

"What do you like to eat when you come here, Fitz?" Scanning the menu.

"I get different things - it depends on my mood. I think I'll get the fish tacos today", closing the menu and setting it onto the table.

"I'm not in the mood for fish. I think I'll get – "

" _Mr. Grant?"_ The voice calls out in surprise.

"Marcella, it's good to see you", standing and giving his former adviser a hug. "How have you been? How's the team?"

"I'm fine - the team is fine. We discussed your proposal - you should be hearing from Rashid soon", glancing quickly at Victoria who does not bother to look up from the menu.

"You remember Victoria — my assistant?"

"I certainly do", eyeing the woman with suspicion. "Hello, Victoria."

"I'm sorry - I can't seem to remember your name."

"It's Marcella - Marcella Andersen", frowning at the pompous woman before turning back to Mr. Grant.

"Mr. Grant — it was good seeing you. I'm really looking forward to our next meeting."

"Me too", he says with a genuine smile.

"By the way — I'm having lunch with Mrs. Grant next week. I'll be sure to tell her I saw you", glancing again at Victoria with disapproval.

"Take care, Marcella. I'll see you soon", Fitz says as he sits down.

"Good-bye, Victoria", Marcella says.

 **XXX**

Fitz knows his wife well and he know she is upset about something because she has been giving him one-word answers all evening or worse, grunting her responses. He has been wracking his brain all night trying to figure out what he did wrong. Her birthday is not for months and neither is their anniversary. He cannot understand why she is giving him the silent treatment.

"Is something wrong?" Frowning as he watches her snatch open the nightstand drawer and almost causing the lamp to topple to the floor.

" _Your dog has to go. Tell Cena he ran away. Tell her his parents miss him and want him back. Tell her anything - I don't care. I want that mongrel out of my house — tomorrow."_

"What happened? Why are you so upset with Bowtie?" His face scrunched with confusion.

" _That dog you bought here, without consulting me, destroyed the kitchen today. I spent hours cleaning up his mess. He has to go."_

"No", he says flatly.

" _No? What do you mean no?"_ Turning and glaring at him.

"Bowtie is good for Cena – she's attached to him. I won't snatch him away from her. With everything going on she needs a friend right now."

" _She'll get over it_. _"_

" _You'll get over it_." Her eyes widen with shock. She cannot believe he is denying her. "I'm not budging on this, Liv. I'll give you anything – you know that - but the dog stays."

The tears roll down her cheeks and he looks at her with concern.

"Livvie", crawling across the bed and taking her in his arms. "What's the matter, baby? What's wrong?"

"It's all too much, Fitz. I have a lot going on. With Hildie being out the rest of the week, planning Jo's party, and my recommendation for Bryson — I don't have time to clean up after your dog."

"It's unlike Bowtie to get into the trash. He knows better. Why do you think he did it today?" She looks up at him sheepishly.

"I guess I sort of forgot to feed him. But — that's no excuse for what he did", she adds quickly.

"Liv — you gotta feed him."

"I don't want to", she whines.

"Then you won't get your gift", he says with a slight smirk.

"Gift — you bought me a gift?" Her eyes lighting up with expectation.

"I did. Now kiss me."

"You're tricking me", looking at him with skeptically.

"Have it your way", leaning back against the headboard and sliding his tablet from the nightstand

"Wait — wait", climbing on to his lap and eagerly brushing her lips over his.

"More", he chuckles. She deepens the kiss and he moans, sliding down the thin strap on her nightgown.

"Nope — you said a kiss. Now where's my gift?" Pulling away from him.

He pecks her on the lips, reaches for the bag on the floor, and dangles the bag of expensive skin care products in the air. Olivia tries to grab the bag, but he raises it higher and laughs harder.

"Give it to me, Fitz", still trying to grab the bag.

"Say it."

"I owe you. I owe you", she confesses, and their laughter reverberates against the walls. He lowers the bag and she snatches it from his hand and crawls off his lap. Like a child on Christmas Day, she peeks into the bag and gasps when she sees its contents.

"Babe", she says in wonder. "You got everything."

"I did", smiling proudly as he watches her pull each item from the bag.

"I've never used these other products — just the body butter."

"Skin caviar, Liv — not body butter. It's _caviar_ for the body. Spread it on so I can eat it", he says playfully.

"You're being silly", pulling another item from the bag. "How did you know I needed more _caviar_?" Giggling as she pulls the facial serum from the bag.

"I know everything about you. Besides - I've only listened to you whine every night that you needed a new jar."

"I don't whine", she says, reading the label on the facial serum. "I've never used these other products.

"The sales clerk said they work best when used together – as a system."

"I just love them all, babe", crawling across the bed and kissing him. "And - I love you, too."

"And I love you, Mrs. Grant", gliding his tongue down her neck as he caresses her butt.

"By the way — I found the perfect house for us today. We have to look at it tomorrow."

" _What? You went house hunting without me?"_ Pulling back and looking at him with an arched brow.

"You were busy today and I wanted to surprise you", pecking her on the lips. "Rheta says — "

"Who's Rheta?" Crinkling her brow.

"The seller's agent. Rheta said others are interested in the house so we have to make a decision right away - if you like it."

"Okay — I'll move some things around tomorrow so we can look at the house."

"And Liv — Bowtie stays", he says with finality.

 **XXX**

Fitz holds his wife's hand as they dash across the busy street, and when they reach the sidewalk, Olivia frowns, thinking they barely made it across with their lives. As they walk up the steps, she glances over her shoulder at the steady flow of cars and trucks rolling up and down the street.

"Fitz, this street is awfully busy - the cars whizz by so fast. And his house isthree stories - having stairs is not on my list, babe. I'll have carry stuff up and down all the time", looking up at the beautiful Tudor-style townhouse.

"You do that now."

"That's my point."

"Just keep an open mind, Liv - you're going to love it. There's a really nice backyard - the girls and Bowtie will have fun back there." She rolls her eyes at the mention of the family pet.

When the door swings open, Rheta is immediately transfixed by the handsome, hand-holding couple standing before her, and the usually twinkling eyes go blank with confusion. The bangles around her wrist jingle as she twists the reading glasses hanging from the chain around her neck. She wonders where is Mrs. Grant.

"Good morning, Rheta. My wife and I would like to take another look at the house."

"Of course, Mr. Grant. I'll let her in when – "

"Rheta, this _is_ my wife – Olivia Grant." With brow furrowed, Olivia looks up at her husband for an explanation.

"Oh – I'm so sorry, Mrs. Grant. I thought …. Well - come in – come in", stepping back and allowing the couple to enter. "It is so good to meet you, Mrs. Grant. My name is Rheta – the seller's agent", extending a handshake.

"It so nice to meet you, Rheta – and call me Olivia", shaking the agent's hand. Olivia smiles because the jingling sound of Rheta's bracelets reminds her of the bracelet her mother wears.

"Would you like me to go over the amenities again, Mr. Grant?" Eyeing the man suspiciously.

"That won't be necessary - I'll show my wife around. Come on Liv - let's go look at the bedrooms. You're really going to love the master _retreat_ ", he says excitedly, pulling her by the hand.

"Well – take all the time you need - I'll be in the kitchen. Let me know if you need anything." Watching the couple walk in the direction of the staircase, Rheta absently strokes her neck. She has been in this business over 20 years and thought she had seen everything. But, one husband, two wives, and one house is pretty remarkable, even in this business. _Perhaps they are Mormons._

"Babe, Rheta seemed confused about who I am."

"She probably thought Victoria was my wife", he says nonchalantly as they walk down the hall.

" _Whoa -whoa"_ , snatching her hand from his and backing away. "Why would Rheta think Victoria is your _wife_?" Glowering at him with arms folded.

"She came with me yesterday to view the house."

" _What? You showed Victoria this house?"_

"She saw the listings on my desk and volunteered to come with me - to give me another perspective", he says without a second thought and she glares at him. "It's no big deal, Liv – come on - let's go upstairs. You're going to love it."

After showing Olivia every nook and cranny in the house, Fitz smiles proudly as they stand at the bottom of the staircase.

"So - what do you think - isn't it perfect? It's not a ranch – and it doesn't have an office - but it has almost everything else on our lists."

"It's a lovely house, babe …." Fitz frowns because knows that tone and he never likes what follows.

"What is it? What don't you like?"

"I don't think this house is for us."

"Why not?" Surprised she does not like the house.

"It's a beautiful house — elegant - stunning actually. But - it doesn't _feel_ like a family home. It feels more like – like a show home. It feels like a place to be admired", she says, glancing around the hall.

"We can make it a home, Liv — make it ours."

"It doesn't have a dedicated office. You're going to need an office, babe", looking up at his disappointed face.

"Rheta suggested we convert the bonus room to an office."

"Babe", she says, softening her voice. "I have other concerns."

"Like what?"

"I wouldn't feel comfortable with the girls sleeping on a separate floor. We couldn't hear if anything happened", giving him a pointed look.

He nods, remembering the night Jolie almost died.

"And there's a lot of traffic on this street - it's not safe for the girls. I'd be afraid something might happen to Cee and Jo." He nods slowly, wondering why he did not think about the traffic yesterday.

"I'm sorry, babe", pecking him on the lips. "We'll find something – I promise."

"So — how do you like the house?" Rheta asks excitedly, interrupting their debriefing session. She looks at Olivia because she knows Mr. Grant is already sold on the house.

"As I was saying to my husband, Rheta. It's a beautiful house - the owners did a terrific job with the renovations. But -"

"It's not for us", Fitz interjects.

"Oh — I see", Rheta says, looking back and forth at the couple. "Can you tell me what you don't like about the house?"

"Rheta, we want our daughters' bedrooms close to ours — on the same floor", Olivia says and Rheta nods.

"And this street – it's much too busy for children. I should've noticed it yesterday."

"I understand. I certainly would be nervous living on a busy street if I had two little ones", Rheta says with sincerity.

"We want something that feels like a family home — not a designer home", Olivia continues.

"I see — I see", thinking about their requirements as she fidgets with the eyeglasses hanging from around her neck. "Wait right here - I have a listing that just came back on the market this morning — new construction. The buyers had difficulty obtaining the necessary financing. Just a minute while I get the paperwork."

As Rheta scurries down the hall toward the family room, Olivia stands on her toes and pecks her husband on the lips.

"What was that for?" Placing his hands on her hips.

"For being a fantastic husband and father. For trying to surprise me with this house." He smiles and runs his tongue over her lips. Her lips part and he slips his tongue inside as he backs her against the wall. Lost in each other they do not hear Rheta walking down the hall.

"Oh – oh", Rheta says, somewhat flustered when she comes upon the make-out session. Olivia smiles at her husband as she swipes her thumb across his lips. "I think this house will be perfect for your family", pushing copies of the listing into their hands. "The house is only two blocks away — it's a beautiful day — we can walk." Olivia looks at Fitz and he nods, agreeing to visit the house.

 **XXX**

The sun shines brightly as they walk the two blocks to the second house. Olivia and Fitz quickly survey the surrounding neighborhood while trying to keep pace with Rheta. Her squat stature belies her ability to move quickly. They listen intently as Rheta describes the house location.

"This is not a covenant community— no HOAs — although that wouldn't be a problem for families who choose to live here. This is an affluent community — but not snobbish. The house we're going to look at is located at the top of a cul-de-sac — on a quarter-acre lot. You won't find too many houses in the city that sit on a lot that size."

When they turn the corner, they feel as if they have entered a world that is different from the surrounding neighborhood of townhouses. The street looks like a somewhat smaller version of the neighborhoods found in Church Falls. Although the houses are not as large, and there certainly is not as much land, the single-family homes are quite striking. Each house is built in a different architectural style, which Fitz appreciates. Olivia glances up at her husband and squeezes his hand; she can see he is impressed.

"Isn't this neighborhood just _fabulous_ ", Rheta says, increasing her pace as they get closer to the house. Fitz nods as he counts the number of houses on the street.

"The house is a little different than the one you just toured. Beyond it's grace — the house is built to be practical and durable.It's a real family home.The architectural style is craftsman - reminiscent of the Frank Lloyd Wright style – beautiful yet understated. This builder was mindful of the surrounding communities. He did not want the facades to be too ostentatious."Olivia and Fitz nod as Rheta educates them about the builder's rationale for the community's design.

"The builder's goal is to give ex-suburbanites all the amenities they are used to - but on a slightly smaller scale – of course. He understands families are motivated to move to the city and take advantage of the arts, restaurants - that sort of thing. But - they also want some of the same accommodations they had in their suburban homes – large kitchens, family rooms, and master suites are important. This small community is the builder's way of offering the best of both worlds. Although this is not a gated community —the house has an automatic gate – providing security and ease-of-mind."

 **XXX**

As they approach the house, Olivia immediately likes what she sees. She especially likes that the house sits back from the street. Fitz scans the front of the house, assessing the driveway that leads to the side-entry, two-car garage.

"I think you're going to love this house -." Rheta says excitedly as she punches in the code for the lock box. Olivia and Fitz smile at the woman's enthusiasm. "The modest — yet immature landscaping will be beautiful in a few years. The interior is just astounding - designed using only the highest quality craftsmanship and materials. When you enter this beautiful house - you are going to be stunned by the two-story foyer." Rheta allows the door to swing open and Olivia's eyes stretch wide and Fitz remains stoic.

"Oh, babe", Olivia says, marveling at the beautiful entryway. Fitz knows that tone, she has already fallen in love with the house and she has not seen the first room. Rheta smiles, she knows if the wife is excited from the beginning then she can start counting her sales commission check.

"I'll give you a quick overview of the features and amenities – then we can begin the tour." Olivia nods eagerly.

"Directly behind us is the family room, Mrs. Grant. As you can see - the natural light floods the room. I think your family will enjoy spending time there. To the right of the family room is the sumptuous kitchen. Off the kitchen you will find a modest butler's pantry, which flows into the dining room. To the left of the family room is the gentleman's office", glancing at Fitz. "Farther down the hall is the mud room and exit to the two-car garage."

"And how many bedrooms are in this place?" Fitz asks flatly.

"Four, Mr. Grant", Rheta replies quickly.

"We have five in our current home."

"But the other house had four bedrooms as well, babe."

"Is there a living room?"

"There isn't a living room in this house, Mr. Grant. We're finding families just aren't using them." Olivia gives him an _I-told-you-so_ look.

"Let's visit the family room first", Rheta says, leading the way down the hall.

"Babe, babe, babe", Olivia says, admiring the impeccable craftsmanship and architectural elements of the room.

"This is such a warm room — with wonderful details", Rheta continues. "The wide plank, black walnut floors - the huge mason-cut stone fireplace - and lots and lots of arched windows give the room a fabulous sense of volume and space. My favorite part of this room is the floor-to- ceiling glass pocket doors. These beautiful doors fold back - giving you immediate access to the private outdoors. We'll go out there a little later. That's the _dessert_." Fitz rolls his eyes.

"I can see us hanging out in here as a family, babe. I can see Cena practicing her dance and Jo figuring out how to walk."

"Let's now take a peek at the gentleman's study", Rheta says, guiding them through the family room. "As you can see - the walnut-planked floors extend to this space. The rich wood paneling, inlaid ceiling, and fabulous views to the backyard make this a perfect place to work from home."

Fitz smiles slightly because he likes the idea of seeing Olivia and the girls out back while he is working. Rheta beckons the couple to follow her to the kitchen.

"The massive designer kitchen is well-appointed with all the culinary accoutrements designed for the true gourmand in mind. You have granite counter tops, furniture-finish cabinetry, and copper fixtures. A true gourmet's kitchen." Fitz rolls his eyes again, wondering why Rheta has to speak as if she is the narrator for one of those design home television shows.

"You also have this massive center island and a breakfast nook that overlooks the backyard."

"Babe, babe, babe", running her fingertips over the island top. "You would love cooking in this kitchen."

"I love cooking in _our_ kitchen", he grumbles.

"Look at that vintage-style stove. It's huge – more burners than we currently have. Cee will definitely love the color. Look, babe", lifting the lid in the center of the stove to reveal a built-in griddle. "You can make lots of _panny cakes_ on this." He walks over to examine the appliance.

"A stove is hardly a reason to buy a house, Liv. We can replace our perfectly good stove in our current home with a stove like this if you want." She ignores his dour comment.

"What about all of the cabinets? I love the color", opening and closing the doors and soft-close drawers. The corner of his mouth twitch when he hears her use the word _love_ again. His lack of enthusiasm so far spurs Rheta to show them the second level.

"Another jewel in this house is this back staircase", Rheta says, walking over to the second staircase and placing her hand on the bannister.

"Babe, don't you like there's second staircase in the kitchen? You can get your ice cream quickly at night", she says playfully in an attempt to loosen him up.

"You know I rarely eat ice cream at night", he grumbles as they walk up the stairs. Rheta stops in the hall at the top of the stairs and continues her presentation.

"The second floor boasts an array of bedrooms, a second laundry room, and a crafts room. As you can see, the hardwood floors extend to this level as well, and all the doors up here are 15 feet tall. The builder wanted to give this home a sense of expansive height and openness."

"I like that there's a second laundry room upstairs."

"Do you need a craft room? You don't do crafts very often", Fitz says.

"You can make that crafts room into a second office or playroom", Rheta interjects. Olivia and Fitz nod. "The master suite is down the hall to the left and the three other bedrooms are down here", pointing down the hall. "The bedrooms are all a good size. You have two little girls – correct?"

"We do", Olivia says proudly.

"And you'll have plenty of space for one or two more."

"Let's look at the children's rooms first", Olivia says excitedly.

"This is a really nice room, babe. I think Cee will enjoy being in here", scanning the structure of the room.

"It's smaller than her current room", Fitz says, opening and closing closet doors. "She's getting older, Liv."

"Babe, it's not that much smaller. There's more than enough room for Cee to grow" They assess the two remaining bedrooms before heading down the hall to the master suite.

"Prepare to have your breaths taken away. The master suite is nothing less than stunning." Rheta turns the doorknob and allows the door to swing open, revealing an exquisite bedroom. Fitz finally looks impressed.

"Wow - this is almost as large as our bedroom, babe.", dropping her husband's hand and walking into the massive room.

"Serenity, peace, and tranquility is what this space offers. This voluminous master suite has a wonderful sitting area, beautiful cabinetry, and phenomenal views from your private terrace."

Rheta walks over to the bed and presses one of the many buttons on the panel located above one of the nightstands. She loves this part of the tour. Olivia gasps when the curtains retract and the view of the bay is revealed. Now Fitz is really impressed. Entranced by the beautiful view, he and Olivia walk out onto the terrace, forgetting about Rheta.

"You can wake up in the morning with the beautiful view of the bay to your right and go to sleep at night with the city's skyline to your left. This master suite is so tranquil when all the buildings are lit at night."

"This is absolutely magnificent. We can sit out here and watch the sun set and rise."

"This is pretty terrific", Fitz says. Rheta allows the couple a few more minutes to enjoy the view before continuing the tour.

"Let's look at the rest of the bedroom suite", Rheta says as she walks toward the sitting area.

"I love this sitting area – and the fireplace. I can read over here at night without disturbing you. Is this the closet?" Olivia asks.

"It is, Mrs. Grant. It's all furniture finished. You have built-in shelves, built-in drawers, hardwood floors, high ceilings. It's a really spacious closet. Now - my second favorite space in this house is the adjoining master bath, let's go take a peek. You have a giant steam shower and a large spa tub. You can revel in all the resort-inspired amenities in this en suite."

"Why does she have to speak like that?" He whispers, and Olivia elbows him in the stomach to behave.

"This bathroom is about the size of ours", Olivia says.

"I don't think that tub is going to be big enough for two", he says flatly. Olivia wonders if that all he can think to say about the beautiful space.

"Mr. Grant, you have the option of upgrading that tub to a larger one. You have more than enough space in here to do so. Why don't you climb in and try this one for size?"

"That won't be necessary."

"Aww – go on babe – try it." Standing back and smiling at his reluctance to test-drive the bathtub.

"You don't even have to take off your shoes, Mr. Grant." He hesitates for a moment, glances over at his grinning wife, then climbs into the tub.

"I'm going to need another foot. I hate having to bend my knees."

"That's definitely doable, sir."

Smiling mischievously, Fitz extends a hand to his wife. "Join me - we have to test if it's big enough for two."

"No thank you - I think it will be just fine", folding her arms across her chest.

"Well I can't possibly make a decision on this house not knowing if the tub is big enough for two", he says with a smirk. Olivia looks over at Rheta with embarrassment written over her face.

"Why don't I give you two some time alone. When you're finished you can come downstairs and we can look at the backyard", Rheta says as she scurries quickly from the bathroom. She likes that the couple is playful and loving.

"Babe, I like everything about this house. I think it's perfect for us."

"Everything? How can you like everything?"

"Well I do. It's like our current home – but it's not like our current home."

"I'm waiting, Mrs. Grant. And - take off your shoes."

"You're only doing this because you know I like this house."

"I'm waiting", he repeats in a sing-song voice while trying to suppress the laugh. She rolls her eyes, sets her purse onto the granite countertop, and kicks off her shoes. Fitz extends his hand, helping her to climb into the tub. She straddles him and they both begin to laugh.

"I really - really like this house", draping her arms around his neck and pecking him on the lips.

"Do you think this tub is big enough?" Smiling playfully.

"Rheta already said we can change it. You're just being silly", swatting him on the shoulder.

"This house doesn't have a living room. Where are we going to have birthday and holiday celebrations if we don't have a living room? We open gifts in the living room."

"Any. Where. We. Want." She says, punctuating each word with a kiss.

"Anywhere we want?"

"Anywhere", pecking him on the lips again.

"Do you really like this house?"

"I do. I like the street. I like how homey it feels. I like how the sun fills the house - no matter what room you're in. I like our bedroom — and the views from the terrace."

" _Our_ bedroom?"

"You know what I mean", gently slapping his shoulder. "Do you like it? Can you see yourself living here?" She asks softly.

"We're going to need a bigger tub", trying to stretch his legs. Her full lips stretch into a smile and he smiles, too.

"You got it, mister", kissing him again.

He sucks on her bottom lip, pulling her with him as he leans back, and they both moan. Ears aflame, his arms encircle her waist and he kisses her deeper. The smacking sounds fill the air and bouncing off the porcelain and granite. His long fingers massage her bottom and his pants twitch with arousal. This is their third make-out session of the day. He pulls her closer and Olivia screams when she feels the cold water washing over her bent knees. They scamper from the tub, laughing raucously.

"Look at what you did - you got us wet", she says through the laughter while dabbing the towel on her pants.

"I told you we were going to need a bigger tub", guffawing as he turns off the water.

"You look like you wet yourself", throwing the towel at him.

"I think I'm going to like this house", smiling goofily as he glances around the room.

"We can't go to lunch now", pointing at his pants and laughing.

"Why not? We have to celebrate buying a house." 

"Yay", she screams again, clapping her hands and jumping up and down. "Wait — we haven't seen the backyard", tamping her own enthusiasm.

"I saw it from _our_ terrace. I'm good. Let's find Rheta and let her know she just sold a house." 

**XXX**

Rheta sits on the sofa in the family room reading her email. She has three new requests for appointments to tour the house in which she is sitting and that makes her happy. She plans on using part of her sales commission check to go to Hawaii. The city is changing and people are willing to pay top dollar for high-end properties. The demand for real estate in certain parts of the has been quite profitable for her and the agency over the past year. Rheta sets the phone onto the sofa when she hears footsteps on the hardwood floor.

"Oh my", she exclaims when the couple walks into the family room holding hands. "You two might need to stand out back in the sun until you're dry." They all chuckle. "So – what do you think? Will this house work for your family?"

"We love it", Olivia says quickly, grinning from ear to ear.

"What she said - we love it", Fitz grins equally as wide.

"Terrific, let's go take a peek at the _dessert_."

Rheta walks over to the wall of floor-to-ceiling glass pocket doors and slides them open. The family room seems to double in size and Olivia eyes stretch wide. "You can open these doors to take advantage of the view of the backyard and pool – the _dessert_."

" _A pool?_ I didn't see a pool from the terrace." Fitz drops Olivia's hand and walks out to the backyard. Rheta and Olivia smile at each other as they follow him outside. Rheta begins her final spiel.

"This is a Hampton-style backyard - decked out with all the modern amenities. You have an indoor-outdoor living and eating area that overlooks the pool. There are wonderful misting fans above for those hot summer days and nights. The area is also heated for use 12 months a year. It's literally a living room — you can spend the night out here."

Fitz wraps his arms around his wife's waist and whispers into ear. "Under the stars. Under the stars." Olivia elbows him again.

"Did you say something, Mr. Grant?"

"I was just telling my wife this backyard is terrific - more than I expected. I can teach our youngest daughter how to swim in that pool", grinning at his wife.

"I'm glad you like it, Mr. Grant", thinking she has finally won over the man. "Now you've seen everything", Rheta says, clasping together her hands.

"We'll take it. Where do we sign?" Fitz says with a broad smile.

An hour later, after the sales contract is completed, Olivia and Fitz head over to Restaurant 52 to celebrate. Rheta sends emails to the other three couples who wanted to view the property letting them know the house has been sold. She likes the Grants and thinks this will be the perfect house for their family. As she packs up her belongings, Rheta shakes her head, still wondering who was the other woman with Mr. Grant yesterday.

 **XXX**

Victoria frowns at the clock in the bottom-right corner of the monitor when she hears his heavy footsteps walking toward the reception area. He has been out of the office all morning and half of the afternoon.

"Good afternoon, Victoria", he says with a lilt in his voice as he strolls past her desk.

"Good afternoon", she says somewhat sourly. She gives a few minutes to settle into his office before going in under the guise of needing his signature on a few documents. She has no idea where he has been all day.

"I didn't realize you had an appointment outside the office today", setting the folders on the desk. "I need your signature on these documents -please." He nods and scribbles his signature on the last page of each document.

"Liv and I went house hunting", closing the last folder and handing them back to her.

"Did you select the one we toured yesterday? We agreed that was the perfect house."

"No. Liv — we decided it wasn't right for us. That street is way too busy for children."

"I see. So - did you find another house?"

"We did as a matter of fact – a few blocks away. It's on a cul-de-sac - which Liv loves", rolling up his sleeves ready to get to work. "We should close on it in a few months. Liv wants to be settled in before Cena starts school."

"I see. Well I'm happy for you – both of you", she says, turning to walk from the office.

"Oh, Victoria, can you get me a fresh pot of coffee? I'm going to be here for a while."

"Of course," fuming as she walks from the office. _Why the hell does Olivia always get every damn thing she wants?_

 **XXX**

When she sees the young woman walking toward their table, Olivia shakes her head thinking what a difference a year makes. They did not get off to a good start in those early days when she was trying to understand the plumbing problems in the homes in Springfield Heights. Marcella resented Olivia because she thought she was some fancy suburban housewife who wanted to displace her as the community leader. But, all that changed when Marcella arrived at the foundation to apologize for her behavior. They agreed they both wanted the same thing - to whatever they could to help improve the lives of people who do not have the means to help themselves.

"Marcella, it's so good to see you", Olivia says, standing with open arms. She has not seen the young woman since election night.

"It's good to see you as well, Mrs. Grant. It's been a while", returning the hug before sliding into the booth. "How are your beautiful daughters?"

"They're doing well. Jolie will be one in a few days. I can't believe it's almost a year."

"That's terrific. A lot has happened since last year."

"Hello, ladies - may I start you off with something to drink?" The young waitress asks. Olivia looks at Marcella to place her order first.

"I'll have an unsweetened iced tea", Marcella smiles politely to the waitress who is about her age.

"I'll have the same", Olivia says.

"Two iced teas coming up." The waitress turns on her heels and walks across the dining room.

"I'm so sorry I had to reschedule last week. My husband and I are looking for a house in the city and he found one we needed to look at right away."

"You and Mr. Grant are moving to the city? That's going to be a big change", thinking the woman surely has lost her mind. Most people she knows want to move out the city, to somewhere more quiet and safe.

"I'm really excited. I think it will be a good move for our family. So — how are things going at the community center?"

"We're doing what we always do, Mrs. Grant - serving the community — trying to help educate our children. It's getting more difficult to obtain funding from the city."

"I see", Olivia says, thinking about the Bryson program.

The waitress returns with their drinks and sets the glasses onto the tables. She pulls two straws from her apron pocket and sets them next to the glasses.

"Are you ladies ready to order?" Sliding the pad and pencil from her pocket.

"I know exactly what I want", Marcella says. "I get the same thing every time I come here."

"Me too", Olivia chuckles as she closes the menu.

The waitress scribbles their orders on the pad and walks across the dining room to the kitchen. Olivia and Marcella open their straws and place them into their glasses. Marcella takes a sip of iced tea, then plays with the napkin still folded on the table. For some reason, Mrs. Grant still makes her a little nervous.

"Marcella, I've been meaning to call you for some time – but things have been so hectic lately." Marcella nods because she still has no idea why Mrs. Grant wanted to meet with her.

"A few months ago - I took a position with Bryson Foods. I'm now in charge of establishing the company's philanthropy program. Fred Bryson is committed to giving back to the communities who support his businesses."

"That's terrific, Mrs. Grant. I had no idea - congratulations."

"Thank you, Marcella", Olivia says before sipping her tea. "Accepting the position with Bryson Foods meant I had to step down as president of my foundation - which was a very difficult decision."

"I'm sure it was. While I didn't start the community center – it would be difficult for me to walk away from something I'm so passionate about – something I put so much effort into."

"I certainly had mixed feelings - but I see it as a wonderful opportunity to expand the scope and reach of the work I enjoy doing. My foundation is focused on making clean water accessible to communities - working with Bryson allows me to help more people in so many ways."

"I see", Marcella says, nodding her head with understanding.

"Excuse me, ladies", the waitress says as she returns with their food. "The salmon salad for you", setting the plate in front of Marcella. "And – the fish tacos for you", setting the plate in front of Olivia. "Can I get you anything else?" Looking back and forth between the two women. Olivia and Marcell look at each other and smile.

"Thank you. I think this will be enough", Olivia says.

"Enjoy your lunch, ladies"

"The portions here are so huge", Marcella says. "I always take the leftovers home."

"Me too. My husband loves when I bring home fish tacos from here."

For the next 45 minutes Olivia and Marcella chat about various topics as they eat their lunch. Well, Marcella is eating her lunch and Olivia is picking at hers. Not enjoying the fish tacos as much as she usually does, she sets the fork onto the side of the plate and decides to get to the reason for the lunch.

"Marcella, I have to admit – I have an ulterior motive for inviting you to lunch." Marcella slowly slides the fork from her mouth and sets it onto the side of the plate. Not sure what to expect, she braces herself for the worse because nothing good ever happens to her.

"I would like for you to work for my foundation – work with Mona. Mona is now the foundation's executive director, which means she needs an assistant. I think your experience doing community work makes you the ideal candidate."

Marcella's eyes widen. She does not know what to think and does not know what has happened to her voice. Olivia smiles at the expression on Marcella's face and, after a few moments, Marcella finds her voice.

"Wow - I wasn't expecting you to offer me a job when you invited me to lunch. I really didn't know what to expect", she adds quickly.

"I know. I'm sorry I made this such a mystery - but I didn't want to discuss the matter on the phone. I spoke with Mona about it and she thinks it's a terrific idea. She would've joined us today but she had a personal matter to take care of. So - what do you think – would you like to work for my foundation?"

Still in shock, Marcella leans back against the booth and exhales deeply. "Mrs. Grant, can you give me some time to think about it?"

"Of course -. I know this is unexpected."

"I really do appreciate you considering me - that means a lot. I promise to get back to you in a few days."

"Take whatever time you need." Marcella nods and looks down at her plate. She is feeling nervous again.

"Is there something wrong, Marcella? You can take as much time as you need. I know how dedicated you are to the community center."

"No – I mean – it's not that. I don't want to overstep, Mrs. Grant", she says anxiously.

"What is it, Marcella? What's the matter?" Marcella looks at Mrs. Grant's kind face for a moment and sighs. She hopes she is doing the right thing.

"Mrs. Grant - you know I like both you and Mr. Grant – you're good people." Olivia smiles and waits for Marcella to continue. "I'm sure you know Mr. Grant's assistant, Victoria – I don't remember her last name."

"Sanchez - Victoria Sanchez", Olivia says, beginning to feel uncomfortable.

"I think she's trouble – thirsty - if you know what I mean", pausing so Mrs. Grant can absorb what she said. The corners of Olivia's mouth curl down, and she slowly nods her head up and down. "I know Mr. Grant is a good man – but I don't trust her", Marcella adds with conviction.

"I understand, Marcella. Thank you telling me."


	49. Chapter 49 Enemies of the Family

**A/N:** I own nothing related to the television show Scandal or the book _Goodnight Moon._ I was taken aback by the number of reviews for the last chapter, hence, so many responses. It was so unexpected. **Sister1256** , Marcella spilled the beans. Glad you enjoyed the chapter and house descriptions. **Sweet160717** , some reviewers don't think Fitz is so naive to Victoria's advances because he's so crazy about Olivia. Some think he's just an idiot. We'll see which is true, or maybe both. **Charleighxo** , I'll add you to the list of reviewers who thinks Fitz is Fitz is an idiot. Yes, not a good move to take Victoria house hunting, but think about if they really viewed the house together. When he was upstairs, she was downstairs. When he was in the backyard, she was in the house. So, while they went together, they were not together. Is Fitz hypocritical or protective? Hmm. **CERESHELENA** , can you scream any louder. I think almost everyone hates Victoria. She's not a nice person. **Conwun** , adding you to the list of reviewers who thinks Fitz is naïve to Victoria's actions because he loves Olivia deeply. **Reader575** , Vicky McCrazy, I love it. Don't worry too much about those documents. They're just standard documents for the weekly council meeting. Rheta won't tell Fitz what Victoria said because she does not want to risk losing the sales commission. **Kandyse4olitz** , I added you to the naïve and trusting column when it comes to Fitz. **Symone0939** , you have a good memory, Fitz has been warned. **Monica** , Fitz would rather live in Church Falls, but he is willing to do what is best for his family. He's a family man. Hint. Keep in mind, Liv wanted to remain in the city, but Fitz bought that big house in the suburbs when they got pregnant with Cena. She compromised - maybe it's his turn. What makes you think Liv is pregnant? Glad you liked the house. I want that house. Liv really needs to start treating Bowtie better. He's such a sweet and loving pooch. **Guest Lyn,** I don't see men as naive when it comes to a woman like Victoria, although this is how many reviewers are interpreting Fitz' behavior. Are you giving Victoria too much credit or Fitz not enough? Dennis is not naïve when it comes to a woman who wears a dress like that and walks like that. For the record, I know some young men who are as clueless as you believe Fitz is and in need of an ego boost. Hang in there, if you choose, to see how this unfolds. Appreciate the review. You're right, house buying is very personal, that's why they did not get the house Victoria toured. The big giveaway was Olivia's concern about the busy street, the girls' bedrooms on different floors, and the house not feeling like a family home. Victoria didn't care about any of that. **Emma** , glad you enjoyed the chapter. I'll add you to the list of reviewers who think Fitz is oblivious to what's going on because he is so in love with Liv. **Guest 1** , Marion has her own problems to deal with. She thinks she has handled Victoria. Is it a good idea to tell a friend you think some woman is after her husband? I don't know. **Guest 2** , I really am not trying to make Fitz look stupid. As you can see from the reviews, his behavior can be interpreted in a few ways. We'll soon find out what 's going on. Glad you enjoyed the chapter. **Guest 3** , keep in mind, intelligent people can do irrational things. Just saying. Let's see if you're right about pictures showing up. **Guest 4** , I'm adding you to list of reviewers who think Fitz is an idiot. You know Olivia doesn't have any authority to fire Victoria. **Guest 5** , I had to create another column for you since you think Fitz is a loveable, clueless and dense and not suspicious idiot, not like us chicas. And yes, he is masterful. **Guest 6** , there are two or three black Mormons. **Guest 7** , Victoria is a little delusional about whether her opinion matters about the house. "Respect yourself and STAY in your lane TRIFLING HEIFER'" LOL **Guest 8** , Victoria won't be around any longer than needed. BTW, Liv wants to move to the city because she wants her daughters to live in a more diverse environment. Liv is a modern day working woman. Remember the pre-marital counseling sessions long ago with Rev. Walker? Fitz has to save himself. You can't be falling off the couch dozing because of the political mumbo jumbo. Do you know how long it takes to write that mumbo jumbo? Too funny – I'm falling off the couch laughing. Bennie will be making an appearance soon. And, there is definitely a fox in Liv's hen house. Happy New Year to you! **Guest 9** , Hoetoria? You're killing me. **Guest 10** , I'm not dragging out the story, you know I don't get paid by the chapter. There is a timeline, which has been defined throughout. **Guest 11** , I want the readers to experience a range of emotions (positive and negative) when reading this story, that has been the case from the beginning. You know your tolerance for negative emotions and I understand this story no longer meets your needs. Thanks for reading. **Olitzalltheway,** glad you're enjoying the story haven't gotten bored. Can't believe you read 48 chapters in a few days.

Thanks again for continuing to support this story. I love all the reviews. A lot is happening in this chapter, so don't blink. Here we go!

 **Chapter 49. Enemies of the Family**

Olivia Grant loves her children more than anything in the world, she really does. She loves spending as much time with them as possible, but right now, as she leans back in the chair watching her two girls play on the floor of their home office, she wishes the Church Falls School District had consulted her calendar before scheduling three consecutive teachers' in-service days. The truth is, she should have consulted the school's calendar, which is posted online and mailed to families at the start of the school year. In either case, having two young children home all day while trying to finalize the recommendation for Bryson is proving to be challenging to say the least. And, this is only day one.

Olivia shakes her head, smiling as she watches Cena trying to teach Jolie how to talk and walk. Each time Cena stands Jolie to her feet, the little girl claps her hands then plops back down to the floor, and laughs hysterically. Cena is a patient soul, so she starts the process all over again. It warms her heart to see Cena is finally getting over the loss of her friendship with Asha. Leaning back in the comfortable chair, Olivia thinks how resilient children are as she runs her fingers through her long locks; she needs another trim. She missed her last appointment with her stylist because the meeting with Donald at the Satell Institute ran overtime, again.

When Cena yells for Jolie to say _ball_ , Olivia concludes she is not going to accomplish any work this morning. So, she claps her hands two times and Cena, Jolie, and Bowtie all look in her direction.

"Cee, how would you and Jo like to go see daddy - have lunch with daddy?" Cena's eyes brighten and she jumps up and down with excitement. She likes going to her father's office because he pushes her around in his big chair.

"Jo, we're going to have lunch with daddy and he's going to push me in his chair", Cena informs her sister. Jolie smiles and claps her hands because her big sister is smiling.

"I'll have Hildie pack a lunch while we get dressed", Olivia says.

"Can Bowtie go too, mommy?"

"No."

"Can I wear my hat? Please – please?" Wrapping her arms around her mother's legs.

"Of course you can. Daddy will like that."

Happy she is going to wear her favorite outfit, Cena scrambles to her feet and runs toward the stairs with Bowtie hot on her heels.

 **XXX**

Cena smiles as she stands in front of the floor-length mirror in her bedroom. She looks like a little sailor: dressed in a warm red and white striped crew neck sweater; dark denim skirt with double polished brass buttons down the front, red leotards, and brown calf-length boots. Olivia tops the outfit with the navy-blue jacket designed with shiny brass anchor buttons and captain's stripes on the sleeves. She nods as she assesses her daughter's appearance.

"We better get going, Cee."

"My hat, mommy", pointing to the box on the top shelf in the closet.

"Can't forget that", standing on her tip-toes and sliding the box containing the sailor's cap from the shelf. "Here you go, baby", placing the cap on top of her daughter's two long braids. She smiles, thinking about when Fitz bought her the same cap while they were in Monterey many years ago.

"Let's get Jo so we can leave. I'm sure daddy is going to be hungry."

"Daddy's stomach always makes that noise when he's hungry", Cena informs her mother as they walk down the hall toward the nursery.

"It's call growling, baby. Daddy's stomach growls when he's really hungry."

"Like the tiger at the zoo?"

"Kind of like the tiger at the zoo", Olivia chuckles as they walk into the nursery. She slides on Jolie's red sweater with the nautical crystal buttons, then they all head downstairs.

 **XXX**

"Thank you, Hildie — everything looks just wonderful", sweeping her eyes over the picnic basket. Olivia hopes Hildie is feeling better since she insisted on returning to work early.

"I even packed some of those rolls Mr. Grant loves, ma'am. I wrapped them in special paper so they can stay warm until you get to the city."

"Thank you, Hildie. Mr. Grant is really going to enjoy them."

"Have a good lunch, ma'am. I'm going upstairs to change the linens."

"We'll see you in a few hours, Hildie", lifting the picnic basket from the island top. "Come on Cee - let's go surprise daddy."

As Olivia looks into the mirror hanging above the foyer table, she pulls on her navy-blue coat with military detailing. She wonders if she has gone overboard with their nautical-themed outfits. She shrugs off the thought, knowing Fitz will get a kick out of it.

"Cee, have you seen mommy's car keys?" Looking around the foyer because she usually sets her keys on the foyer table.

"They're in the kitchen, mommy", pointing in the direction of the kitchen.

"Thank you, baby", stroking her daughter's cheek. "You are such a big help to mommy."

Carrying Jolie in her arms, Olivia rushes down the hall, through the family room, and into the kitchen where she spots her keyring on the island. She snatches the keys and rushes back to the foyer where Cena is waiting patiently.

"Come on baby, let's go see daddy", grabbing the picnic basket from the foyer table.

"JoJo's the baby, mommy. I'm a big girl", Cena says with all seriousness.

"Yes — you are", stroking her daughter's face. "Well let's get going big girl."

 **XXX**

As she pulls into the parking lot, Olivia wonders if it was a good idea to rush into the city to surprise her husband with lunch without calling first. She does not know if he already has lunch plans or if he will have time to eat with her and the girls. She thinks about calling him, but that will ruin the surprise.

 **XXX**

When Fitzgerald Grant strolled into the council president's office after being sworn in, Victoria Sanchez decided immediately he was her ticket out of the secretarial pool and into respectable society. She was unaffected by his wife standing next to him and holding his hand. Olivia Grant was nothing more than a minor and surmountable detail. The seduction is subtle, stealth-like, undetectable to the unsuspecting or the indifferent. First, she gains his confidence, demonstrating her ability to effectively manage the office and meet his administrative needs. He values professional competence. Next, she becomes his friend, hanging on his every word as he drones on and on about his family and hobbies. Then, she lets nature take its course.

With a smile on her face, Victoria stares into space, thinking it is time to reel him in. To help him along, she went down to Ranstead Street and spent a large portion of her last paycheck to buy a small bottle of perfume in the same line of the expensive toiletries he bought for Olivia. This morning, before squeezing into her dress, she dabbed a little on each wrist, in the bend of her elbows, behind her knees, and inside her ankles. Maybe today will be their first kiss.

As Mark pushes the food cart toward the reception area, he watches Victoria's red lips stretch into a smile, and he licks his lips. He would do anything, and he means anything, to have those lips on him.

"Good morning, Victoria", Mark says, adoringly.

"Hello, Mark. And how are you doing today? She asks in her most cheerful voice.

"I'm fine - thank you for asking."

"You can go right in - the council president is working so be super quiet", she cautions the young man.

 **XXX**

Shifting a sleeping Jolie in her arms, Olivia frowns when she enters the empty reception area. Jolie feels like a ton of bricks so she sets the picnic basket onto Victoria's desk and readjusts Jolie in her arms. She glances around the area wondering if Fitz is in a meeting.

"Where's daddy?" Cena asks, looking up at her mother with wide eyes. Olivia looks around the reception area again and decides to wait in Fitz' office.

"Come on Cee - let's wait in daddy's office", grabbing the picnic basket from the desk.

As she walks toward the office, she realizes he is in because she hears him telling that old joke she has long tired of hearing. She knows from the deep-throated laugh, his head is thrown back and he is showing a mouthful of teeth. She wonders how many times Darius has had to listen to that joke. Holding Jolie close to her chest, she balances the picnic basket in her right hand and pushes the door open with her foot, Cena takes off running into the office.

The smile on Olivia's face quickly fades when she sees him sitting shoulder to shoulder at the small conference table with Victoria, who is laughing a little too loudly. Smirking triumphantly, Victoria leans slightly closer to Fitz and runs her fingers through her tresses. Eyes resembling those of a deer caught in a car's headlights, Fitz springs to his feet, banging his knee hard on the edge of the table, and toppling over his chair. Olivia's chest rises and falls as she glares at her husband from across the room. He has seen that look more than once and knows she is beyond angry.

"Daddy, daddy", Cena yells, as she runs over to her father.

"Liv – sweetheart - I didn't know you were coming to the city today", he stutters as he picks up Cena without taking his eyes off his wife.

"Daddy — mommy said we surprise you for lunch."

"Liv -"

"Hello, Olivia - join us - please", Victoria says, waving a hand over the mass of uneaten food.

"It's Mrs. Grant and I need to speak with my husband— _alone_ ", her eyes never leaving his panic-stricken face.

"Of course," slowly uncrossing her long legs and sliding from the chair. Victoria takes a moment to straighten her dress then looks over at Fitz. "Fitz, would you like me to save your lunch for later?"

"I want your sandwich, daddy."

"Leave it, Victoria", still looking at his wife.

"Of course. Hello, Cena. Don't you look pretty today", smiling at the little girl who has her father's eyes.

"Hi", Cena says softly.

 _"Get out! Now!"_ Olivia screams at the obnoxious woman.

Cena eyes pop wide and she tightens her arm around her father's neck. She has never heard her mommy yell. Jolie squirms in her mother's arms and starts to whine, and Olivia rocks her back to sleep.

"Such an adorable baby", Victoria says on her way out the door.

Tears of anger sting the back of Olivia's eyes and she feels like she is going to be sick. She feels like she might faint. Fitz knows to keep his distance from his wife when she is this angry, so he remains silent as she walks over to the chairs in front desk. She sets her purse and the picnic basket onto the desk, then sits in one of the chairs. Needing to do something with her shaking hands, she twirls the crystal buttons on Jolie's sweater, then removes the sweater and hat. Fitz slowly sets Cena onto his chair and she immediately begins to devour her father's sandwich.

"Liv— "

"Are you unhappy in our marriage?" She asks as she stares out the window. The sun is high in the sky.

"What? Of course, not", looking down at Cena then back at his wife.

"Then what's going on here, Fitzgerald?"

"Nothing — it's just lunch", he says, still standing next to his daughter's chair.

"May I have something to drink, daddy?"

Keeping his eyes on his agitated wife, Fitz reaches for his Styrofoam cup half-filled with diet cola and hands it to his daughter.

"Thank you, daddy."

"Liv – "

"I won't pretend I didn't see what is going on here."

"This tastes nasty, daddy", Cena scrunches her face when the diet cola hits her tongue.

"It's just lunch, Liv", he says solemnly.

"It's more than lunch - don't you try telling me otherwise", struggling to control her anger so she does frighten the children.

"Let's not do this now, Liv", he says, looking down at Cena, who is enjoying his sandwich. "Can we talk about this tonight - at home?"

"Maybe you shouldn't come home tonight", she snarls, as she puts on Jolie's hat and sweater. She wipes the tear from the corner of her eye and stands to leave.

"Liv …"

"Come, Cee. It's time to go", refusing to look at him.

"I'm not finished eating, mommy", looking up with mustard on her face.

"You can eat at home."

"But – "

"I said let's go, Cena", Olivia says tersely.

"Go with mommy, Princess. You can finish eating at home." He glances at Olivia as he wraps his unfinished sandwich and places it into the white paper bag.

"Let's go, Cena", grabbing her purse from the desk and walking toward the door. Fitz rushes across the room and places his body between his wife and the door.

"Liv, it's not what you think", his eyes filled with panic.

" _Get. Out. Of. My. Way"_ , she snarls through clenched teeth, shifting Jolie in her arms. Seeing the anger and hurt in her eyes, he nods and steps away from the door.

"Can we play a game when you get home, daddy?"

"We'll see later, Princess", still looking at his wife.

"Pucker, daddy." He bends and pecks his daughter on the lips as his wife storms from the office. "Bye, daddy", Cena says merrily, swinging her sandwich bag as she skips from the office trying to catch up with her mother.

"Bye, Princess", he says, gripping the doorknob tightly. _"Dammit"_ , he growls, as he watches his family walk away.

"Have a good day, Olivia. Bye-bye, Cena." Victoria smiles, as she pretends to type.

"Bye", Cena says, looking over her shoulder at the smiling woman as her mother pulls her by the hand down the hall.

 _You'll be divorced in two years if you walk out of that door. Is that what you want for your children?_

Olivia remembers Avril's words but she continues walking down the hall toward the elevator.

 **XXX**

Victoria glances at the clock in the bottom-right corner of the monitor and smiles. The day is going much better than she planned. Olivia Grant showing up unannounced with the children, then storming out as quickly as she arrived is nothing short of a gift. Maybe she will write the woman a thank-you note on her personal stationary for delivering Fitz to her on a silver platter. That is what that bitch gets, showing up here without an appointment.

Victoria checks her appearance in the mirror, running her tongue over her lips to make them appear more inviting. She swipes her hands down the front of her dress and grabs a yellow No. 2 pencil from the pencil holder on the desk before walking into the office. It is time to do what she does best, console another beleaguered husband after having an argument with the wife. If he is ready, she will close the door, crawl on her knees under the desk, and suck him dry. Of course, she will swallow, they all like it when she swallows.

"Fitz, is everything okay? Olivia seemed upset when she left." He turns from the window, looking the worse for wear.

"I'm fine – thank you, Victoria." She walks closer to the desk, slowly stroking the yellow No. 2 pencil and he frowns.

"I'm here for you - whenever you want me", gliding her tongue over her red lips.

His face hardens at the subtle, yet unmistakable invitation, and she is no longer confident of her decision. Shuddering under the glare of his ice-cold blue eyes, she nervously plays with the pencil in her hand.

"You should leave, _Miss Sanchez."_

His words are a punch to the gut, knocking the wind out of her, and she is finding it difficult to breathe. She was not expecting the rejection and the abrupt dismissal. She knows she should be moving, exiting the office, but her feet will not cooperate. Her mind is racing, trying to think of a clever response that will unring the bell, rewind the clock, make him think he did not hear what he heard, did not see what he saw. But she has been struck speechless and is unable to organize her thoughts.

"Fitz -" Looking at him glassy-eyed.

 _"Leave. Now",_ he says with a level of harshness she has never heard from him.

"I'll just clear away the rest of our lunch", she says nervously, and his body stiffens at the reference to the events earlier.

He turns toward the window again as she teeters precariously on the five-inch stilettos toward the conference table. Her hands shake uncontrollably as she fumbles with the Styrofoam cups and half-eaten food. She balls the paper napkin stained with red lipstick and tosses it into the waste bin with the rest of the trash.

"I see Oliv - Mrs. Grant has left her picnic basket. Shall I -?" Her voice small and defeated.

"Leave it. Close the door on your way out."

When the door closes shut, he exhales, shaking his head in disbelief. He cannot believe what just happened. Maybe he has been married too long. Maybe he should have paid more attention to the gossip. Maybe he should have listened to his wife's cautionary words. The whole feels surreal. He slides the phone from his pants pocket and calls Olivia, but the call goes directly to voice mail again. With face set hard, he buttons his shirt sleeves, slides on the suit jacket and walks briskly past her workstation. His tie is crooked, but she thinks better of straightening it.

Victoria is terrified and does not know what to do or where he is going. Her well-tested plan for seducing men, married or not, has failed. She underestimated Fitzgerald Grant. She thought he was like all the others. She never considered he would not want her. They all want her.

 **XXX**

Janice Roberson loves fresh flowers, and each week she has a fresh bouquet delivered to her office. As she admires her favorite tulips, she waits patiently for the council president to arrive. He called 30 minutes ago wanting to meet with her as soon as possible. He sounded somewhat anxious and she was more than willing to shift a few appointments on her schedule to accommodate his request. The word has already begun to spread throughout City Hall that Mrs. Grant made a surprise visit to her husband's office, but stormed out immediately after catching the council president in a compromising position with his attractive assistant.

 _Mr. Mayor is going to love hearing this bit of news._

Janice smiles when she hears the knock on the door. She picks up one of the documents on her desk and pretends to read.

 _This should be good_.

"Come in", Janice calls out, holding the document loosely in her hand.

"Mrs. Roberson, Council President Grant is here to see you, ma'am."

"Send him in Poppi."

For all his faults, Janice does appreciate the new council president bringing a certain style to City Hall not typically associated with politicians. He wears perfectly tailored designer suits; stylish, but conservative shoes that are always highly polished; and he obviously has a wide array of ties and pocket squares. His dress code is definitely a carryover from the business world.

When Fitzgerald Grant enters her office, Janice sees immediately the man's usually polished appearance is somewhat off today, and with good reason she thinks.

"Council President Grant -it is so good to see you", Janice says, as she stands and extends a handshake.

"Mrs. Roberson, thank you for agreeing to meet with me on such short notice", trying to maintain an even tone as he accepts the handshake.

"Not at all. I always have time for our new council president. May I offer you something to drink, sir?" Sweeping her hand toward the table across the room holding a fresh pot of coffee and other beverages and snacks.

"No -no, thank you', he says quickly.

"Have a seat, council president." Fitz remains standing until Janice takes her seat.

 _Always the gentleman._

"So - Council President Grant - what brings you down to the second floor today?" Janice asks as she adjusts herself in the chair.

"I need to make a staff change", he says without equivocation.

"Oh? Is someone on your team not working out?" Feigning ignorance.

"I will need a new assistant."

"Really? Is Victoria not working out - not performing her duties to your standards?"

"Miss Sanchez is a competent assistant —however — I will need someone who is a bit more mature."

"More mature - I see. So - do you want to terminate Victoria?"

"No - not at all. Perhaps you can find Miss Sanchez another position elsewhere in the Hall."

"I can do that. When would you like this change to occur, sir?" Eyeing the man closely.

"Immediately", he says without hesitation. Janice slowly nods her head up and down thinking Mrs. Grant must have put the fear of God in the man.

"I'll take care of it right away. Your new assistant will be in place first thing in the morning."

"I appreciate your prompt assistance, Mrs. Roberson."

"Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?"

"That will be all - thank you", Fitz says, standing and walking from the office.

"Have a good day, Council President Grant", Janice says as she picks up the phone and presses the phone number on speed dial.

 **XXX**

"It seems like our girl has overplayed her hand", Janice says, leaning back in her chair and fingering her pearls.

"What do you mean? What has happened?" The anxious voice on the other end demands.

"Your nemesis just left here - and he was none too happy – shaken really. As white as the proverbial sheet."

"Get to it Janice - I'm in no mood for word games today."

Janice smiles because she knows the mayor is becoming more desperate with each passing day. The media is unrelenting, attacking him daily and demanding he step down until the charges of corruption are adjudicated.

"Council President Grant has requested a new assistant – requested that Victoria be transferred - effective immediately."

 _"Real-ly?"_ Wilson's interest is now piqued and he leans back in the chair with a devious smile on his face.

"He says he wants someone who is, and I quote, _a bit_ _more mature_ ", Janice chuckles.

"Well – well — well."

"My sources upstairs report that Mrs. Grant surprised her husband earlier with lunch - picnic basket and children. Apparently – she's the one who got the surprise. The word is she stormed from his office with the children in tow."

"This is good, Janice – _really_ good. That self-righteous bastard struts around my house like he owns the place – like he's some goddamn choirboy. It's time to tighten the screws on Grant."

"I'll leave the tightening of screws to you, sir. I have to find our council president a more _mature_ assistant by tomorrow morning. I'm sure Mrs. Grant won't tolerate another young, pretty helper. Have a good day, Mr. Mayor", hanging up the phone and smiling at the bouquet of flowers when she sees another tulip is blooming.

 **XXX**

Victoria has been jittery since he left, and that was almost 45 minutes ago. Her head snaps up when she hears his heavy footsteps walking toward the reception area. She relaxes somewhat when she sees he is alone. For some reason, she half expected him to return with security to escort her from the property. Ashen-faced, Fitz stops at her workstation and runs his long fingers through his hair. She knows he is still upset.

"Is everything all right, Fitz?"

"I have asked Mrs. Roberson to find you another position – in a different department", he says coldly.

" _What?"_

"Mrs. Grant is upset and I don't ever want to give my wife any reason to doubt my fidelity."

"Fitz – I'm so sorry. It was a misunderstanding - I misunderstood. I can call Mrs. Grant - explain the lunch was innocent." Fitz shakes his head slowly, half listening to her protests.

"It's done, Miss Sanchez. I'm sorry if I have given you reason to think otherwise. My wife – my family – are everything to me. No one will ever interfere with that. You should gather your things and go see Mrs. Roberson for your new assignment. There will not be a decrease in your salary or pay grade. Everything remains the same", he says before walking into his office and closing the door.

 _Everything remains the same. Everything remains the same._

She does not want everything to remain the same. She wants a different life. She wants out of this hell hole. She looks over at the closed door thinking she should try to speak with him – try to get him to change his mind. But she thinks otherwise. She will give him a day or so to calm down, give him time to realize he made a mistake.

Victoria slides open the bottom desk drawer, removes the designer purse, then glances around the reception area. This has been her domain for the past five months. Nobody got to see him without her permission. She was his gatekeeper. She quietly walks down the white marble hall toward the elevator, brushing the back of her hand across her cheek. She presses the elevator button and wonders what Olivia has that she does not have. She is so tired of having to start over.

 **XXX**

With raised brow, Calvin peers over his reading glasses at his precocious granddaughter who is checking her watch again. This is the third time this evening the little girl has glanced at her watch.

"Cena, why are you so interested in the time this evening?"

"My daddy said we could play a game later. What time is later, GranPop?" Looking innocently at her grandfather.

"Later is whenever your father arrives. You won't be playing a game tonight, Miss Timekeeper. It's time for bed", glancing at his wife with concern as she rocks a sleeping Jolie. Olivia has been in her bedroom all evening and Fitzgerald is long overdue home from work.

"Aww, GranPop."

 **XXX**

The house is still, except for the usual sounds he hears every night when the family is sleeping. Floor boards creaking, the ice maker in the refrigerator churning out ice, and plumbing vibrating from air trapped in the pipes. Stirred from his slumber by an unfamiliar sound, the hackles on his back rise and his ears perk up. Bowtie sits up in the doggie bed and looks down the hall in the direction of the muffled sounds. They are not the usual sounds he often hears coming from the bedroom. He listens a while longer, then trots down the long hall. The sounds become more prominent the closer he gets to the room. He nudges the door open with his nose and peeks into the bedroom. He is not allowed in this room. But, he cautiously walks across the large room toward the sounds and pushes open the partially closed door, cocking his head to the side as he watches her hug the toilet bowl. When her body lurches forward again, he lay his head on her leg and Olivia lifts her tear-stained face from the bowl and looks down at the dog, and she begins to cry again. Bowtie looks up at her with his big brown as if to say _everything is going to be all right_. Olivia leans against the cool wall, stroking the family pet's head as the tears stream down her face.

 **XXX**

Fitz has been calling Olivia for hours, and when the calls goes to voicemail again, he throws the phone against the wall and plops down into the chair. He looks around the Second Empire -style office wondering how the hell he got here. He walked away from a successful business to help resuscitate a dying city where everyone has an agenda, even his former assistant. He leans back against the chair and stares at the photographs of his family's smiling faces on the credenza. He closes his eyes, thinking this job is not worth losing his family.

 _ **Dream**_

"It's one of the most prestigious universities on the West Coast", smiling proudly as he stops the car in front of the guard shack.

"You must be really smart", she teases as the young man walks over to the driver's side of the door to greet the visitors.

"Good morning, sir – ma'am. How may I help you today?"

"Captain Fitzgerald Grant – I scheduled a visit – a tour for today."

" _Yes, sir"_ , the cadet snaps to attention and salutes. Fitz smiles, thinking about the many times he manned the guard shack at The Naval Academy. The cadet looks down at the clipboard and puts a check mark next to the captain's name.

"Sign here please, sir", handing Fitz the clipboard with an ink pen attached. Fitz smiles as he scrawls his name onto the sheet of paper, thinking the clipboard looks like the same one he used to hand to visitors at the Academy.

"Have a good day, sir – ma'am. You can park over to the right in the visitors' lot", motioning his head in the direction of the parking lot.

"Thank you, ensign."

"Thank you", Olivia calls out from the passenger seat, waving at the young man.

"As a matter-of-fact I am – smart that is", cocking his head to the side and giving her that goofy smirk that is beginning to grow on her. "I spent a lot of time in that building over there", pointing to Hamman Hall. "I loved it here", he says in a wistful tone. She stares at his profile, beginning to see another side of him.

"Why did you move back home – to Church Falls?"

"It was time. I spent 12 years in the Navy and there wasn't anything holding me here - not any longer. Besides - I was ready to start my business."

"No girlfriend?"

"No girlfriend. I had just ended things with Mellie."

"Why?"

"It was time. After three years of dating I honestly couldn't see myself spending the rest of my life with her."

"And it took you three years to figure that out?" She wonders if this is a pattern with him. She wonders if he gets bored after being in a long relationship.

"I knew we weren't right for each other for a while – but she wanted to make it work. She thought if we got married things would change - I knew otherwise. I knew a marriage wouldn't last. When I get married - it's forever—no divorce. Grant men don't get divorced, Miss Pope."

"Wow - you sound like you take those vows seriously", she says playfully.

"Don't you?" Staring into her eyes with a level of intensity that makes her feel uneasy.

"Yes – of course I do", she stutters, taken aback by the seriousness of his tone.

"Good — now let's go to the gymnasium — I want to show you where I practiced fencing", pulling her along.

"I didn't know you were a fencer", trying to keep pace with his long strides.

"Master of the Sword."

"Should I be impressed?"

"Yes."

"I want a tee shirt, Fitz."

"We can go to the commissary after we leave the gymnasium."

"Fitz - you have to slow down", trying keep pace with him as he pulls her toward the building located on the other side of the campus. "Wow, this building is huge. Is there a pool inside?"

"Of course – Olympic size."

After touring the gymnasium, they stroll over to the commissary to get Olivia a tee shirt. He learned something new about her today. She likes to collect tee shirts.

"I think I'll get this one", she says, holding up the oversized gray shirt with blue letters that spell NAVY.

"You can wear it tomorrow when we go to the farmer's market."

"I told you Fitz — I collect tee shirts. I don't wear them."

"Put this on", smiling as he places the traditional sailor's cap onto her head. He brushes her bang to the side, pulls the brim down a bit over her forehead, then steps back to admire her. "Perfect", delighting in her simple beauty. He likes that she does not wear a lot of makeup, a little nude lipstick, eyeliner, and mascara.

"Let me see", stepping in front of him to look into the mirror. She adjusts the cap a bit more, smiling as she turns her head from side to side. "I like it", says as she straightens her ponytail.

"Keep it on. I like the way it looks on you."

"Aye – aye, captain", saluting as she bursts into laughter.

 **XXX**

They got up early the next morning because Olivia wanted to go to the farmer's market and check out the locally grown produce and he concealed his disinterest. After a leisurely breakfast of waffles topped with lots of syrup, whipped cream, and berries, they take off for the 40-minute drive to the market. He is dressed in khaki cargo shorts, a white linen, short-sleeved shirt, and white tennis shoes. She is wearing white shorts, the gray Navy tee shirt he convinced her to wear, and the sailor's cap that she likes a lot. With the convertible car top down, they sing at the top of their lungs as he drives over the highway. Today he learned Prince is her favorite artist, and she learned he does not have one. He likes all kinds of music.

"I hear they have really good weed in California", she says while bouncing in the seat to the music. He slams on the brakes, stopping the car in the middle of the highway.

" _What did you say?"_ Looking at her somewhat in shock.

" _What the heck is wrong with you?"_ Looking over her shoulder to see if a car or truck is going to rear-end them.

" _You get high?"_

" _No — not anymore. I tried a little Mary Jane while in college. Who hasn't?"_

" _I haven't. Do you use other drugs?"_

" _What? No — of course not. You need to get this car out the middle of the highway"_ , her voice rising a few octaves.

"Drugs are bad, Olivia. They will ruin your life."

"Drive, please." She is not in the mood for a lecture from a goody-two-shoes.

He removes his foot from the brake and continues the drive to the farmer's market. He has also learned today she gets high, or used to get high, and that disturbs him. He will have to find out more from Bennie. She glances at his profile, thinking he sounds like one of those public service commercials that tell people to say no to drugs. _Such a prude._

 **XXX**

They have been at the market all day, walking over the gravel-covered ground going from stand to stand sampling the various foods and drinks all made with ingredients indigenous to the area. They ate so much free food they did not need to buy lunch. She fell in love with abalone and wants to take some back to Washington. She can spend more hours here talking to the vendors about their unique products, but again, she catches him glancing at his watch and it is starting to annoy her.

"I wish I could take some of this abalone back home", she says, eyeing the molluscs at the seafood counter.

"And do what with it?" Looking at her as if she has lost her mind.

"Cook it, silly", playfully slapping him on the arm.

"I told you I don't cook – have no interest in cooking. Besides - you saw how long it took that guy to pound that stuff." Olivia rolls her eyes and continues to examine the abalone.

"My mother doesn't cook either – well she does - but she's not a very good at it", she says as they stroll through the produce section. "Do you think we can take these back on the plane?" Holding up an artichoke.

"Why would you want to? You can get Brussel sprouts back home."

"Fitz, these are artichokes. Monterey is the artichoke capital of the world. You lived here all those years and you don't know that?"

"I told you - I don't cook."

"Well you eat — don't you? Sheesh."

"How about these?" Holding up a container of blackberries.

"You can get blueberries in Church Falls, Olivia. I'm sure Bryson's sells blueberries."

She rolls her eyes again, thinking this man is not as smart as he claims and he is beginning to get on her nerves. He sneaks another peek at his watch.

"Everybody knows some of the sweetest blackberries grow here", she says in a snarky tone as she sets two containers into the hand basket he is carrying.

"What about – "

"Olivia, we gotta get going. You can get any of this stuff back home."

"Fine", she says grumpily, tossing the peaches back into the bin.

"I'll get in line and pay for this", he says, walking quickly toward the cashier.

Olivia folds her arms across her chest and drags behind him, thinking there is no point in coming to a farmer's market if you're not going to buy the locally grown foods. She doubts they are suited for each other. He is too anxious, always checking his watch and walking too fast. Waiting in the check-out line to pay for her produce, Fitz glances around the space looking for Olivia. He thought she was behind him.

"Olivia", he calls out, beckoning her with a hand while stuffing the wallet into his back pocket. She purposely walks slower, thinking just because he was a captain in the Navy, he better not think he is going to boss her.

He wonders what is wrong when he sees the sour expression on her face as she walks slowly toward him with arms folded across her chest.

"Let's go", grabbing her hand and pulling her through the market toward the parking lot.

" _Will you give me a minute and just slow down",_ pulling her hand from his. _"You should have told me_ _you didn't want to come to the market. I could have taken a taxi."_

Ignoring her outburst, he tosses the bag of blackberries in the trunk and jumps behind the steering wheel as she opens the passenger door. Before she could fasten her seatbelt, he is speeding from the parking lot.

 _This is not going to_ _work. This is not going to work._ She repeats to herself as he drives like a madman down the highway.

"Please slow down – you're driving too fast", she says holding tightly onto the door handle.

"I'm barely going the speed limit", he says, focused on getting to their destination.

Olivia now realizes agreeing to join him on this trip was a mistake. She thought it would be a good way to learn more about him since he lived in Monterey for so many years. She has learned all she needs to know about him. The man is obviously unhinged, unbalanced, or something. Maybe he needs to smoke a little weed to chill out. When she gets back to her hotel room she is going to book the first flight back to Washington in the morning. She cannot bear spending another day the man.

She glances up at the green and white highway sign that indicates they are heading toward Carmel Beach. She wonders if he knows where he is going because she is pretty sure their hotel is in the opposite direction.

"We're here", he announces proudly as he runs around the car and opens her door. He reaches for her hand, which she promptly ignores.

"Mr. Grant – Mr. Grant", a sweaty man who appears as anxious as Fitz, calls out as rushes toward the car. "We must hurry, sir."

"Come on, Olivia", Fitz says anxiously, pulling her by the hand as he follows the man. She frowns, trying to snatch her hand from his.

" _Fitz, please._ _Do you have to …._ _Oh my god"_ , eyes wide with surprise when she sees the table on the beach set for two. It's looks absolutely magnificent: white linen table cloth, real china, silverware, and crystal flutes. She looks at him with mouth wide open and he grins stupidly.

"Have a seat Miss Pope", pulling out her chair as the waiter stands off to the side with a white linen napkin draped over his left arm. The waiter fills their glasses with champagne then discreetly disappears to start the soft music.

"Fitz - when did you do all of this? Everything looks so beautiful."

"I have skills you know nothing of, Miss Pope", enjoying how the flickering candles cast a warm glow over her face.

Forty-five minutes later, the anxious man returns to the table and whispers into Fitz' ear again. Fitz nods and extends his hand, and she happily slides her hand into his. They follow the man to the edge of the ocean where a blanket is spread on the beach. She sits between his bent legs and leans back against his chest. The waiter brings over desserts of blackberry pie topped with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. He sets another bottle of champagne and flutes on the ground next to the couple and disappears again.

"Open", he says, sliding a spoonful of blackberry pie and ice cream into her mouth.

"Mmm", she moans, enjoying the intermix of pie and ice cream.

"The sweetest blackberries in the state", he says, pecking her on the cheek.

"You mean you know the difference between blackberries and blueberries?"

"Yup. I told you — I'm smart." She brushes her lips over his and the brim of the cap pokes him on the forehead, and they both laugh. He turns the cap around so she can kiss him properly.

"Now kiss me", moaning when he tastes the blackberry pie on her lips.

The nervous man hurries over to the smooching couple and clears his throat a few times, and look at him and laugh. They have been laughing a lot since they got to the beach. The nervous man points anxiously to the sky, where Mother Nature is putting on another spectacular show.

"It's the most beautiful sunset ever, Fitz."

"It is", he says, not taking his eyes off her face.

In this moment, he knows he never wants to have dinner on a beach with anyone else. He knows he never wants to share blackberry pie and vanilla ice cream with anyone else. He knows he never wants to share a sunset with anyone else. He knows he never wants to be with anyone else and he certainly does not want her to be with anyone one else. He knows he has to figure out how to make this incredible woman his wife.

After the sun has dipped behind the horizon, they sit with the blanket wrapped around their shoulders, staring out at the ocean.

"Did you bring all of your girlfriends here while in the Navy – Captain Grant? You said you and Ty were _popular_ with the ladies"

"Nope."

"Not even Mellie?" She probes.

"Not even Mellie." Olivia smiles, thinking he is someone she can definitely work with.

 _ **End Dream**_

Fitz always kisses his girls goodnight, no matter what time he arrives home, and tonight is no different. He sits on Cena's bed and kisses the top of her head, thinking he has not combed her hair in ages. Hair time used to be their special time together.

"Daddy, we didn't play a game tonight", Cena says half asleep when she smells her father's cologne.

"We'll play tomorrow. Go back to sleep, Princess."

"You have to read _Goodnight Moon_."

He kicks off his shoes, slides the book from the nightstand, and leans back against the headboard. Cena flops onto her side, resting her head on her father's stomach, listening to the soothing timbre of his voice.

 _In the great green room_

 _There was a telephone_

 _._

 _._

 _._

Cena eyes close slowly and she is back to sleep before he finishes reading the first page. He pulls the cover over her small shoulders and kisses her cheek. He turns out the lights then walks down the hall to the nursery to kiss Jolie goodnight. He smiles, thinking she will be a year old in a few days. The baby's first birthday is always a special event in the Grant family. He exhales as he walks down the hall to their bedroom. He has to make things right.

Bowtie's bark stops him in his tracks, and he frowns when he sees the dog laying in their bed and atop his pillow. With confusion written on his face, he looks over at his wife who is exiting the bathroom and drying her hair. She glares at him with a look that says, _don't-you-dare ask_.

"Hi."

"Hi", she says flatly, locking eyes with him. Then, in an eerily calm voice, she begins.

"In this room - only the truth will be spoken." He stares at her for a moment, then slowly nods his head up and down as he recalls Avril's words.

"Did you kiss her?" Staring at the spot under his left eye that always twitch when he is trying to conceal something from her.

" _No — of course not."_

"Are you sleeping with her?"

" _No — I would never_."

"How could I not know you are unhappy?"

"I'm not unhappy", he says solemnly.

"What I felt when I walked into your office …. There's a certain intimacy between you two. That look on her face. I could have …."

"There's no intimacy, Liv. There's nothing. I was just telling a joke."

"To think that you shared that part of yourself with someone else hurts deeply", she says, shaking her head.

"I didn't."

"She's pretty."

"Liv— "

"Are you no longer satisfied with your life – our life?"

"Of course, I am."

"Do you want a divorce? Do you no longer want this marriage?"

" _Of course not."_

" _Then what is this all about? Why are you -_ _a married man - paling around with your assistant?"_

" _I don't believe this. You're accusing me based on a supposition of what may or may have not have happened."_

He places his hands on his hips and she sneers at him because he has slipped into lawyer mode, which means he is in defensive mode, and so is she. The battle begins.

" _Say whatever you want. I know what I heard and I certainly know what I saw."_

" _It was just a lunch. I was telling a joke."_

" _It wasn't just a lunch._ _You took her to see a house for our family. You had lunch with her in public. Now you're having lunch with her in your private office — yukking it up like you're old buddies._ _Should I continue?"_

" _I've eaten lunch with my employees plenty of times. Sandra and I often had lunch together — even dinner meetings - you know that. This was no different."_

 _"What the hell is wrong with you? Why won't you see that woman is infatuated with you?"_

" _I don't have time to wonder if my damn assistant has a schoolgirl crush on me._ _I have real threats to_ _worry about._ _I have a mayor I have to keep my eyes on. I don't have time for these distractions."_

" _She's hardly a schoolgirl. She's a grown woman who is trying to come between us and you're letting it happen._

" _I'm her employer, Liv - the law doesn't allow me to reprimand her because she has a crush or is infatuated as you put it."_

" _Don't you dare talk about this in legal terms. And — don't you dare try to minimize what is going on here."_

" _Do you think so little of me — think that I would fall for my assistant?"_ She knows a red herring when she smells it and she will not be distracted. She knows his techniques.

" _Don't try to turn this on me. I warned you about her."_

"Her behavior was self-defeating – it has nothing to do with us", waving his hand dismissively, as if he is swatting away an annoying fly.

" _It has everything to do with us — and stop trying to pretend it doesn't._ _You're many things - but stupid is not one of them._ _You opened the door for this to happen._ _This is on you."_

The room is fraught with silence. No amount of deflecting or obfuscating will change the fact that he unintentionally allowed the boundaries between him and his assistant to be blurred. He pinches the bridge of his nose and expels a heavy sigh. His tone softens.

"I didn't cheat, Liv — never have — never will. Honestly - the thought never crossed my mind. But — I do take responsibility for inadvertently setting up a situation where my actions could be misinterpreted."

She rolls her eyes and continues.

"You're right – this is all on me. Perhaps I should've seen it —but I didn't. Did I hear the whispers about her personal life? Yes. I don't know the details — but I didn't want to hold the gossip against her. Everyone deserves a second chance, Liv."

" _Are you out of your mind? That woman is trying to destroy our marriage and you're standing there talking about second chances. Excuse me if I'm not feeling very forgiving."_

" _She means nothing, Liv. She's inconsequential. Why won't you believe me?"_ He looks at her pleadingly and Avril's voice rings in her ears again.

 _Listen to what he is saying, don't just hear._

"I told you to be careful — that she could get the wrong impression."

"I transferred her — to another department."

"How could you let it get this far?"

"What do you want me to say — that I messed up? That I took my eyes off the ball. That I should've seen it along with the myriad of other things I've missed? Tell me what to say, Liv, and I'll say it."

Tears stream down her face, she is trying to determine if she still knows the man standing before her. She is trying to determine if he has reverted to old behaviors when he and Ty chased every skirt in California. He sees the doubt and distrust in her eyes, and it is all his fault. His heart grows heavy because he promised never to give her cause to question his love, even if it was unintentional.

"Livvie, you know I'm not that man anymore — haven't been for a long time. I never look. I haven't looked at or wanted another woman in that way since I met you. You made me a better man." She rolls her eyes because everybody looks. Hell, she even looks at times.

"You can question my judgment - but you can never question my love. You can never question my commitment to you – to our family. I would never do anything to jeopardize our family. I swear."

She brushes the tears from her cheeks and he takes a few cautious steps toward her.

"Livvie, I'm sorry."

"You broke my heart."

"Never." He takes a few more steps toward her.

"What else is going on? What else don't I know?" She asks through the sniffles. The questions are innocent enough, but the answers have the power to tear them apart or bring them closer together.

"What?" She gasps and takes a step back when she sees the muscle under his left eye twitch. He is stalling. There is more.

" _Answer my questions, Fitz. What else is going on?"_

The force of her demand belies the nervous energy pulsating through her body, so she holds her breath, steeling herself for what is to come. He sees the fear in her eyes and admonishes himself for letting it get this far. He has wanted to tell her, should have told her the first time it happened, but he always found a clever way to push it aside. He always found a way to rationalize shielding his secret from the person he loves more than anything. Although many nights when she was asleep, he took the coward's way out, whispered his secret into her ear, foolishly hoping she would hear his confession while she slumbered.

With hands stuffed deep into his pants pockets and shoulders now slumped, he tries to summon the oratory skills he learned in law school and perfected in his practice, but he falls short. Right now, he is not a lawyer sitting across the negotiating table staring down an adversary. Right now, he is a husband who has been keeping a dark secret from his wife and she wants answers. His mouth opens and closes, but nothing comes out, and she frowns.

 _In this room - only the truth will be spoken_ _._

He slowly lifts his head and the sadness she sees in his eyes wrench her heart. She knows whatever he is going to say will change them forever. The butterflies in her stomach dance faster as he begins to speak in a low tone. She leans forward slightly, straining to hear his words.

"After the accident — after Charlie tried to …."

She shivers at the mention of the name she never thought she would hear again in this life time. She inhales and exhales rapidly because whatever he is about to tell her has nothing to do with his assistant. Whatever he is about to tell her started long before Victoria Sanchez came into their lives.

"When we went up to the lake house — we had been through a lot, Liv. Cena wasn't walking — Jo almost …. But when we got up to the house – everything was perfect. We were back - we were ourselves again", he says with intensity. She crinkles her brow, desperately trying to remember every minute of those days they spent alone at the lake house five months ago.

"When you were downstairs — preparing breakfast — I — I - had an incident."

She tilts her head to the side and frowns, trying to understand what he is saying. She is not sure what he means by _incident_ and she does not remember him telling her anything about an _incident_.

"When you were downstairs - I was overcome — gripped by a sudden surge of anxiety — fear. It was overwhelming. My heart was pounding and I couldn't breathe. I thought

I was dying, Liv."

She clamps a trembling hand over her mouth and time seems to have stopped. She is no longer breathing.

"I didn't know what was happening at first — then – after a while I realized …. I had a panic attack." His face is flush with shame.

 _"What?"_ She says softly, her hand covering her heart.

"So - I took a pill - and it made me feel better — took away the anxiety — took away the fear. So — when I had the next attack — "

She gasps, and staggers backward. Her trembling hand reaches behind her for something – anything that will stop her from collapsing to the floor. Her fingers grip the edge of the vanity, upsetting the silver tray that holds her daily jewelry.

" _Oh, my god, you've had more than one attack?"_

" _Liv"_ , he yells, rushing toward her.

" _Stay there. Just. Stay. There",_ raising her hand in a stopping position. She starts pacing around the room in circles, and he closes his eyes because his worst nightmare has come true. His heart shatters into a thousand little pieces because now she knows he is weak.

"You've been having panic attacks for the past five months and you've said nothing – I knew nothing. Oh my god — how could I not know? How could I be so blind? How could I not see you were in pain?" She stops pacing and stares at him with horror on her face.

"Liv –"

"Are you getting high? Oh my god — are you addicted?"

" _No – of course not."_

" _You hid this from me. You've been lying to me all this time. You've slept in our bed – we've made love – and you've been keeping this — this secret_."

"I'm sorry", he says meekly as tears rolldown his face as well.

Bowtie whimpers as she pounds her small fists against his chest and he does not try to stop her. He deserves her punishment.

" _You've been wearing a mask all this time. You've been hiding from me."_

"Liv –"

" _You don't get to do this to us. You don't get to kill yourself. You don't get to leave us all alone."_

"Liv, we can talk about this — but you have to calm down." He tries to wrap his arms around her trembling body but she pulls away from his embrace.

" _I'm not going to calm down. I find out that you've been suffering – taking pills all this time …._ _Where are they? Where are they?"_ Frantically tearing at his shirt and pants pockets.

"I don't take them anymore. I swear."

" _Then why do you still have them?"_ She asks in an eerily calm voice. Unable to formulate a credible response, he stares at her. _"I. Said. Where. Are. They."_

"They're at the office."

She rushes across the room, snatches open a drawer, and grabs a pair of black yoga pants. "We're going to get them."

"Liv - we don't have to go there tonight. I can –"

" _I said we're going to get them — tonight — now."_

 **XXX**

The drive to the city is quiet and tense, both are deep in their thoughts. So much has been said, yet so much more needs to be said. As he navigates the truck through the desolate city streets, he glances at her out the corner of his eye. Even with the street lights shadowing her face, he can see she is upset, scared. She brings a trembling fist to her lips, silently admonishes herself for not seeing signs of him being anxious, or worse, taking pills. Feeling inadequate, she shakes her head because she does not know how a person behaves when they are taking pills.

They do not hold hands as they silently walk across the empty lobby toward the elevators. When the elevator dings and the doors slide open on the third floor, they make what feels like a mile-long journey down the marble hall to his suite of offices. She frowns at the empty desk in the reception area, thinking it ironic the woman who tried to destroy her marriage is, in some way, responsible for her husband's secret being revealed. Tonight.

 _What she meant for evil, God meant for good._

His walk of shame over to the desk is humiliating to say the least. He slides open the middle drawer, where he keeps the pens, pencils, paper clips, rubber bands, and watches as the brown plastic bottle slowly rolls forward. She closes her eyes, wondering if the pills were in the drawer when she cleaned the office.

 _Why didn't I see them?_ "This is the prescription from the accident. You've been taking them all this time."

"No -"

" _Don't lie to me – not anymore."_

"Liv -"

" _You didn't trust me enough to tell me",_ sadness filling her voice.

"I didn't want to disappoint you – not again." She looks at him wild-eyed, trying to understand what he is saying.

" _Disappoint me? Disappoint me? What are you talking about?"_

He thinks about Big Gerry, who always said do whatever is needed to protect the family from enemies, even if you stumble trying.

"What kind of man am I if I can't protect my family? You almost died. Cena and Jo almost … I can't shake it, Liv - can't get it out of my head."

"Oh, babe - you are not responsible for what that madman did. I should've been here for you", caressing his face.

"This is not your fault, Liv. This is on me."

"This is on us. I am your wife and you don't suffer in silence. You let me help you." She wraps her arms tightly around his waist and lay her head on his chest. Lulled by the rhythmic beat of his heart, she starts to cry. "You know I can't do this without you - don't want to do it without you", she cries into his chest, and he hugs her equally as tight. "How are feeling now? When was your last attack?"

"I don't know if it's going to happen again, Liv — and that scares me."

"We're going get through this – together - I promise. But this all stops tonight - no more hiding - no more secrets. We only hurt each other when we do that. From now on we have to be open and honest about everything. Okay?"

He nods, and for long time they stand in the middle of his office wrapped in each other's arms, each knowing they have entered a new phase of their marriage. Each knowing they have to do better.

"I'm pregnant", she says softly against his chest, holding her breath and waiting for his response.

"I know", and she looks up at him with surprise in her eyes. "I know every part of your body – how every part of you feels - how every part of you tastes. You feel different - taste different when you're pregnant."

"Are you –"

"Upset? No", he says softly, leaning back and looking into her eyes. "Concerned? Yes", tenderly caressing her face. The tears stream down her cheeks and spill over his hand.

"I'm all right – I'm fine", she says emphatically. She does not want him to worry about her.

"I want that to be true – I want you to be okay."

"I'm scared, Fitz. I don't want to get sick again."

"I know – I know", wrapping his arms around her again.

"I want this baby", she says in a faint, small voice.

"I know. Me too. We're going to be fine – our baby is going to be fine. We'll meet with the doctor", kissing the top of her head and she nods.

"I want us to meet with Ben tomorrow — talk to him about the pills."

"That's not necessary, Liv."

"It's necessary for me. I won't turn a blind eye to this, Fitz. I need to know my husband is okay. Our children need to know their father is healthy", she says firmly.

"I'm not hooked, Liv. I only on took one every now and then."

" _That's the point - you shouldn't be taking them at all."_ He nods in stoic resignation. "I'm calling Ben in the morning."

"Don't— not until after Jo's birthday. Please?" She studies his face for a long while then nods in agreement.

"Is there anything else I should know?" She asks, holding him tighter. He decides in the moment not to tell her about the security detail he hired to follow her and the girls. He does not want her to worry, not now.

"Nothing", he says, kissing the top of her head. "And - for the record - you're the prettiest girl I've ever seen."

 **XXX**

Face nestled in her neck, he smiles in his sleep as he inhales her unique scent. He snuggles closer, his fingers instinctually caressing her flat stomach through the short silk nightgown. He has not been this relaxed in months. Down the hall, Cena and Bowtie play in her room, taking advantage of day two of the three teachers' in-service days. When they hear Jolie babbling, they walk down the hall to the nursery where they find the little girl holding onto the crib's rail and bouncing up and down.

"Do you want to walk, Jo?" Jolie laughs and waves at her sister and the dog as they enter the room. "Sit down, Jo", Cena directs as she pushes the wooden stepstool over to the crib. She lowers the rail and lifts Jolie from the crib. Happy to be free, Jolie bounces up and down in her sister's arms while Bowtie keeps a watchful over both girls.

Cena stands Jolie to the floor and starts to repeat the lessons for how to walk. After a few attempts, Jolie's feet finally decide to cooperate, and she takes a few unassisted steps toward her sister before dropping to the floor.

"Get up, Jo - and do like this", Cena says, demonstrating for her sister the proper way to walk. Jolie pushes up from the floor and once again takes a few wobbly steps. "That's right, Jo. That's how you do it. Let's go show daddy and mommy", taking her sister's tiny hand and guiding her down the long hall. Bowtie follows closely behind the girls.

As the trio creep into the quiet bedroom, Cena places a finger to her lips, cautioning her little sister to be quiet. Standing on unsteady feet, Jolie puts a finger to her lips, too. Cena climbs onto the bed and pulls open her father's eyelid.

"Daddy - wake up, daddy. JoJo's walking." With one eye propped open by his daughter's small finger, Fitz slowly opens the other eye. "JoJo's walking", Cena repeats, her face impossibly close to his. Fitz removes his daughter finger from his eyelid and rolls onto his back. "Look", Cena says, pointing to Jolie who is uncertain of what to do next. Fitz turns onto his side and smiles when he sees his baby standing a few feet away from the bed. He slides the phone from the nightstand to capture the historic moment.

"My Angel is walking", he says with the biggest smile." Jolie claps her hands because her father's smile signals he is happy.

"Liv – wake up. Wake up, Liv", he whispers with urgency, not wanting frighten Jolie. "Liv", shaking her shoulder with more force.

"What — what?" She mutters, hugging her pillow tighter.

"Mommy - wake up. JoJo's walking, mommy", Cena yells, bouncing up and down on the bed.

"Sit up, Liv. Show mommy you can walk, Angel. Come on - walk for daddy." Olivia slowly pushes herself up against the headboard and yawns.

"Mommy — "

"Look Liv, Jo can walk", Fitz says, videotaping the little girl who is smiling at her father. "Walk for daddy, Angel. Come on - walk for daddy", bending at the waist and beckoning Jolie with his hand. Realizing the moment has finally arrived, Olivia crawls across the bed waiting for her baby girl to put on a show.

"Walk, JoJo", Cena directs, kicking her legs up and down on the bed.

"Come to daddy, Angel. Come on."

Jolie looks at her father's face, then at her sister and mother. They all seem to want her to do something but she does not know what to do. So, she drops to the floor and begins to cry. Fitz scoops her up in his arms and rocks her back and forth. Olivia gives her husband a look that says _you woke me up for this_? He shrugs his shoulders and gives her a look that says, _I tried_.

"I'm going to the bathroom", Olivia says, crawling out of bed feeling absolutely awful in a wonderful kind of way.

 **XXX**

"Good morning, Council President Grant", the middle-aged woman stands and greets him cheerfully when he enters the reception area. "My name is Elizabeth Handley - I'm your new assistant", extending a handshake with a pleasant smile.

"Good morning, Mrs. Handley", he says, accepting the handshake. "We'll meet this afternoon to discuss my expectations for your role."

"Of course, sir. There's a fresh pot of coffee in your office on the credenza."

 **XXX**

It has been less than 24 hours since Victoria Sanchez was transferred to another department and City Hall is abuzz with speculation about why she no longer holds the prestigious position of assistant to the council president. Some say Mrs. Grant literally caught them in the act when she made a surprise visit to the office yesterday. Others say the two women actually got into a hair-pulling fight and the council president had to pull them apart. A few more say, Victoria is pregnant with the council president's love child. The rumors will continue to fly until the truth is discovered and long afterward.

As he hurries down the hall to Fitz' office, Darius' heart feels like it wants to burst through his chest. He is not sure if his rapid heart rate is due to walking too swiftly, or because he is afraid of what he might not see when he reaches Fitz' office. He stops short of the reception area and his heart sinks when he sees the older woman sitting at the workstation. The rumors are true, Victoria no longer works for Fitz.

"Good morning, Councilman Moton", Mrs. Handley kindly greets the agitated man. Darius grumbles something unintelligible as he stomps into Fitz' office.

" _What the hell is going, Fitz? This place is buzzing about you firing your assistant."_

"Transferred— not fired", Fitz says, not bothering to look up from the papers he is reading.

 _"Semantics"_ , Darius growls. _"Why the hell did you fire her?"_ Darius demands.

"Hiring and firing are two of the many authorities I have as council president", not feeling the need or wanting to explain his decision to Darius.

 _"Don't be coy with me. Tell me why the hell you fired her"_ , the veins in his neck on the verge of exploding. With brow furrowed, Fitz looks up at the man then tosses his pen onto the desk. He will not tolerate another one of Darius' tongue-lashings, not today.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Why do you care if I _transferred_ Miss Sanchez?"

 _"We don't need another damn scandal around here. This city still hasn't gotten over the Marla and Wilson mess. They certainly are not ready for a damn sex scandal."_

"There's no sex scandal here, Darius", Fitz says, walking over to the credenza to pour another cup of coffee.

" _The perception of impropriety is just as bad as an actual scandal. Again - why the hell did you get rid of your assistant?"_

"It's complicated", bringing the steaming cup of coffee to his lips. _This coffee is really good, Mrs. Handley might work out after all._

" _You see — that's the problem - there shouldn't be anything complicated about your relationship with your damn assistant."_

"Former assistant."

"Nobody likes a smartass, Fitz."

"I'm sorry, Darius. It's just …"

"She might launch a lawsuit against you."

"A lawsuit - for what? I didn't fire her - I know better than that."

"She might accuse you of sexual harassment - that you forced yourself on her."

"No such thing happened", Fitz says in disgust.

"Do you even want to be mayor of this fine city? If you do then this thing with your assistant better not be complicated."

"Miss Sanchez misunderstood her role. She thought there was something more -"

 _"You mean you were fucking her?"_

 _"What?"_ Shocked by the accusation.

"She finally got her hooks into you, too. I thought you ..." Realizing he has said too much, Darius closes his eyes and runs his hand over his face. Another secret is revealed.

"What the hell is going on, Darius?" Setting the coffee cup onto the desk. Darius lowers his head and stares at the floor.

"Wilson has a penchant for pictures", Darius says, rubbing his fleshy fingers over his forehead. "Yvonne was just getting over her illness – I couldn't hurt her like that."

Fitz stares blankly at the man until it finally registers what Darius is saying. He sits on the edge of the desk and shakes his head, wondering when does all the madness stop.

"I met Victoria Sanchez at an event several years ago — three to be exact - when I was considering running for mayor. My exploratory committee gave this party — and there she was — just standing across the room looking beautiful as ever. It started before I even knew what was happening. And after a while - I was hooked."

"It went on for - well that doesn't matter now. Wilson found out about us - had pictures – lots of pictures. He threatened to send them to the media - and to Yvonne. I couldn't let Yvonne find out about the affair. So - I did what Wilson wanted - I dropped out of the race. Hell – I never really got started."

"You mean he blackmailed you? Why didn't you tell me any of this, Darius?" Looking at the man in disbelief.

"Do you think I wanted to advertise that I cheated on my wife – that I was a fool? I had already lost my chance at ever becoming mayor — I didn't want to lose everything else. I didn't want to lose my job — my family."

"What else have you done for Wilson? A man like that doesn't stop asking because he got one thing."

"I couldn't let Yvonne find out. I had to protect my family." The sentiment is not lost on Fitz. He nods his head up and down.

"So - you sold out the people of this city to keep your affair secret."

 _"Don't you dare lecture me. She was coming after you, too."_

"You mean you knew?" Fitz says, taken aback by the revelation.

" _So - you did you fuck her."_

"Is that all you care about?" Fitz says, looking at the man as if he has lost his mind.

 _"I'm not here for a damn lesson in morality"_ , Darius snaps.

 _"Then why the hell are you here — to get your girlfriend her job back? Well that's not going to happen."_

Darius is agitated, nervous really, and be begins pacing around the room.

"I won't be renewing your chairmanship on the Appropriations Committee", Fitz says.

" _What?"_

"During the background check, interviewers ask if there is anything in your background that can be used as blackmail – anything that could jeopardize your role as a public servant."

"You're quoting fucking regulations right now?"

"I can no longer trust you, Darius. Your affair with Victoria opened you up to blackmail. It has influenced our interactions. I don't want to worry about your motives when we have disagreements."

"What is my crime - falling in love with a woman who is not my wife?"

Stunned by the confession, Fitz shakes his head in disappointment. "Your actions have nullified your effectiveness as Chairman of the Appropriations Committee. I will announce next week that I will be seeking a new chairman."

"You're now the paragon of virtue? You fuckin' hypocrite."

"I cannot ask you to resign your seat — only the people of this city can do that. However, nothing prevents you from stepping down."

"You're judging me?"

" _I don't give a fuck about your libidinous behaviors. What I care about is how you have put this city at risk."_

" _So – you're now the moral authority? Wait until Olivia finds out what's been going on around here."_

"My wife knows I would never betray her."

"Everybody isn't a goddamn saint like you, Fitz."

"I'm no saint— far from it. But I do have certain values I won't compromise – not for anyone."

" _We'll see how long your_ _values_ _hold up - how long you stand on your high horse when Wilson comes after you. Wilson promised his donors he would privatize the city's police department — hand it over to them. Do you know how many tens of millions of dollars we're talking about? This game is all about money - and Wilson is in deep. He's dealing with some dangerous people who want what they paid for. They won't let you or anyone else get in their way. You remember what Charlie tried to do to you and your family?"_

Fitz' face reddens and he looks at Darius with contempt. "Again - why are you here?"

With mouth slightly agape, Darius looks at Fitz dumbfounded because he has no idea why he is here. It all seems so damn ridiculous. He is married with children and twice he has ruined his career because of an affair with a woman who no longer wants him.

"I love her, man",looking helplessly at Fitz.

"Good-bye, Darius."

"What the hell am I supposed to tell Yvonne about my chairmanship?"

"The truth."

 **XXX**

Feeling better about his situation than he has in months, the mayor leans back in his chair, laughing out loud as he blows smoke circles in the air. He has a solution to his problem and right now life cannot get any better. Grant will be more than willing to vote to privatize the police department to keep those pictures off the _Sage Report_ , and to keep that pretty little wife of his from finding out what he has been up to with his assistant. He grimaces at the picture of the happy couple as they exit the truck. He sneers at Grant's hand low on the woman's back as he ushers her across the busy street.

 _Such a fuckin' gentleman_.

This is his money shot, his insurance policy. The pictures will keep Grant in line and get those motherfuckers off his back, get them the police department, and keep him out of jail. Chomping on the cigar, he gathers the pictures from the desk, stuffs them back into the manila envelope, then tosses the envelope into the desk drawer on top the burner phone. It is good to be the king, he thinks as he takes another sip of the expensive bourbon.

The ringing phone jolts Wilson from his private party and he frowns at the desk drawer. There is never a conversation when those bastards call. He only listens and takes orders. He is a fucking order taker for a bunch of nameless and faceless pricks who got him elected to office. He has been avoiding their calls for weeks, but tonight he does not mind answering the phone. He will tell those motherfuckers they will have their damn police department and Grant will hand-deliver it to them on a silver platter. He pushes aside the envelope and answers the cheap burner phone.

 **XXX**

The truly powerful people, the people who really run the city do not hold political offices, they remain in the shadows, never revealing themselves to the candidates they sponsor for elections and certainly not to the unsuspecting public. They simply hide in the shadows, pulling the strings of their puppets so they can line their pockets with taxpayers' dollars. This arrangement has worked for decades, until recently when Mayor Wilson got greedy. The man disrupted the order of things and the puppet masters are not happy.

The elevator dings once and the doors slide open. The man steps out onto the fifth floor, looking right then left. It is after nine o' clock at night and the staff is long gone. His footsteps clomp on the marble hall as he makes his way to the city's chief executive suite of offices. He stops in the reception area and glances around the room, thinking he has paid a small fortune for this office and has not gotten the return on his investment. He shakes his head from side to side, then pulls the burner phone from inside his jacket pocket. He presses the phone number on speed dial.

"Hello, Mr. Mayor."

Wilson's eyes are close to popping from his head when he realizes the voice on the phone is standing in his doorway. He squints, trying to identify the shadowy figure.

"May I come in?"

With phone pressed to his ear, the man waits in the doorway until granted permission to enter.

Reeling from shock, Wilson finally nods and the shadowy figure steps inside the office, into the light, and the mayor collapses into his chair. The man closes the door behind him and slides the phone into his pocket. Eyes wide with surprise and fear, Wilson studies the man's face as he tries to straighten himself in the chair. He has lost the ability to speak.

"I wanted to stop by and personally inform you the committee has voted to shut down this little experiment. This is done – over", waving his hand in the air as if he is swatting away an annoying fly.

Wilson manages to find what used to be his voice and tries to protest. _"This is bullshit."_

"Tomorrow— you will walk out front, hold a press conference, and announce you are resigning from office to focus on your upcoming trial."

"After all I've done for you people."

"It's over — "

"I didn't know you were …. I didn't know Grant was …."

"If any of those pictures in that drawer happen to find their way to the media - well you don't want to imagine the possibilities of what could happen. Fitzgerald Grant is not Darius Moton — he's my son - you've gone too far. I should have taken you down after that shit Charlie pulled."

"I didn't know what Charlie was planning. The man was uncontrollable - insane. He went rogue."

" _Shut it down",_ Gerry snaps, infuriated by the reminder of what happened to Fitzgerald and his family. "And Daniel — he's dead to you - he's our guy."

Wilson's eyes grow wider, if that were at all possible.

"Toss the burner phone - you won't need it where you're going. Don't worry - our judge will make sure your sentence isn't too harsh."

Gerry turns to leave, but stops abruptly, as if he just remembered something else he wanted to say.

"Call your friend in Human Resources — tell her to get rid of that Sanchez woman. I don't want her in this building. I don't ever want her near my son and his family again. Good night, Mr. Mayor."

 **XXX**

She took more care than usual when getting dressed this morning. She wants to look especially nice for him. She knows if she can only talk to Fitz he will realize he made a mistake. She knows once they talk he will reinstate her and things will return to normal - nothing will have changed. When she enters the lobby of City Hall, the large, round dark sunglasses do not disguise the fact that trouble has walked through the door. Dennis jumps down from his chair and hurries across the lobby, placing his rotund frame between the interloper and the path to the elevators. He has been given orders.

"Ma'am — I can't let you up today."

"What? I work here", looking down her nose at the old police officer while trying to step around him.

"And — I'm going to need your access card", blocking her path and extending his hand, waiting for the card.

" _Get out of my way"_ , she says with venom dripping from her lips. She will not be treated like some common, low-level employee.

"I'm just following orders — ma'am."

" _Orders – whose orders? This is a mistake. I need to talk to Fi — the council president. He will fix this."_

"Well — well — well. And what do we have here?" Darrin sings as he circles the women who is shielded by the oversized sunglasses. He looks her up and down and a guffaw escapes his throat. "Karma is a bitch — _bitch_ ", snatching the access card from her hand and giving it to Dennis. "I'll let Mr. Grant know I _didn't_ see you", he says with a flick of the head as he scurries toward the bank of elevators.

She does not realize she is shaking as she watches Darrin's smirking face disappear behind the closing elevator doors. Seeing she is upset, Dennis steps closer and tries to console her.

"Can I do something for you, ma'am?" Touching her shoulder lightly.

" _Take. Your. Filthy. Hand. Off. Me",_ her voice filled with contempt. How dare a glorified security guard touch her or pity her. Two days ago, he would have been groveling at her feet, begging to lick the bottom of her shoes.

"It's time to go, ma'am. Don't make me escort you from the building."

" _Go to hell. Every last one of you can go straight to hell."_

Passers-by stop when they hear the raucous occurring across the lobby. They whisper and point in her direction. Everybody knows what has happened. Now the object of ridicule, she turns quickly and the sounds of her heels echo throughout the lobby as runs from the building. Dennis leans back in his comfortable chair, folds his hands on his belly, and resumes watching the activity in the lobby.


	50. Chapter 50 A Mother's Love

**AN:** Chapter 49 was a mop and pail chapter, cleaning out characters who have lost their usefulness to the story, and clearing the way for the next arc of the story. I cannot believe some of you have expressed a degree of sympathy for Victoria. Sheesh. My final comment about whether Fitz is the village idiot, naïve, enjoyed Victoria's attention, simply indifferent to her antics, or all of the above. The answer is whatever you believe to be true. Fiction allows you to believe what want. It's less about facts, more about opinion and emotions.

 **Sweet160717** , I like the two reviews. A big chapter to re-read, glad you're enjoying it. I reply to the reviews because you all take time to read this story and comment. Much appreciated. The mayor doesn't have anything on Fitz, except the photos. He was going to have them photoshopped to make them look more damning. Wilson knows he _best_ not cross Big Gerry. That part of the story is over. Darius made his choices, now he must suffer the consequences. All the enemies of the family have been handled. You're right, Olivia will be nicer to Bowtie moving forward. BTW, I said many, many chapters ago Fitz had one more dream coming up. This is his last documented dream about Olivia. A couple notable takeaways from the dream: Grant men don't get divorced. Fitz never used drugs (until the pills). Remember, the opioid storyline? Hint. **Dendardendan** , it was a long update, but necessary to move the story along. Will try not to write another long chapter. You could be right, perhaps Fitz enjoyed the attention on some level. Liv asked him at one point if he enjoyed the attention he was getting from his assistant. But, he will never cheat. He's like his father, as Nora told us long ago. Gerry told Maura he had opportunities to cheat but never acted on them. Darius has envied Fitz for a long while because Fitz has everything he doesn't: money and a political future. The rumors will continue to fly around City Hall because people like juicy gossip. You won't hear about them. Your son has a nice name. **Fatima** , thanks for taking time to read my stories and for the compliment - you're too kind. Glad you were motivated to write a review. Don't be a stranger. On the edge of your seat – hunh? **CeresHelena** , cannot believe Victoria's actions prompted you to write a review before you finished reading the chapter. Too funny. **Symone0939** , I wasn't going to let Liv send Fitz packing, they've already been through enough. They both needed to use the tools Avril taught them at Mirage to get through this latest issue. **Cleo** , you're too funny — McDonald's? Bowtie had the gall to lie on Fitz' pillow and bark at him. He knew Fitz did something wrong to upset Olivia. What happened to man's best friend? **Scandalbrenda5** , Victoria overestimated her position with Fitz. He reminded Miss Sanchez that Olivia is Mrs. Grant. **Kandyse4olitz** , Big Gerry is definitely the chapter's MVP. You're right, Olivia tried to remain calm because her children were in the room. **Emma** , let's see if Fitz' silence about the hired security becomes an issue. **Conwun** , can't believe you re-read the chapter - a lot happened. Cena is such a good teacher. **Dakkidd** , you actually read that Big Gerry-Wilson part three times? Too funny. **Oakbluffsdiva** , we've all had enough of Victoria — she's gone. I've always said she would not be around a chapter longer than necessary. Victoria had no real power, she thought her magical thighs were power. In the end, she realized she did not know Fitz at all. He was not like her other conquests. **Monica** , keen observation about how Olitz' responses to their illnesses mirror each other's. And yes, they used the tools Avril taught them. Moving forward, Bowtie and Liv are going to become good friends. Yes, this chapter was about the Grant men protecting their families from the enemies: Victoria, Darius, and Wilson. The Grant men are all about family and protecting those they love. We'll read more about this later. Yup, Fitz shut down Victoria, but Big Gerry delivered the death blow, drove the stake through her heart. It's over for her. Fitz has not recovered, emotionally, from Charlie's actions - the guilt is deep. He'll get help because Olivia won't stand for anything less. City Hall is definitely a shark tank, even the one where I live, replete with backstabbing and gossip. Fitz seems to be questioning his decision to leave his business and get involved in politics. We'll read more about this in upcoming chapters. You're right, without Big Gerry, Fitz would have been publicly humiliated. Yes, you can slap Darius two times — once for you and once for me. He's pathetic. Home-wrecking hussy? I'm going to miss reading all the names you all have called Victoria. I should make a list. Monica, you picked up a few of the details on the second reading. There are a few more details that are important from the dream: Fitz told Olivia that Grant men don't get divorced. Fitz never used drugs until he was injured in the car crash. Hint. His reaction to Olivia smoking weed in college cracked me up. The sisters love each other and Jolie is learning a lot from everyone around her. Remember, several chapters back, Olivia told Fitz Jolie is a little sponge. _Hint_. You're right, Fitz' flashbacks/dreams (hence, Always in My Dreams) are always an expression of his undying love for Olivia. Fitz had many women while in the navy, and he had Mellie, but he only loves Olivia. Notice, he only dreams about Olivia when they are apart or going through tough times. BTW, the dream was early in their dating phase, hence he called her Olivia, not Liv. Now, he only calls her Olivia when he is upset. **Guest 1** , yup, I'm dropping hints all the time. **Guest 2** , Liv too bougie, naw. She had her children with her. Plus, it was Fitz' job to handle Victoria since he was her employer, and he did not listen to his wife. **Guest 3,** interesting predictions. Let's see if you're correct. **Guest 4** , everyone knows Charlie tried to kill Olitz, but Big Gerry did not know beforehand. Daniel would have told him about Charlie's plans if Wilson was in on it. **Guest 5** , Fitz has been around and has had a lot of women in his life, remember Olivia's reference to him and Ty catting around in Cali? But, he was being defensive during their argument because some people do that when they are in the wrong. Also, he said he had real threats, the mayor, to worry about. **Guest 6** , Victoria's actions were quite subtle, the readers had more insight than Fitz. But, when Victoria amped up her seduction, Fitz saw what she was up to right away. **Guest 7** , Big Gerry didn't have any evidence that Wilson was involved in Charlie's madness. Daniel didn't have any evidence Wilson colluded with Charlie to kill Fitz and family. And remember, Gerry still needed Wilson so he/they could gain control of the police department. But, once Daniel told him about Wilson's plans to blackmail Fitz, Big Gerry had to handle Wilson. Yup, it seems like father and son are on opposite sides of the law and Fitz doesn't know it. Big Gerry only steps in when his family is in danger. You know Daniel told him about the pictures Wilson wanted of Marion and Bennie. **Guest 8** , we learned early in the story that Big Gerry was a businessman. He had connections back then which he used to get Fitz into the Naval Academy. Daniel is Mayor Wilson's driver. Remember Wilson had him take pictures of Marion and Bennie? He took the pictures of Darius and Victoria years ago. **Guest 9,** Fitz' reaction was in response to realizing he upset his wife by ignoring her warnings to be careful with his assistant. Victoria's actions and words are what snapped Fitz to attention. The yellow No. 2 pencil was suggestive, but also representative of the hard work he and Olivia did with Avril at Mirage to get their marriage back on track. Remember Avril chomping on yellow No. 2 pencils during their sessions? Fitz' term as council president is four years. He has only been on office for five months, although it seems like a life time. Hahaha. So, he would resign or complete his term. We'll see what happens.

Tell me what you think. Here we go!

 **Chapter 50. A Mother's Love**

No matter what is happening in his life, he never foregoes his morning routine: run five miles, shower, then drink a breakfast smoothie; and this Saturday morning is no different. Freshly showered and barefoot, Bennie enters the kitchen wearing an olive-green tee shirt and gray sweatpants and carrying his tablet. The kitchen is immaculate, it has been weeks since he has attempted to prepare a meal in there. He sets the tablet onto the counter, next to the blender, a reminder to read the article in the medical journal he has been wanting to read for weeks.

He splashes about a cup of coconut milk into the blender jar, drops in a banana, sprinkles in ground flax seed, adds a heaping scoop of chocolate protein powder, then presses the POWER button. As the motor whirls, he leans back against the counter and begins to read the article on the new cardio-thoracic procedure. When the blender stops, he lifts the jar to his mouth and takes a big gulp of the chocolate protein drink. _Perfect_. With breakfast drink in hand and tablet tucked under his arm, he settles onto the stool at the counter and continues to read. As he takes another gulp, a breaking news alert flashes across the screen, and he furrows his brow when he sees Mayor Wilson walking toward the podium that was hastily installed in the courtyard of City Hall. Bennie sets the jar onto the counter, leans back in the stool, wondering why the mayor is holding a press conference on a Saturday morning.

Halfway through the mayor's speech, Ben's eyes widen and he slowly sets the jar onto the counter. Staring at the screen in disbelief, he watches as Mayor Wilson turns and walks away from the podium, ignoring the reporters shouting questions. He glances at the clock at the top of the screen, then quickly downs the rest of the smoothie. He has three hours before he needs to be at Jolie's birthday party.

 **XXX**

With hair pulled up into a bun, Olivia sits at the vanity table in her periwinkle-blue bra and panties, sweeping the wide-headed loose-powder brush over her left cheek. She smiles into the mirror when she hears Jolie's cooing and cackling flowing down the hall from the nursery. She wonders what her mother is saying that has Jolie so tickled this morning. Today is the big day, her baby girl has turned one, and in a few hours she will be celebrated in the tradition that is the Grants. Olivia sweeps the brush over her right cheek, smiling again when she thinks about when she and Fitz started dating and he introduced her to some of the Grant family traditions, like game night and breakfast after church on Sunday mornings. At first, she was overwhelmed by all the family interactions, not used to such interactions, but in time, she learned to appreciate their traditions, even embrace them.

A tinge of sadness washes over her, and she lowers the brush as she continues to stare at her reflection in the mirror. Her parents did not establish family traditions, at least none like the Grants. No matter what was happening in their lives, Gerry and Maura have always focused on family and celebrating each other's accomplishments. Her parents, on the other hand, have always focused on social responsibility, acting for the benefit of others. As far back as she can remember, her parents spent every Thanksgiving and Christmas serving meals at church, and each year she silently prayed the holidays would be different. She longed to celebrate the holidays at home with her parents, instead of with strangers. She wanted to experience what her schoolmates chattered about when they returned to school after holiday breaks: baking cookies, opening gifts, and visiting family and friends. They were not interested in hearing about how she dished out food to the homeless with her socially conscious parents.

Eyes brimming with tears, she sets the brush onto the silver tray, thinking about the importance of family traditions. Traditions tell a story about a family, teach children about their culture, and help them to understand the things that are important to their family. When she and Fitz married, they continued some of the Grants' traditions, and established a few new ones for their growing family. She smiles down at her flat stomach, thinking next year they will celebrate their new baby's first birthday in their new home.

The bell on her tablet dings, interrupting her reverie, and she wonders what has happened so early on a Saturday morning. Setting the tube of nude lipstick onto the vanity table, she walks over to the nightstand and opens the tablet. Once her brain processes what her eyes are seeing, she runs into the bathroom.

 **XXX**

With the plush yellow sheet towel wrapped around his waist, Fitz leans against the counter, looking into the mirror, slowly gliding the razor over his chin.

" _Fitz – Fitz."_

" _Dammit"_ , he yelps in pain, throwing the razor into the sink with such force the blade pops out and spins around the porcelain. He frowns at his wife as he reaches for a tissue. "You made me nick my chin", scowling in the mirror as the blood slowly trickles down his chin. He tears a small piece of tissue and presses it against the cut.

" _Fitz_ — _look_ ", shoving the tablet toward him.

Not interested in what she wants to show him on the tablet, he tears another small piece of tissue and presses it against his wound. _Great, now I'm going to have a cut on my face in all the pictures._

" _Look, Fitz"_ , she insists.

Hearing the panic in her high-pitched voice, he looks into her eyes and immediately realizes something is wrong. She pushes the tablet toward him, slowly nodding her head for him to take it. He furrows his brow, sets the torn tissue onto the counter, and takes the tablet from her hand. His eyes almost bulge from his head when he reads the headline.

"My God", he says half to himself as he quickly scans the article.

"Press PLAY, babe. Play the video", she says anxiously, pointing her finger at the screen. He nods, presses the PLAY icon, and Wilson's voice flows into their bathroom, which seems odd to him.

Olivia stands on her tip-toes, struggling to look over his arm to watch the video. He glances at her, then lowers the tablet so she can see. For the next few minutes, with mouths agape, they watch Wilson stand at the podium in the courtyard of City Hall and announce he is resigning as mayor. He says he no longer wants to be a distraction to the great city and needs to spend the next few months preparing for his upcoming trial. He thanks everyone for their support and abruptly turns and leaves. A short, bespectacled, and slightly balding man steps to the podium and tries to deliver a brief speech over the reporters' shouts. The video stops playing and they continue to stare at the screen until they are jolted from their stupor by the loud commercial they saw during the Super Bowl.

"What the hell?" Fitz says, looking at his wife then back at the screen.

"Did you know?" She asks nervously, her eyes darting back and forth, searching his face for an answer.

"No — of course not. I didn't know anything", his voice unusually high.

"What does this mean? Why now?" Olivia stutters.

"I don't know", he says, looking down at the screen again.

"What happens next?"

"What do you mean?" He asks, dumbfounded by the unexpected news.

"Who is going to be mayor now?"

"Rodgers."

"Who?"

"Barksdale Rodgers, the deputy mayor — the man at the podium." Olivia nods and slides the tablet from his hand.

"We'll have to discuss this later, babe. Finish shaving — get dressed. We have a birthday party to host in a few hours."

"Hey — hey. How are you feeling this morning?"

"A little queasy— but I'll be fine once I get some tea in my stomach. Let's not say anything about the pregnancy today – okay? This is Jo's day." Fitz nods slowly, then looks into the mirror at the pieces of tissue stuck to his chin.

"Hurry, babe — and don't forget to remove the tissue from your face. And check on Cee before coming down - she's still getting dressed. I'm going to help mom finish getting Jo ready."

Fitz quickly finishes shaving then presses another piece of tissue against the cut. He walks into the bedroom and grabs Olivia's phone from the nightstand. He needs to find out what the hell is going on with Wilson, and he needs to buy a new phone.

 **XXX**

With arms folded across his chest, Fitz leans against the doorframe of Cena's bedroom, smiling as she tugs at the lace tights. She never fails to let him know she does not like wearing tights.

"Do you need some help, Princess?" He asks, walking into the room.

"They itch, daddy. I don't like them", pouting as she scratches her leg.

"How about we find some socks in the same color? Would you like to wear socks instead?"

Cena nods her heads vigorously, then runs over to the dresser and grabs from the drawer a pair of pink and white-striped, knee-hi socks covered with cat faces. She holds them up for her father's approval.

"I don't think those quite match your dress, sweetheart", bending down and rummaging through the hosiery drawer for a more appropriate pair of socks his wife will find acceptable. "How about these? Do you like this pair?" Holding up a pair of anklets with pink and white ruffles.

"Yes, daddy, they don't itch."

"Okay — let's take off those old itchy tights and put on these", sitting on the bed and helping his daughter remove the tights.

"Yay", she shouts with joy, as she climbs onto her father's lap.

"That's better", he says, reaching to the floor for the black patent leather shoes. After the shoes are buckled, Fitz stands with Cena in his arms, ready to go downstairs.

"You have paper on your face, daddy", tapping her index finger on his chin.

"It's just a little cut", glancing quickly in the mirror. She takes her father's face in her small hands and pecks him on the lips.

"Better?"

"Better", he says with a smile.

 **XXX**

Bennie inhales deeply, then rings the doorbell for the second time. He did not think to call beforehand, and now he is questioning his decision to rush over unannounced. Maybe she is not home, or maybe she has company. He looks at the coffee cup in his hand, sighs, then presses the doorbell again. When the door suddenly swings open, for some reason he is startled to see Marion standing in front of him. Their eyes meet, and he sees the confusion in her eyes. She apparently just got out the shower because droplets of water drip from her hair and onto the shoulders of the silk robe he has slid off her body so many times. He smells her favorite lavender and mint soap, of which she has several boxes stashed under the bathroom counter because she is afraid the manufacturer might discontinue the fragrance. She told him she always buys her favorite products in bulk because she hates when they are discontinued once she has become attached.

"Why are you here?" The surprise in her eyes giving way to a cold anger.

"Good morning", he says somewhat nervously. "I heard about Wilson. I wanted to make sure you are okay. I bought coffee - may I come in?" He adds quickly.

He knows she has not learned how to set the timer on the coffee maker and, therefore, has not yet had her first cup of the morning. She glances at the large cup of macchiato in his hand, then turns and walks into the apartment. Ben closes the door behind him and walks down the hall to the beautifully decorated living room. He glances around the space, thinking how much he has missed spending time here. He sets the coffee cup onto a coaster on the cocktail table in front of the sofa; he knows the rules. Unsure whether he should sit or continue standing, he opts to stand. Marion returns from the kitchen carrying a tray with two coffee cups, two spoons, cream, and sugar. He smiles because regardless of the circumstances, Marion always practices good etiquette.

"Have a seat, Ben", she says flatly, as she sets the tray onto the table. He flashes her a nervous smile and sits at the far end of the sofa, watching as she pours the macchiato into the beautiful porcelain cups.

"So - did you know — that Wilson was going to resign today?" He asks as she hands him a cup.

"No — not at all. That was the last thing I expected when I woke up this morning. Well - maybe not the last thing", she says softly as she sits on the sofa and crosses her legs. Ben glances down at her feet.

"So how are you — what does this mean for you?"

"I'm not sure how I feel — really. Wilson could be such an ass. I don't know Rodgers very well."

"Rodgers?"

"Most people ask that question", she says with a chuckle. "Barksdale Rodgers, he's the deputy mayor. He'll complete Wilson's term for the next 18 months."

"I see. So why do you think Wilson resigned?" Bringing the cup to his lips.

"I have no idea — but I'm certain he didn't want to step down. He loved the power too much."

Ben nods and an uncomfortable silence hangs in the air as they both sip coffee. He sets the cup onto the coaster and cocks his head in her direction, and she pulls her robe tight. His gaze is making her uncomfortable. Leaning forward with arms resting on his knees, he turns his gaze back to the dark liquid in his cup. He is not quite sure what to say next.

"Why are you here, Ben?"

"I've missed you", he says without hesitation.

"You haven't called", leaning forward to set her cup on the table.

"I was at that conference — in Portland — for a week."

"I forgot", she says softly, nodding her head in remembrance. "It's been three weeks", she adds, and he looks at her somewhat embarrassed.

"We needed a break, Mar. I needed a break", he says with intensity. "I couldn't— didn't want to continue the way …." He presses two fingers against his temple and closes his eyes for a moment. "Did I — have I —ever given you cause to think I was still interested in Liv? I've been racking my brain thinking perhaps I did something — said something. If I did — I'm sorry."

"You shut me out, Ben. You were cold— cruel. I felt like ..."

"Mar —you said some harsh and untrue things. I've been nothing but honest with you. Why won't you believe me?"

Marion's eyes search his handsome face and sees the kindness and sincerity that is Ben. He is an honest man, a good man, who does not play games. What you see is what you get - no masks. So right now, in this moment, she has to decide if she is going to pull her usual trick and hang the blame squarely on him, take advantage of his kindness; or, come clean and show him who she really is. She takes a deep breath, looks into his kind eyes again, and slowly exhales.

"I have a perpetual chip on my shoulder - placed there by my dear, sweet, unloving mother. My mother was bitch who hated me from the first day she set eyes on me at the hospital. Frankly, I'm not sure if she ever really looked at me when I was born."

Taken aback by what he is hearing for the first time, Ben crinkles his brow. Marion rarely talks about her family, let alone her mother. The most he knows about her family is she has a brother who lives in Florida.

"Truthfully - she wanted to leave me there – in the hospital. She felt she had fulfilled her end of the bargain. Being a nurturing and loving mother was not what she signed on the dotted line for - and she actually signed a contract with my father. I saw it - years later. But my father made her take me home — at least the nanny took me home from the hospital and set me up in the nursery", swiping the tear from her cheek.

"Marion", Ben says softly, sliding across the sofa to comfort her, but she raises her hand to stop him. She knows if she does not tell him everything right now she will not have the courage to tell him later.

"My mother was strikingly beautiful – a classic beauty some would say. But her physical beauty was in stark contrast to her inner self. She had a dark and ugly heart, which she was adept at expressing in many vile ways. When I was old enough — around four or five — she calmly explained - in her refined voice - her undying disdain for me. She told me I was an interruption. That's how she usually referred to me – the interruption."

"Over tea in the sitting room - she would politely explain to my four- or five-year-old self that she only married my father because he was wealthy and could finance the lifestyle her family allowed her to enjoy all her life. For a time — my mother's family was quite wealthy - but my grandfather lost most of the family's fortune because of bad investments and other endeavors no one ever discusses. Mother needed to find another man to backfill her father's generosity – so she married my father –who was a wealthy international banker and much older. She never loved father - just what he could provide her. And he was okay with that - he just wanted children - which was written into the prenuptial agreement. The agreement stated she would give him two children by the fifth year of their marriage — and he in return he would bankroll the lavish lifestyle she enjoyed — but she could not travel again. She had to remain home — in the States."

"Mother never wanted children - but she never wanted to be poor either — so she took the deal. And as contracted — she gave birth to me and my brother. I rarely saw my father after my brother was born. He was always traveling somewhere for business. I guess he just wanted to leave a legacy." She wipes the tears from her face and continues.

"Daily tea in the sitting room was always a production with mother. I would watch in amazement how she would delicately pour tea from the shiny, silver teapot into the china tea cups. I watched how she would drop a single cube of sugar into the black liquid — then stir in the milk – never cream - until the liquid turned a warm shade of brown. Mother had a game she loved to play with me at tea time - but it was hardly a typical child's game. While she sipped tea — she insisted I stand erect — with hands clasped in front of me — and listen while she regaled me with stories of the wonderful life she had before I came along. I watched how she oh so carefully sipped her tea — never leaving a trace of lipstick on the cup's rim. And – every day - at the same juncture of _story time_ \- she would reach behind one of the pillows on the sofa and pull out a silver, rectangular metal bottle. I later learned it was called a flask and it contained cognac."

"After the third sip of tea - she would set the tea cup onto the saucer, lean back against the sofa with crossed legs, and glare at me with a sick smile on her face. The look on her face always signaled she was ready to tell me again about her many lovers in the States and abroad. One day she confessed she wasn't sure if my father was really my father. She always pressed a finger to her lips - as if it were our secret. The sick part about all of this is she made me repeat her stories because she never wanted me to forget I was the cause of her misery. This game would go on for hours – every day — until she passed out."

Ben's heart is breaking, he now understands why Marion can be so cruel and insecure. But he remains silent as she continues.

"I felt invisible as a child, Ben. After years of listening to and regurgitating her stories - I began to realize she no longer saw me. With each lift of the flask - I disappeared — and I supposed she did as well. Much later - it became effortless for me to erect a steel façade — to pretend my mother's words did not feel like a hot knife jabbing into my flesh as I stood before her. This skill served me well while in medical school and during the many debasing meetings I had with Wilson. Those guys had nothing on my mother. I could take whatever they dished out tenfold and they would never reach the level of viciousness my mother reserved solely for me", she says through clenched teeth.

"You don't have to do this Marion", Ben says sadly.

"You wanted to see me - to show you who I am. Well - this is who I am, Ben. I'm the daughter of a whore - who screwed any and every man who came her way. I'm the daughter of a woman who got perverse pleasure from torturing her daughter with her sordid stories that I barely understood as a child. I am the daughter of a closet alcoholic who drank daily to make it through her miserable life."

"I tried everything within my power to make her want me—to make her love me. Psychologists call it emotional abandonment – I call it abuse. She never once showed me a hint of affection. What I would have done for a scintilla of what Olivia and Fitz give Cena and Jolie. They are so fortunate to have parents that love them unconditionally –that will do anything for them."

"They say rejection breeds obsession. I craved my mother's love like a junkie craves their drugs. I became a doctor because of her — my feeble attempt to please her. She was fascinated with - obsessed really with doctors of all sorts. The plastic surgeon whom she paid handsome sums of money in an effort to freeze time. The psychologist she met with almost daily to help her understand why she was miserable. And the medical doctor who prescribed her whatever she needed to help her forget why she was miserable."

"I spend ridiculous sums of money buying expensive clothes – expensive everything – trying to emulate my mother's elegance. I project this image of confidence to the world - but just like my mother I am afraid – terrified - because I don't know who I am."

Ben's eyes glisten with tears and he slides over and wraps his arms around her. Feeling vulnerable, she tries to push him away, but he holds her tighter, not allowing her to shut him out this time. Her body quakes and the tears stream down his neck. She is so weary of pretending, tired of wearing masks. Sunlight has a disinfecting effect, and she now feels clean, liberated, and scared. She does not know if Ben will like what he sees. She does not know if he will like the real Marion.

"I was a little girl, Ben. I just wanted my mommy to love me and I didn't understand why she didn't."

"I know – but you don't have to be that abandoned little girl anymore. I'm here for you. I won't leave."

"You've already left once", she says sadly.

"I didn't know, Mar. You didn't let me in - didn't let me see the real you. You hid your pain by blaming others."

"Can you like the real me?" She asks shakily.

He lifts her chin and looks into her eyes. "I love the real you - and I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

"How can you love me when my mother didn't? I'm broken, Ben. I feel so hollow."

"We're all brokenin our own were just a little girl who was cheated out of a mother's love."

"I hated her — hate her. She's been gone now — dead for years - and I still can't get her out of my head."

Ben pulls her onto his lap and rocks her the way her mother never did, and for once she feels the safe and loved. No more words need to be spoken, so they sit like that, in silence for a long while. He tightens his arms around her, stopping her from pulling away when she catches him sneaking a peek at his watch.

"Jolie's party is in an hour. I'm her godfather - I have to be there - I can't be late."

"Of course - I forgot. I understand. Go."

"Come with me. It would do you good to get out - be around people right now."

"I'm not sure I'm ready, Ben. I've not been fair to Olivia."

"She doesn't know anything. Besides - I would like you there for the dedication", pecking her on the lips.

"Are you sure?" Looking into his eyes for a hint of pity. She hates being pitied.

"I'm sure. Now go get ready", kissing her again.

"I'll be ready in 15." He gives her a look that says he does not believe her.

"I will –really", sliding from his lap. He catches her hand and she looks at him curiously.

"Thanks for trusting me – for telling me", lifting her hand to his lips. She smiles and jogs toward the bedroom feeling much lighter and free.

Over the next 48 minutes, Ben washes their cups, saucers, and spoons. And now he sits with legs crossed, glancing at his watch and waiting for Marion to emerge from the bedroom. He smiles and shakes his head.

 **XXX**

Calvin is enjoying his role immensely as the official greeter of the guests when they arrive. In honor of his granddaughter's birthday, he is donning one of his favorite grand and complete boubous with matching kufi. While the family is still upstairs getting dressed, and Hildie is in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on the food, he glances around the family room checking that everything is in order. When he hears the doorbell rings, he rubs his hands together and smiles. _Showtime!_

"Welcome - welcome", he says jovially when he opens the door and sees Gerry, Maura, and Nora standing on the steps.

"Hello, Calvin", Gerry says somewhat winded from carrying an oversized, yet colorful box.

"That' s a pretty large box, Gerry. Do you need some help?" Eyeing the man's flush face.

"No — no. I'll just set it in the living room", pushing past Calvin and walking down the hall toward the room that is decorated in a theme fit for an angel.

"Maura — Nora, how are you lovely ladies doing on this fine day?" Kissing both ladies on the cheek.

"I'm fine, Calvin. It's so good to see you", Maura says, pecking him on the cheek as she enters the foyer.

"Hello, Mr. Pope", Nora says softly.

"Come — come. Have a seat", Calvin says, leading the way down the hall to the family room.

"Set our gift in the living room, Nora", Maura says, handing her daughter the tastefully wrapped gift from both of them. Where's the birthday girl? Where are my grandchildren?" Maura asks, looking around the room.

"They're still getting dressed", Calvin announces. "Can I get you something to drink, Maura?"

"Thank you, Calvin. I'll have a sparkling water, please."

"Coming right up."

"Can I get you two something to drink?" Calvin asks, looking at Nora and Gerry as they enter the room.

"I'll have a diet cola, Mr. Pope."

"One diet cola coming right up. Gerry — anything?"

"I'll have a ginger ale, Calvin — diet", sitting down in one of the large occasional chairs and crossing his legs.

Nora is more timid today than usual. This is the first time she has been out of the house since she returned home, and it is the first time she will be around the entire family since before she went away. It seems like an eternity has passed since she was last in this house. She pulls her sweater around her frail body when she thinks about the dreadful night Fitz threw her out of the house. She shivers slightly, hoping Bennie gets here soon.

Glancing around the large, open room, her eyes land on the photo gallery wall above the massive fireplace. The photos of smiling faces are like a gravitational pull, and she walks slowly across the room and gazes up at the array of black and white photos in white wood frames. She smiles slightly because the photos tell the story of the people who live in the house. A large photo of Olivia, Fitz, Cena, and Jolie is in the center. It is surrounded by individual photos of family and friends enjoying various holidays and celebratory events. The photos remind her that life did not stand still while she was away.

Nora smile broadens as she looks at the photos showcasing her nieces in every aspect of their lives: bathing, eating, laughing, sulking, playing. She cannot believe how much they have grown. She remembers when the wall was filled with pictures only of Cena. Now that Jolie has arrived, the little girl has taken her rightful place on the wall. The family pet even has his place on the wall. She wonders who is the little girl with the rich brown skin and long braids hugging Cena. She wonders if Cena will remember her. She knows Jolie will not have a clue of who she is, and maybe that is for the best. Jolie will not have any preconceived notions of who she is or awareness of the things she has done. Maybe she can start afresh with Jolie, be someone different, someone who would make Jolie proud.

"Sit down, Nora", Maura calls to her daughter from the sofa across the room.

"Leave her alone, Maura. She's just looking at the pictures", Gerry says from his favorite seat.

"Gerry — Maura", Olivia says as she enters the room carrying Jolie on her hip. Nora jumps away from the fireplace, slithers over to the sofa, and quietly takes a seat next to her mother.

"Oh my — look at our birthday girl - she looks absolutely beautiful. That dress is just adorable", Maura gushes as she admires the white dress covered with a field of embroidered flowers in pink, yellow, and blue. With arms outstretched, Maura walks over and pecks her daughter-in-law and takes Jolie from her arms. Olivia glances quickly at Nora, who is staring down at the floor. With everything that has happened over the past few days, she forgot that Nora was attending the party. She sighs silently, wondering where the hell is Ben.

"Hello, Olivia", Gerry says, kissing his daughter-in-law on the cheek. "It's good to see you as usual." He takes Jolie from his wife's arms and bounces her in the air. Jolie squeals and laughs, displaying her few teeth.

"It's good to see you, too, Gerry", Olivia says, glancing at a waif-like Nora as she pecks her father-in-law on the cheek.

"Give my grandbaby to me, Gerry. You're going to make her sick", Maura says as she gently lifts Jolie from her husband's arms.

"Ah she's fine - she's a Grant", handing Jolie to his wife.

"I'm a Grant, too, Gramps", Cena says, squirming to climb down from her father's arms as they enter the room.

"Yes - you are. Yes - you are", Gerry says proudly, picking up Cena and shaking her in the air.

"Gramps, may I see your watch?" Tugging at her grandfather's shirt sleeve.

"Of course, you can. Let's sit here so you can get a good look at it."

"Don't wind it too tight, Princess."

"Let her be, Fitzgerald. My granddaughter can't hurt this old watch."

"Say hello to your grandmother, Cena", Fitz says.

"Hi, Grams", kissing her grandmother on the cheek. " _Aunt Nora_ ", Cena screams when she sees her aunt sitting on the sofa. She squirms from her grandfather's lap and runs across the room to Nora.

"Cena", a big smile spread across Nora's face, which fades quickly when she glances at Olivia.

"Aunt Nora, I have a dog and his name is Bowtie and he is my friend", Cena says at rapid-fire pace. "Do you want to say hi to Bowtie?" Pulling Nora's hand. Not sure what to do, Nora glances at Olivia and Fitz. She does not want to break the house rules.

"Maybe Aunt Nora can meet Bowtie later, sweetheart", Fitz says.

"Aunt Nora — today is Jo's birthday. She's one — but I'm six", displaying six fingers.

"You're such a big girl now, Cena." Cena smiles and nods her head up and down. She likes being called a big girl.

"Jo is going to have cake and ice cream and get lots and lots of presents. Maybe daddy will get Jo a dog, too."

"I think one dog is enough around here", Olivia says as she walks over to Nora. "Hello, Nora", resting a hand on her sister-in-law's shoulder.

"Hello, Olivia", Nora says softly, staring down at the floor.

"Welcome home, little sister", Fitz says, pecking his sister on the cheek.

"Thank you, Fitz."

"You should say hello to your other niece — the birthday girl", Fitz says, glancing quickly at Olivia as he takes Jolie from his mother's arms, and as usual, Jolie grabs for her father's nose. "Say hello to your Aunt Nora, Jo", waving the baby's hand at Nora.

"Hello, Jolie. I'm so happy to see you again", unconsciously reaching to touch Jolie's face, then snatching it back when she sees Olivia staring at her.

"Gerry, doesn't Jolie look just like Nora when she was a baby?" Taking the birthday girl from her father's arms. "The same wispy hair", brushing back Jolie's hair with her fingers. Calvin enters the room carrying the tray of drinks.

" _You were supposed to wear your blue button-down shirt"_ , Olivia whispers to her husband.

" _Blood dripped on it"_ , frowning as she pulls the scrap of tissue from his chin.

" _We're not going to match",_ she whispers again.

"And neither is my _face_ ", he says, and she rolls her eyes.

"A seltzer for you, Maura", Calvin says cheerfully as he hands Maura a glass and cocktail napkin.

"Thank you, Calvin", Maura says, taking the glass and napkin and sitting down on the sofa.

"Diet cola for you, Nora."

"Thank you, Mr. Pope", she says softly.

"And a ginger ale for you, Gerry."

"Thank you, Calvin", setting the glass on the table next to his seat as Cena crawls back onto his lap to play with the antique wristwatch.

"Dear, can I get you something to drink?" Calvin asks his wife as she enters the room wearing one of her colorful dresses. Nora peers over her glass of diet cola at Mrs. Pope. She always loves the bright, flowing dresses the woman wears.

"No - thank you dear. Maura, it's been ages", Gwendolyn says, pecking the woman on the cheek.

"It has been a while. How are you, Gwendolyn?"

"I'm well - my family is well", looking across the room at Olivia and Fitz. "And Gerry — it's good to see you."

"Hello, Gwendolyn", standing and pecking the woman on the cheek.

"Nora - you look lovely."

"Thank you, Mrs. Pope. You look beautiful as usual."

"Sit down - sit down, Gwendolyn", Maura says, patting the spot on the sofa to her left. "So, have you and Calvin set a date to return to Senegal?"

"Two weeks", Calvin says chipperly, answering for his wife. "We're wrapping up our work at Triumph. The new school will be ready to open in the fall."

"I guess you have your answer, Maura", Gwendolyn says playfully. "We've been away much longer than we anticipated. We must get back and help those who need us. But, I'm really going to miss my grandbabies", smiling at a Jolie.

"I'm certain you will."

"We'll Skype as often as we can", Calvin says.

"You know it's not the same, Calvin."

"Now don't go getting all teary-eyed. Livvia and Fitzgerald said they would bring the girls for a visit." Fitz glances over at his wife and the doorbell rings.

"Stay there, dad, I'll get it", Olivia says quickly, hoping it is Ben.

 **XXX**

When Olivia swings open the door, she is disappointed when she does not see Ben. Abigail's green eyes sweep over Olivia and she frowns, thinking something is not right with her friend.

"Abby, John - it's so good to see you", giving them both a tight hug.

"Well I no longer hear from you", Abby says, eyeing Olivia closely.

"Hello, sister-in-law", John says, pecking Olivia on the cheek.

"How are you feeling, Abby. How's the pregnancy?" Olivia asks, smiling at the woman's swollen belly.

"How do you think I feel? I'm pregnant and I haven't seen my friend in forever", pushing past Olivia.

"A lot has been going on, Abbs. We'll get together soon - I promise. Hello, Ethan", Olivia's smile broadening as she bends and picks up the little boy who has always held a special place in her heart. "How is my Ethan doing today? You're getting to be such a big boy" Bouncing the shy boy up and down in her arms.

"Hello, Aunt Olivia", Ethan says softly.

"May Aunt Olivia have a kiss?" Ethan nods his head up and down, then kisses his aunt on the cheek.

 **XXX**

"Gramps, Uncle John and Ethan are here", Cena yells, squirming to climb down from her grandfather's lap.

"Okay – okay", Gerry says, standing Cena to the floor and smiling as she dashes from the room in search of John and Ethan.

" _Uncle John — Ethan"_ , Cena screams.

"Cee-Cee", John screams, mimicking his niece's enthusiasm. He lifts Cena and swings her high in the air. "How is my beautiful niece doing today?"

"Uncle John, today is JoJo's birthday and she's going to have cake and ice cream and get lots and lots of presents", nodding her head up and down.

"I know - but JoJo's a baby and you're my _big_ girl", tossing Cena in the air again, which causes her to giggle.

"Hey — what am I — chopped liver?" Abby says, while rubbing her stomach.

"I think someone is jealous. You better say hello to your Aunt Abigail", John says, winking at his excited niece.

"Hi, Aunt Abby. Today is JoJo's birthday and she's going to have cake and ice cream and get lots and lots of presents."

"Is that right?" Abby says playfully, and Cena nods her head up and down. "Well give me a kiss before we eat cake and ice cream and open lots and lots of presents." Abby bends down so Cena can kiss her on the cheek.

"Ethan, let's go get a horsey ride from Gramps." Ethan's eyes light up and he runs down the hall behind Cena.

"I'll set the gift in the living room", John says.

"Come on, Abby - you look like you need to sit down", Olivia says, guiding her friend down the hall.

"What I need is to have this baby – like yesterday."

 **XXX**

"Abigail, how's my new grandbaby doing?" Gerry says, standing and kissing his daughter-in-law on the cheek.

"Cool your jets, Gerry. This is the last one - I don't care what your son says." Nora giggles and Abby turns her head in the direction of the sound and sneers at the young woman.

"How are you feeling these days, Abigail?" Maura asks sympathetically.

"Miserable. I'm always miserable – from the time I get up in the morning - until I go to bed." Gerry rolls his eyes, not understanding how his son tolerates the woman.

"I see", Maura says, stroking her décolleté and thinking pregnancy only makes her daughter-in-law's tongue more caustic.

"She's right about that - which means I'm miserable", John says with a chuckle as he enters the room and pecks his mother on the cheek. "Dad — good to see you", shaking his father's hand.

"John — good to see you as well."

"Mr. Pope – Mrs. Pope. It's good seeing you two again."

"You as well, John", Calvin says.

"Congratulations to you two on the new addition", Gwendolyn says.

"I love Mrs. Pope – but I am not a happy camper these days."

"Nora — it's good to see you. We're glad you're back home ", John says, kissing his sister on the cheek and giving her boney shoulder a reassuring squeeze. Abby rolls her eyes thinking, _speak for yourself_. She does not trust Nora.

"Hi, John", Nora says softly, tugging at her sweater sleeve. She feels like she is under a microscope, and that makes her more uncomfortable.

"You're looking well, Abigail", Fitz says, walking over and kissing his sister-in-law on the cheek.

"You're such a liar, Fitzgerald. I'm as big as a house and it's your brother's fault."

" _Uncle, Fitz"_ , Ethan yells when he sees his godfather walk into the room.

"Hey, buddy. How's my favorite nephew doing?" Scooping up the boy in his arms.

"Daddy, he's your only nephew."

"But he's still my favorite - right, Ethan?" Ethan nods his head up and down.

"Gramps, Ethan and I want a horsey ride."

"Of course - of course", Gerry says happily as he gets down onto the floor on all fours.

"I'm first", Cena yells, climbing onto her grandfather's back, laughing as he begins to neigh and buck like a wild horse.

"Gerry is so energetic today", Gwendolyn says with a smile as she watches the man crawl around the floor with their granddaughter on his back.

"For a man who was out late last night", Maura says snidely as she jiggles the ice in her glass.

"Down on the floor like that - well it would take me forever to get up", Gwendolyn says, knowing better not to respond to Maura's comment.

 _"My turn"_ , Ethan yells, climbing onto his grandfather's back.

"Hello, Nora", Abby says flatly, eyeing the young woman with suspicion as she lowers herself onto the sofa.

"Hello, Abigail", Nora says meekly, studying the pattern in the area rug. Abby sighs and rolls her eyes, not buying her sister-in-law's timid act.

"Okay - that's enough horseback riding for today, Ethan", John says. "Gramps won't be able to get out of bed tomorrow if he stays on the floor much longer."

"Ethan, let's go play with Bowtie", Cena yells, pulling Ethan from the room by the hand.

"And don't get any ideas young man - we're not getting a dog", Abby hollers after the children who are already halfway upstairs. The doorbell rings again and Calvin begins to stand.

"Sit down, dad", Olivia says. "I'll get it", hoping Ben has finally arrived.

"It seems like I've been fired by my own daughter. Terminated without cause", Calvin says, feigning hurt feelings.

 **XXX**

"Everyone, this is Mona and her husband, Tom" Olivia says, announcing the latest arrivals. The family greets the two new guests and Calvin resumes his other official duties.

"Have a seat, Mona – Tom", Calvin says. "May I get you something to drink?"

"I'll have an iced tea", Mona says.

"I'll have the same", Tom chimes in.

"Two iced teas coming up", Calvin says as he walks toward the kitchen.

"Your father is taking his job very seriously", Gwendolyn remarks and Olivia nods with a smile.

"I'm so sorry we're late, Olivia – traffic is a nightmare."

"There was an accident over on Marple Avenue - the police rerouted traffic", Tom chimes in.

"An accident?" Olivia says anxiously, afraid something has happened to Ben.

"I told Tom he needs to get one of those things where the lady talks to you – tell you how to get where you're going."

"I don't need a G-P-S, Mona. I'm quite familiar with the area."

"I understand a _G-P-S_ alerts you if an accident has occurred and actually gives you an alternate route to take. It would've been helpful today."

"Men don't like taking driving instructions from anyone", Abby says, looking at her husband.

"Did you see the kind of car that was involved in the accident?" Olivia asks anxiously, bringing a hand to her chest. Fitz walks over and wraps his arm around her shoulder.

"What's the matter – what's wrong?"

"Ben isn't here yet - he's never late." The pitch of her voice rising.

"You have to calm down, Liv."

"What kind of car was it, Tom? What color?" Everyone is now looking at Olivia with concern.

"It wasn't a car - it was a motorcycle. It seems like the driver was going too fast – spun out."

Olivia's heartbeat and breathing slow to a normal rate and Fitz guides her to a chair. Abby eyes the two closely, confirming her suspicion that something is going on with them.

"Everyone – let's go to the dining room for lunch. I think we can use a little sustenance", Gwendolyn says.

"But Bennie isn't here yet", Nora blurts out, dropping her head immediately when everyone turns and looks at her.

"There will be plenty of food for Bennie when he arrives", Gerry replies.

"I'll get Cena and Ethan", Calvin says as the guests file into the dining room.

 **XXX**

"Brother, did you know Mayor Wilson was resigning today? We heard about it on the car radio while driving here."

"I knew nothing. I was surprised as I suspect many others are today."

"He sounds like a ghastly man - stealing from the poor people of the city", Gwendolyn says with disdain.

"So - will you run for mayor?" John asks and Gerry's head snaps up and looks at Fitz.

"I haven't given it any thought, John. Wilson only resigned a few hours ago. Besides, I have three-and-a-half years left in council."

"That doesn't mean you can't run", John persists. Jolie begins to whine and squirm on her mother's lap.

"Enough about politics. Jolie doesn't want to discuss it on her birthday. Right, Jo?", Olivia says as she pats an irritable Jolie on the back.

 **XXX**

After everyone has enjoyed Hildie's scrumptious lunch, they begin to convene to the living room to open the gifts, and Fitz pulls his wife to the side.

"Are you okay?" Examining her face closely.

"It's not like Ben to be late. I don't want to miss anything this time." Fitz frowns as she glances at her watch again.

"Take a breath, Liv. Ben is fine – he'll be here. He knows the importance of this day?"

"I'm fine – I'm okay. I guess it's hormones", she whispers. He nods, pecks her on the lips, and steers her toward the living room.

"Let's go open our daughter's gifts."

 **XXX**

The living room is decorated in an ethereal motif, with shades of pink, blue, yellow, and white. In the center of the room is a huge replica of a hot air balloon, a larger version of those that line the center of the dining room table. The envelope is composed of countless balloons in various sizes ranging from small to large; and in hues of pink, blue, and white. The basket is covered with the palest of pink organza and filled to the brim with lots of cotton to emulate billowy clouds. An arrangement comprised of white and pale-yellow roses, baby's breaths, and greenery trail down the side of the basket. Jolie will sit in the basket while the gifts are opened.

To the left of the hot air balloon is a three-foot tall number one, which Gwendolyn designed from cardboard and covered with pink, white, and pale-yellow roses. She spent the better part of yesterday afternoon gluing on all the flowers. To the right of the hot air balloon is a long, rectangular glass table with miniature hot air balloons bookending the array of elegantly wrapped gifts. But the gift that always takes center stage is concealed under the large, elaborately decorated wooden box Gerry placed next to the table when he arrived earlier. This gift is always the last to be opened.

"My word", Mona exclaims when she enters the room. "I thought the dining room was something to behold – but this room is absolutely beautiful - fit for angel."

"Mom is a fantastic decorator, Mona", Olivia says, walking into the room holding her husband's hand. "She and dad pulled all this together yesterday."

"I was just the _lowly_ helper — refilling the glue gun when needed", Calvin confesses.

"Well it's absolutely beautiful, Gwendolyn."

"I might not be much of a cook — but my mother certainly made sure I knew how to sew and decorate." Calvin clears his throat and starts to take a seat next to Gerry when the doorbell rings.

"I guess I'm still on duty", Calvin says and the adults chuckle lightly.

 **XXX**

"Ben, you're just in time", Calvin exclaims, pulling the young man into a tight bear hug.

"Hello, Mr. Pope. It's good to see you. You remember Marion — my girlfriend?" Giving Marion's hand a gentle squeeze, and she smiles.

"Yes — yes. Of course. It's good to see you again, Dr. Harris", Calvin says, extending a handshake with a smile.

"Call me Marion — please", Marion says as she shakes Calvin's hand.

"Come in – come in", guiding the couple to the living room. "Look who's here", the official greeter announces and Nora is close to bouncing in her seat.

"Bennie — Ben …" Everyone calls out in unison.

"Finally", John says.

"I wouldn't miss my goddaughter's first birthday", bending and pecking Jolie on the cheek. "Sorry we're late", he whispers to Olivia, and she nods with a smile. "Everyone remembers Marion — right?"

"Of course. Come - sit here, Marion", Olivia says, patting the spot on the sofa between her and Olivia. Nora smiles because she finally gets to meet Bennie's lady doctor.

"Hello, everyone. I'm so sorry – I'm the cause of Ben being late."

"We have more gifts for the birthday girl", Ben says, holding up his gift bags before setting them onto the table.

"Olivia, that box is absolutely beautiful", Marion says as she admires the attention detail on the elaborately decorated wooden box next to the table.

"Hey, Nora", Ben says, pecking his sister on the cheek.

"I'm glad you're hear Bennie."

"Marion, I take no credit for designing that box. That's all Nora's doing. She's the family's talented artist."

"Nora, it is absolutely stunning - you have a real talent. You should be working in design. And, by the way, I'm Marion — we haven't met yet. Ben has told me wonderful things about you."

Nora smiles. "Thank you, Marion. It's finally good to meet you, too."

"Nora has been working on that box and decorating the R-O-C-K-E-R for weeks now", Gerry chimes in.

"That spells rocker, Gramps", Cena yells, and everyone shakes their head.

"Thank you, Little Sis. It's really beautiful", Fitz says from across the room.

"I made the banner", Cena says proudly as she points to the _Happy Birthday, Jolie_ sign stretched across the wall.

"You did a terrific job, Cena", Nora says.

"Thank you. My mommy helped me", Cena announces.

"Somebody's excited", Gwendolyn says as Jolie squirms to climb down from her mother's lap.

Jolie holds onto the edge of the sofa, bouncing up and down, trying to figure out how she can make her way over to the colorful balloons. She stretches her hand toward her father, who grins goofily, coaxing her to come to him.

"Come on, Angel. Come to daddy." Jolie looks up at her mother, then at the other faces who are waiting with bated breath for her to make the trek across the room to her throne. "Come on. Come on", Fitz repeats, beckoning her with his hand.

"Go, Jolie, go", everyone says in unison. Jolie looks around at the cheering faces again, then scurries over to her father, surprising herself and everyone in the room.

"Dada - dada", she says, stretching her arms for her father to pick her up. The room grows silent, and everyone looks at Jolie in shock. Then, they clap, praising the little girl for her accomplishments.

"JoJo's walking and talking", Cena yells.

"That's my, Angel. That's my Angel", Fitz says, dewy-eyed as he swoops up Jolie in his arms.

"Say dada again, Angel. Say dada again", Fitz encourages and Olivia rolls her eyes, wondering why momma is never their first word.

"Dada — dada", Jolie repeats as she points to the balloons.

"Put her in the basket, Fitz", John says, videotaping the exchange. Fitz gently places Jolie into the basket and Ethan giggles.

"Jolie's going to float away", Ethan yells, and Cena laughs out loud. Jolie laughs too because she tries to mimic everything her older sister does.

"She looks like a real angel", Nora says in awe.

"Okay — time to open the gifts. Which one should I open first?" Maura asks, rubbing her hands together.

"That one, Grams", Ethan shouts.

"No - that one, Grams", Cena yells, pointing to a different gift. Fitz poses the question to Jolie and she pointing to Abby and John's gift.

"I like a girl who knows what she wants", Abby says.

"Where's Hildie?" Olivia asks, scanning the room.

"I'll get her", Gwendolyn volunteers, standing from her seat and hurrying from the room.

 **XXX**

As she nears the kitchen, Gwendolyn hears the unmistakable sounds of someone crying, and she immediately wonders what is wrong with Hildie. She walks over to Hildie, who is leaning against the copper farmhouse sink, and places a hand on the women's trembling shoulders.

"Hildie, what is it — what's wrong? And don't say _nothing_. You've not been yourself for weeks. I won't let you continue to suffer like this." Hildie wipes her eyes with the hem of the apron and looks up with the saddest eyes Gwendolyn has ever seen.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. I'm fine now."

"You're not fine. Sit down - sit down", Gwendolyn insists, guiding the woman to a stool at the granite island top. Hildie sits on the edge of the stool, and stares across the room at the three-tier cake she baked for Jolie's birthday.

"It's a beautiful cake, Hildie - exquisite actually. You've really outdone yourself. What's wrong, Hildie?"

Hildie reaches into the apron pocket and wipes the tears from her face with the wad of tissues. After few moments, she finds the courage to express what she has not uttered to anyone in over 30 years.

"We were moving from Salzburg to Vienna. My husband and I had gotten new positions at the University of Vienna. He was such a brilliant scientist – a kind-hearted man. We both were going to teach and research at the university. We were so excited to start our new life — with our baby girl." Gwendolyn eyes widen because she had no idea Hildie was married and had a child.

"She was such a good baby — our Ella - a beautiful baby. She did not cry the entire train ride. Of course - she slept most of the time. We were about an hour outside of Vienna when it happened - the train derailed. When I awoke - two days later - I was in hospital." Gwendolyn sits on the stool next to Hildie and takes the woman's hands into hers.

"They – the doctors - told me my husband and baby were gone — did not survive the crash. I couldn't believe it — couldn't accept it. I was in an institution for six months."

"Oh – Hildie. I'm so sorry."

"My baby's birthday is today, ma'am. She never made it to her first birthday. She was nine months old when it happened. When Mr. and Mrs. Grant brought our baby home from the hospital it was as if I was looking at my Ella again. It was as if I had a second chance. Jolie could be my Ella's twin."

"I was unable to have more children - I never married again— never had another family. I gave up my profession as a scientist and came to America. My family are the people I work for." Tears stream down Gwendolyn's face and she rubs Hildie's back. She knew Hildie had secrets, but she never imagined her story was so heartbreaking.

"When I heard that Miss Nora was coming to the party — I became anxious, ma'am. She is not a good person. I don't want any harm to come to our baby", she adds quickly.

"I understand. I understand."

"Will Mr. and Mrs. Grant no longer want my services?" She asks with concern.

"Of, course they will. My daughter and her husband care for you very much. I assure you - everything is going to be all right." The distraught woman looks at Gwendolyn for a while, then nods her head. "Come on Hildie - let's go watch our baby open her presents."

 **XXX**

Gwendolyn and Hildie enter the living room as Maura prepares to open the last gift on the table. Olivia crinkles her brow because she can see Hildie has been crying, and she looks at her mother for answers. Gwendolyn shakes her head from side to side, indicating they will talk later.

"Okay, let's see what's in this lovely wrapped box", Maura says, removing the small gift card. "And this is from Marion." Olivia smiles at Marion and squeezes her hand. "Goodness", Maura says in awe when she lifts the white Versace dress and navy-blue and white Armani romper set from the box. Everyone's eyes grow wide.

"I couldn't resist", Marion says, smiling and clasping her hands to her chest. Abby rolls her eyes.

"They're absolutely beautiful, Marion. Thank you so much", Olivia says.

"Jo's going to be the best dressed little girl at the playground", John says.

"Jolie won't be wearing those outfits to the playground, John", Gwendolyn says as she admires the two outfits.

 **XXX  
**

"Now it's time for the big reveal", Fitz announces, looking over at his father. Gerry nods and walks to the middle of the room.

"Family is everything", Gerry begins. "My father repeated that mantra to his children every day and I did the same with my children. When my grandfather came to this country - he was in search of a better life for his family. Along with the hope for a brighter future - he brought many family traditions and beliefs."

"Grandfather believed – above all else – that as the head of the house – the man is responsible for safeguarding and protecting his family — at all cost. Nothing or no one is ever permitted to interfere with the sanctity of the family."

"Grandfather also believed that all Grant children are special - and should be celebrated - as they are our legacy."

"As a master carpenter - grandfather established the tradition of carving custom rockers to celebrate each baby's first birthday. A child's first birthday is a special occasion because many children did not survive until their first birthday back in the old country." Gwendolyn glances over at Hildie, who is staring down at her lap.

"Children who survived were heralded as strong – resilient - and grandfather wanted to honor their perseverance with something made of his own hands – something that is unique to each child. So - he crafted custom rockers for all his children and grandchildren's first birthday. It brought him great joy to design rockers that reflected a child's personality he saw developing during their first year of life."

"The tradition has been passed down over the generations – and as the eldest son - my father passed the tradition on to me. And I have taught John how to make the rockers", smiling at his eldest son. "When I am no longer here - John will continue the tradition - and one day - teach Ethan."

"I carved Ethan an airplane rocker for his first birthday because he loved playing with airplanes since Fitzgerald gave him his first plane as a baby. I carved Cena a rocker shaped like a chariot because from the very beginning she was our Princess."

Everyone smiles, except Abby. She thinks all the talk about family and traditions is a bunch of crap. The Grants are just as messed up as her family, they just do not live in trailers.

"Now - without further ado – it's time for Jolie to receive her special rocker."

Gerry lifts the cover that has shielded the gift all afternoon, and everyone gasps when the rocker is revealed. Resembling an angel, the rocker has a winged saddle, footrests, and an adjustable fabric backrest. It is a magnificent work of art that obviously was created with a lot of love. Jolie tries to climb from the hot air balloon when she sees the rocker, but her father quickly grabs her.

"Wow", Ethan says in wonder.

"It's cool", Cena says with eyes wide.

"Gerry, that is a magnificent display of workmanship", Calvin says, admiring the handcrafted rocker.

"It's beautiful, Gerry. Thank you so much", Olivia says, swiping away the tears.

"Thanks, dad. We'll treasure it forever", Fitz says. Weepy-eyed, father and son hug each other, and after a while, Fitz pats his father on the back and Gerry returns to his seat. John walks to the center of the room and stands next to Fitz. Fascinated by the Grant family customs, Marion sits on the edge of the sofa, anxious to see what comes next.

"As is tradition in the Grant family - the first birthday celebration culminates with the dedication of the godfather. When Ethan turned one - I dedicated Fitzgerald as his godfather. A few months later - Fitzgerald returned the honor and dedicated me as Cee-Cee's godfather. Now - it is Benjamin's turn to have the honor of becoming godfather – Jolie's godfather. Benjamin - stand please."

Fitz lifts Jolie from the hot air balloon basket as Bennie joins him in the middle of the room. Olivia brings a hand to her mouth, fighting back the tears and Marion wraps an arm around her shoulders when Fitz begins the dedication.

"Bennie, you have and always will have a special place in my heart. I know we agreed to never mention that day at the well - and I promise - I will not mention it again after today. You are responsible for my life - and by extension - you are responsible for me having the opportunity to celebrate my daughter Jolie today."

"The godfather holds a special place in the life of a Grant child. The godfather is the child's second father. The godfather is the child's protector. The godfather is the child's mentor. Bennie, Liv and I have no doubt you will love Jolie as I - that you will protect Jolie as I - and you will be there for her if I'm no longer here for her. On this day - in our home - in front of family and friends - I dedicate you the godfather of my precious daughter. I present your daughter to you."

Ben brushes the tears from his flush face as Fitz places Jolie in his arms, and everyone laughs when Jolie immediately reaches for her godfather's nose.

"Fitz, I accept the honor and responsibility of being Jolie's godfather. I will love and protect her forever. I will be there for her at every graduation - when she gets married - and when she has her own children. We will hang out together, and pretty girl, I promise to shower you with lots of candy and toys when your parents aren't around." Everyone claps as the two brothers hug, and John hands Fitz a box.

"Bennie, I present you with a gift to thank you for accepting the role as Jolie's godfather. I hope it will bring you much joy." Ben places Jolie in her father's arms and wipes the tears from his face with the back of his hand.

"You gotta be kidding me", gawking at the shiny item in the wooden case. "Where'd you find this?" Olivia smiles at the look on Ben's face. _So that is what Fitz had delivered a few weeks ago._

"Let us see, Bennie", Nora squeals like a child, and Ben lifts the item from the case and holds it up for everyone to see.

"What's that?" Ethan asks unimpressed, looking at Cena, who simply shrugs her shoulders.

"Pretty impressive, Fitzgerald", John says. The three brothers hug and Jolie claps her hands.

"Who's ready for cake and ice cream?" Olivia asks. Ethan and Cena jump up and down with their hands in the air.

"Gerry, this was a good day", Calvin leans over and whispers to the Grant family patriarch.

"It's all about family, Calvin. All about family."

 **XXX**

Carrying the tray of breakfast foods with both hands, Olivia pushes open the door with her foot and Cena runs past her and jumps onto the bed. Jolie and Bowtie follow closely behind their leader. Lying on his stomach and hugging the pillow, Fitz' eyes flutter rapidly and he is smiling. He is exhausted from yesterday's festivities.

"Daddy - daddy. Wake up, daddy", Cena yells, preparing to pull open her father's eyelid.

"Don't do that, Cena", Olivia says in a warning tone. Cena fold her arms and pouts, which does not faze her mother. Awakened by all the commotion, Fitz reluctantly releases his pillow and rolls onto his back.

"We made you panny cakes, daddy - with fruit and cream", Cena announces to her father whose eyes are still closed. She reaches again to pull open his eyelid, but thinks better of it when she looks over at her mother. "We made you panny cakes, daddy", she says, impossibly close to his face. Pushing up against the upholstered headboard, Fitz rubs his eyes, then forks his fingers through his hair.

"Wow - this looks terrific. What did I do to deserve all of this?"

"Mommy said you're our hero so we do something special for you", Cena yells, bouncing on her father's lap.

"She did?" Looking at his wife and thinking Cena has been forgetting to use her indoor voice lately.

"She did. Move over, Cena, so daddy can eat his breakfast", setting the breakfast tray onto his lap and pecking him on the lips. He deepens the kiss.

"How are you feeling?" He whispers against her lips.

"I'm fine - really", placing the coffee mug in his hand. "We're meeting with Ben at one", she says with a serious look, and he nods.

"Where's my Angel? Come here, Angel."

"JoJo, go to daddy." Fitz squeezes his eyes shut as Cena's voice reverberates in the room. Still getting used to walking, Jolie waddles over to the bed with her arms in the air.

"Good morning birthday, girl", Fitz says, lifting her onto the bed and pecking her on the lips.

"Daddy, JoJo helped make your panny cakes, too."

"JoJo is going to be a good cook just like her big sister."

Jolie reaches for the whipped cream topping the pancakes and Fitz grabs her hand. "No dairy for you, Angel", stuffing her tiny hand into his mouth and pretending to chomp on her fingers. Jolie throws her head back and laughs, her body shaking uncontrollably.

Olivia walks over to the bathroom and closes the door. Bowtie quickly scampers across the room and sits on the floor outside the door.


	51. Chapter 51 What's Wrong with Fitzgerald

**A/N: Sister1256** , we don't know if Hildie is obsessed with Jolie, but she is attached to her for the reasons. **Reader575** , it was an emotional chapter, but we needed to find out why some of the characters behave the way they do. Keep the tissues close by. You're right, Nora has a lot of work to do to regain trust. Not sure if I've told you, I have to finish this story so I can catch up on _Desert Princess_. Love me some Amir Fitz and Amira Olivia. **Sweet160717** , Bowtie is a male, and like the Grant men, he believes in protecting family - womenfolk, even though he was not treated well. Marion shared her background with Ben, but that doesn't mean she will change overnight. Glad you remembered Hildie and Gwendolyn didn't get along when the Popes moved in. The foundation for everything that happens in this story has been laid long ago. I'm a little slow so it takes time to unfold the story. Ben was needed at the house because he was being dedicated as Jolie's godfather. The godfather ceremony is a big deal for the Grant family. The relevance of the motorcycle accident is to show how Olivia is now reacting to missing Fitz' anxiety attacks, which resulted from their car accident. Remember she told Fitz she didn't want to miss anything again. We'll see more of this. You'll find out what that look Fitz gave Olivia about visiting Africa is really all about. Remember, waaaay back when Olivia was expressing passive aggressive behavior toward her mother. A reviewer wondered why Olivia seems angry. We're now getting a sense of why. More to come. BTW, the hints indicate a particular aspect of the story will show up again, but not always in the way you might think. So, don't twist yourself into a knot trying to figure it all out. No divorce. **Tamarral** , Abby can only be Abby. **Emma** , thank you for choosing to participate. Everyone Olitz cares about made an appearance in this chapter. I even pulled Mona's husband Tom out of moth balls. City Hall is still a mess, we'll see how Fitz handles his job moving forward. Remember, he made a tough decision to stop funding new charter schools. Not sure how the citizens are going to accept that. **Cleo** , you felt nothing for Marion? You're tough. So, you've transferred your disdain for Victoria to Nora — 'nasty heffer'. Too funny. And, you're not liking Liv's parents too much either. So, they're not worth a damn? You always tell it like it is. **Monica** , the parents have come a long way since that first meeting at the wedding rehearsal dinner. You're right about the chapter title. All of your questions will be answered in upcoming chapters. As for JoJo, it's just a nickname for Jolie, nothing more. **Guest 1** , you're right, Cena is older than Ethan. Glad you're reading carefully and keeping me honest. I love it. I was so focused on Jolie. **Guest 2** , over the past two chapters we have seen two sides of Gerry Grant: the vicious side and the doting grandfather. Nora is broken right now, hopefully she can recover. You caught Maura's little snide remark about Gerry coming home late. She's a little jealous.

Thanks for reading and reviewing. Here we go!

 **Chapter 51. What's Wrong with Fitzgerald?**

 _I just kept hoping, I just kept hoping_ _  
_ _The way would become clear_ _  
_ _I spent all this time tryna play now_ _  
_ _I found my way here_

 _See, I've been having me a real hard time  
But it feels so nice to know I'm gonna be alright_ _._

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _This Feeling —Alabama Shakes_

Lying on her side, with a hand propping up her head, she watches the full Moon that pierces the pre-dawn sky silhouette his face. She studies the contours of his face, thinking she has missed being with him like this, enjoying the warmth of his body during the early morning hours before he has to get up. Feeling like her darkest days are behind her, she smiles, and snuggles closer. She is happy. Cautious not to disturb his slumber, she presses her lips ever so gently to his, smiling again when he moans.

"Why are you staring at me?" He says with eyes still closed, causing her to jump slightly.

"You scared me. I thought you were sleeping. How long have you been awake?"

"How long have you been staring at me?" Pulling her down for a kiss. She smiles again. She cannot seem to stop smiling.

"Did you mean what you said yesterday?" She asks with a hint of uncertainty.

"Mean what?" He replies in a raspy voice, trying to adjust his eyes to the moonlit room.

"You know", nudging him slightly.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. What did I say?" Giving her a puzzled look. Still uncomfortable being vulnerable, she stares at him for a while.

"You said – ' _I love you'_ ".

"You do? Well that's good to hear", kissing her again.

"You're such a bugger. You're teasing me."

"I am. I like seeing this side of you – unguarded."

"It's almost time for your run."

"I'm not running this morning."

"You're not?" Looking at him with surprise. "You never miss a run."

"I'm staying here — with you. I've missed you." Her eyes fill with tears as he rolls on top, kissing down her neck until he reaches her breast. Slowly running his tongue around the firm nipple, she moans as she feels him come alive against her thigh. Tender from the multiple rounds of lovemaking last night, she tenses as he begins to slide inside. He pauses, kisses her tenderly until he feels her relax beneath him. He enters her fully.

"Are you okay?" Refraining from moving inside.

She nods, pulls him down for kiss, and he devours her mouth as he begins to pump slowly. Moist with arousal, she spread her legs, the soreness giving way to the sensation. She moves with him, pressing her hands to his buttocks, pulling him in deeper. Her walls lock around him and he moans with pleasure, quickening the pace and thrusting deeper.

"Oh, god, Ben", she gasps, wrapping a leg around his waist so he can titillate her the ways she likes it. And with each glorious thrust, her breath quickens, digging her fingertips into his hard latissimus dorsi muscles. When he touches the spot, her body tenses, and the unmistakable whimper escapes her lips. She no longer has control of her extremities. Her hands drop from his back and her leg falls from around his waist. She trembles involuntarily. She feels wonderful.

Flush and frenzied by her pulsating walls, he tosses the bedcovers aside and pumps slowly and rythmically. The feeling is indescribable, and he wants to cum but he does not want the feeling to end, so enjoys the ride. She knows he is close, so she lifts here hips to meet him, and he thrusts deeper and deeper. Suddenly his body jerks, and a cocktail of nature's perfect drugs flood his brain as he spills deep inside. And, like the addict whose vein is filled with heroin, the pleasure is immediate and immeasurable. He is floating - lit up. He grinds slowly, enjoying the last vestiges of the ineffable pleasure. Muscles now relaxed, he collapses on top of her, both exhilarated and drowsy. He kisses her hard and she tightens her arms around his waist, stopping him from rolling onto his back. She wants to cuddle.

"Amazing. You're amazing. I'm amazing. I feel amazing", she sings at the top of her lungs. Brains awash with dopamine, they both laugh out loud.

"Yes - I love you", his warm breath wafting over her ear. He slides out, pecks her on the lips, and rolls onto his back. For the next few minutes they laugh as the Sun begins to peek over the horizon.

"Where's the cover, Ben? It's getting cold", snuggling closer to his flush body. He pulls the cover from the floor and haphazardly throws it over them, and she rests her head on his shoulder.

"We better get some sleep, Fitz and Liv will be here later", he says through the yawn.

"I'll be long gone before they get here", she yawns, too.

"Why?" Studying her face in the light of dawn.

"It was clear yesterday Olivia wants to speak with you about something urgent— personal."

"Whatever Olivia and Fitz have to say - they can say it in front of my girl."

"So - I'm your girl?" Running a foot up and down his leg.

"You're always my girl", kissing her again.

"What do you think Olivia wants to speak with you about? She seemed a bit agitated when she pulled aside. Fitz didn't seem too happy about whatever she was saying to you."

"I have no idea. She just said they needed to meet with me today. I didn't detect anything was wrong yesterday. My goddaughter's party was spectacular. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves."

"By the way — that is a pretty handsome watch Fitz gave you. Vintage?"

"It is", he smiles, looking down at his wrist.

"Are you ever going to take it off?" She chuckles, kissing down his jaw.

"Never — well maybe when I shower. These old watches aren't waterproof. We all get a watch - to remind us to always make time for family. Fitz knew I wanted an Omega chronograph since I was a teenager."

"Your family has such wonderful traditions, Ben. I miss not having that experience", she says sadly.

"I want you with me all day. What do you want to do after they're gone?"

"I don't know. It's Sunday."

"How about we go to the zoo?"

"The zoo? You're kidding. I've never been to the zoo."

"We can pet the ponies and make silly faces at the monkeys."

"Can I feed the elephants?" She asks excitedly.

"I'm not sure if they allow visitors to feed the animals — but we can ask", he adds quickly when he sees the disappointment on her face.

"I'd like that. It sounds like fun."

 **XXX**

The dour expressions on the faces of the two people standing before her are in stark contrast to the smiles and bright eyes she saw yesterday when the proud parents celebrated their youngest daughter's first birthday. Marion knows immediately something is wrong.

"Olivia — Fitz, good afternoon. Come in", she says in a cheerful tone.

"Good afternoon, Marion", Olivia says, pecking Marion on the cheek.

"Marion", Fitz says flatly, pecking her on the cheek as well.

"Have a seat — please", Marion says, motioning her hand toward the sofa lined with an assortment of decorative pillows.

Fitz leans back against the pillows, pressing his side close to the armrest, and crossing his legs. Olivia sits to his left, not a breath of space between them. Marion eyes the couple, wondering what has them on edge today.

"Can I get you something to drink?" Marion asks cautiously.

"No — no. We're fine", Olivia answers quickly, glancing at her husband.

"Ben is in the bedroom — on the phone with the hospital — he'll be out shortly."

Fitz nods and Olivia smiles slightly when she sees Marion is wearing the top to Ben's scrubs.

"Jolie's party was something out of a fairy tale. I don't think I've seen that many balloons in one place in my life. And when she walked – then said _dada_ — so adorable." Fitz gives Marion another tight smile, and now Marion is certain something is wrong. Fitz was so excited yesterday when Jolie talked for the first time, but today he seems nonchalant about the milestone.

"Thanks to her big sister training her for weeks. Cena is a terrific teacher", Olivia says, trying to extend the small talk.

Ben enters the room and a broad smile spread across his face when he sees his brother and sister-in-law sitting on the sofa.

"Fitz — Liv", hugging his brother then pecking Olivia on the cheek. "Sorry for the delay — I needed to check on a patient."

"No worries — we were just catching up with Marion", Olivia says with a weak smile. Failing to recognize his brother and Olivia's grim demeanor, Ben continues to rave about the watch.

"I love it, brother. I can't believe you were able to find one with three registers."

"I'm glad you like it, Bennie. Wear it in hold health", Fitz says solemnly.

"Like it — I love it", Ben continues with exuberance as he sits on the arm of Marion's chair and pecks her on the cheek. "I've been wanting one of these forever."

"He hasn't taken it off since the party — even slept in it." Marion says with a chuckle and shake of her head. Olivia smiles slightly, happy Ben has found someone that makes him happy.

"So how is my goddaughter doing today?" Ben asks, running his hand up and down Marion's back.

"Now that she's walking - she's getting into everything. I think she's exhausted from yesterday - though", Olivia says, trying to sound upbeat.

"She'll be my running partner in a few years", Ben laughs, still oblivious to Fitz and Olivia's demeanor. "Can I get you anything?" Looking between the two.

"No — thank you. Marion already offered", Olivia says softly. Marion discreetly nudges Ben, signaling that something is amiss. Bennie looks at Fitz then Olivia, now realizing the two are uncharacteristically quiet.

"Why don't I leave you all alone to talk", Marion says, beginning to stand.

"No — stay, Marion. Please." Olivia says with a hint of desperation in her voice. Marion nods and settles back in the chair.

"Fitz — Liv, what's going on? What's wrong?" Bennie asks with concern as he watches Olivia wring her hands, her telltale sign she is anxious.

"Olivia thought we should speak with you", Fitz says tersely. Bennie looks his brother then back at Olivia. Fitz rarely calls his wife _Olivia_ , another sign something is not right.

"We — _I_ need your professional opinion, Ben", Olivia says in an equally terse, but trembling tone. Ben furrows his brow because he has never seen the two behave this way. Marion watches Fitz' jaw clench and face redden as Olivia tells his story of anxiety and panic. She does not know if he is more embarrassed or angry.

"I had no idea he was suffering— was in emotional pain", glancing at her husband again, whose eyes are fixed on an object across the room.

"I'm not suffering, Olivia", he says brusquely, still looking at the object across the room.

"He's been having panic attacks — since the accident."

"Fitz?" Ben says with concern, walking across the room and sitting on the coffee table to face his brother.

"I've only had a couple of incidents, Bennie."

"Tell me what's going on, brother. Why are you having panic attacks?" Before Fitz can respond, Olivia answers for him, and he bites down on his bottom lip.

"He hasn't gotten over the accident." Ben looks at the fear in Olivia's eyes, nods his head slowly, then looks at his brother, who is wound as tight as a drum.

"It's complicated, Bennie", offering his own explanation.

"I understand, brother", Ben says softly, and Fitz looks at his brother with furrowed brow. "Family is everything. We do everything within our power to protect family - that's what we've heard dad say all our lives. Hell — we heard it again yesterday. It's a noble belief - but it's not always practical. Unfortunately, we don't have control over everything that happens in our lives – good or bad. I won't tell you not to feel bad about what happened – you have a right to your feelings. But - I will say do not let the past control you." Marion nods.

Olivia squeezes her husband's hand and Ben sets his hand on Fitz' knee, both reassuring him they are here for him and everything is going to be all right. Eyes brimming with tears, Fitz stares into his brother's eyes for a few moments and nods as well.

"He's been taking pills, Ben", Olivia blurts out, digging into her purse for the brown plastic bottle. "They're left over from when he was discharged from the hospital — months ago." Fitz clenches his jaw again and resumes staring at the object across the room.

Bennie frowns at the bottle of pills then looks at Fitz', crimson red face. He takes the pills from Olivia's hand, reads the label, then stomps toward the kitchen. The grinding sound of the garbage disposal and water running in the sink interrupt the silence. Marion glances at Fitz, and he averts his eyes. She glances at Olivia, and sees the love and concern for her husband in her eyes. It is obvious Olivia loves her husband deeply.

Ben returns to the room and sits on the edge of the coffee table, facing his brother. "About the pills, Fitz", Ben says softly and without judgment.

"I only took them every now and then. I haven't taken one in a while."

"I believe you", Ben says, and Fitz feels somewhat relieved. He does not want his brother to think he is weak.

"Ben — I need to know the dangers of taking those pills if there is no longer a medical reason."

"I'm not _hooked_ , Olivia", Fitz says with an edge to his voice, pulling his hand from hers.

"Liv - I prescribe opioids every day for my patients. They need something after surgery, and for all the negative press, opioids are the best medications for short-term pain management. Because these drugs are highly addictive for some — I wean my patients off them as soon as possible."

Olivia nods.

"Liv - addiction is not my area of expertise. Marion has been doing a lot of work in this area — from a public health standpoint. Marion", Ben says, shaking his girlfriend from her thoughts.

"I'm sorry — what did you say?"

"Tell us about the work you've been doing with opioid addiction in the city."

"Opioid addiction is a national epidemic - it knows no social class, gender, or race. I've been working with the Police Commissioner Fredericks to address this epidemic as a public health issue in our city", glancing briefly at Fitz because he has been involved in some of the discussions she has had with the police commissioner.

"Any drug we put in our body changes the chemistry of the brain. Long term opioid use affect parts of the frontal lobe executive functions like judgement, impulse control, and insight. Once the brain is changed — it never goes back to the way it was."

Olivia gasps and brings a hand to her mouth, and his shame heightens.

"Whether one becomes addicted or not depends on how long one has been using the drug. Long term opioid and heroin — "

" _Heroin?"_ Olivia screeches.

"Olivia - heroin is a form of the prescription opioid pain relievers. When a person can no longer legally obtain prescription opioids — they usually turn to the cheaper street drugs like heroin and fentanyl." Tears stream down Olivia's face and she looks at her husband with panic in her eyes."

"I haven't taken any of those things, Liv", Fitz says glumly, still staring at the object across the room. Olivia stares at his profile for a while, nods, then turns back to Marion.

"The good news, Olivia, Fitz has only used the pills sporadically— not for years." Marion glances at Fitz and he nods. "There is no damage done to the brain for short-term usage."

Olivia nods and caresses her husband's hand.

"As Ben said - opioids are addictive. Research shows one in seven people who refill an opioid prescription will be addicted in one year."

"I've not refilled the prescription. There isn't a refill. The pills were left over from …."

Seeing the pain and shame on Fitz' face, Ben steps in to support his brother.

"Fitz, opioids are to help with short term physical pain — not the emotional pain that's triggering the anxiety. There is a lot of help available to combat the anxiety. I'm here for you. I won't let you suffer. Okay?"

Fitz nods and Olivia intertwines her hands with her husband's and places them close to her stomach.

"Thank you, Marion. Thank you, Ben. I feel much better that you explained everything to us. Can you send me the names of someone we can speak with about the anxiety?"

"Of course", Ben says, and the corner Fitz' mouth twitch again.

 **XXX**

Silently fuming as they sit in the truck in the parking lot of Ben's apartment building, he now regrets telling his wife about the panic attacks and the pills. When he told her, he did not expect her to broadcast his weakness to Bennie or anyone else. And, he only agreed to meet with Bennie to appease her. He resented every damn minute he sat on that sofa listening to her talk about him as if he were not in the room. He turns the key in the ignition and starts the truck.

"Are you all right?" Sliding her hand across the console and resting it on top of his. He chafes at the question.

"I need to stop at the store — buy another phone", he says gruffly, angrily removing his hand and shifting the truck into gear. She glances at him wondering what happened to his phone.

 **XXX**

Cena sits at the granite island top, swinging her legs back and forth as she diligently reviews the new vocabulary list in preparation for her test today. She has been practicing the new words with her Nana and is confident she will ace the test. When she hears the heavy footsteps clomping against the hardwood floor in the family room, she quickly swipes her finger up the screen. She wants to show her father she can spell all the new words.

Fitz frowns when he enters the kitchen and sees his daughter staring intently at her tablet screen. He tosses his suit jacket onto the back of the chair and walks over to the coffee maker.

"Good morning, Fitzgerald", Gwendolyn says cheerily, lifting the mug of ginger tea to her lips.

"Good morning, Gwendolyn", he replies flatly.

"Daddy, look", Cena says excitedly, holding up her tablet so he can see the vocabulary list.

"Why is Cena on her tablet this morning?" He says to his wife who is standing at the stove preparing his breakfast. Startled by his tone, Olivia turns with a puzzled look on her face. "She's picking up that habit from you — looking down at that screen all the time", annoyance lacing is voice. Cena pokes out her bottom lip, slowly closes the tablet, and stares at the red stickers on its cover.

"That's not true. Besides, you're the one who's on their tablet more than anyone— posting pictures all the time", turning away from the stove and placing a hand on her hip. She knows he is picking a fight because he is upset about going to Bennie's yesterday.

"I want her reading — not playing games", he persists.

"She's not playing games - she's studying for her vocab test today. She wanted to show you the new words she learned how to spell." Filled with embarrassment, he expels a heavy sigh then looks at his daughter who is close to tears.

"I'm sorry, Princess, daddy didn't mean to upset you. Can you show me your new words?" Kissing the top of her head. Gwendolyn looks at her son-in-law wondering what is wrong with Fitzgerald this morning.

"Come on, Cena, it's time to go. We don't want to be late this morning", Calvin says, pulling on his jacket as he walks into the kitchen. Cena immediately jumps down from her seat, slides the tablet from the island top, and runs to the foyer to wait for her grandfather. "And don't forget to put on your thinking cap for your test", Calvin calls out playfully to his granddaughter.

With arms folded across her chest, Olivia glares at her husband, silently signaling he better go make things right with his daughter. He huffs and walks from the kitchen. Gwendolyn and Calvin share a look, wondering what is wrong with the lovebirds this morning.

 **XXX**

Walking down the marble hall on the fifth floor of City Hall, Fitz thinks about how crappy his day has been so far. He definitely got out on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Truthfully, he has been grumpy and irritable since he and Olivia left Bennie's apartment yesterday. He intentionally tried to start an argument with his wife, which only resulted in him upsetting his daughter. Not in the mood to battle with one of Wilson's toadies, he sighs as he approaches the mayor's reception area. He does not know Rodger Barksdale, the new mayor; in fact, he has not seen the man since being sworn in as council president, and that was over four months ago. Barksdale sent a message to his home on Saturday, wanting to meet with him as soon as possible to discuss Wilson's resignation. Of course, he was not going to interrupt his daughter's first birthday to deal with another scandal at City Hall. And, sure was not going to City Hall after that meeting with Bennie.

"Go right in, Council President Grant. The mayor is waiting for you", the former mayor's assistant says. Fitz nods, noticing the woman seems much happier today. When he enters the office, it feels weird not seeing Wilson leaning back in his chair and puffing on a cigar.

"Good morning, Council President Grant", the squat, middle-aged man says as he stands from the chair that is much too big for him.

"Good morning, Mr. Mayor", Fitz says as he accepts the handshake.

"Have a seat please."

Fitz nods, sits in one of the chairs facing the desk, and crosses his legs, revealing a pair of the colorful socks Olivia bought while they were down at the pier on Valentine's Day. The mayor returns to his seat and Fitz muses how the oversized chair seems to swallow whole the small-statured man.

"Can I offer you a cup a coffee? I must warn you — it's not very good. I made it myself", Barksdale chuckles.

"No — thank you", Fitz says with a wave of the hand, and Barksdale nods.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me this morning, Mr. Grant."

Fitz smiles slightly, thinking Wilson was never as courteous as the new mayor seems to be. Wilson enjoyed summoning people to his office.

"I assume Wilson's resignation was a surprise to you like it was to us all", a statement, not a question.

"It was", Fitz says guardedly, still trying to size up the man.

"The City Charter mandates the Executive seat not be vacant for more than 24 hours - regardless of the reason. Our citizens must be confident their city officials are still working on their behalf. There was a private swearing in ceremony in the mayor's ballroom on Saturday. Under the circumstances I didn't think a lot of pomp and circumstance was appropriate. I'm sorry you were unable to attend."

"I had a prior family commitment I was not going to miss for any thing."

"I see — understandable. Family is very important."

Fitz nods.

"Mr. Grant, I'm keenly aware of the contentious relationship you and the former mayor had. It could be quite challenging working with Theodore - the man was so consumed by power. I'm certain that kind of greed had a role in his downfall."

Unsure of the man's agenda, Fitz remains silent. He has had sufficient experience during his brief tenure as council president to know everybody in this building has an agenda.

"You put sanctions on Wilson which limited his authorities - but the sanctions were not going to stop him."

"The Council sanctioned the former mayor", Fitz quickly corrects the man, and Barksdale nods with a smile. He knows the man sitting before initiated the sanctions and actively lobbied council members' support.

"I did not seek out this position, Mr. Grant. I never had any interest in the _public_ part of being a public servant. I have always preferred staying in the background – serve from behind as it were."

"And yet here you are", Fitz says.

"And yet here I am" echoing Fitz' sentiment. "I have no business being in this office. I am not a politician and have no plans of becoming one. I will fulfill my duties — as outlined in the Charter. I will serve this great city for the next 18 months — finish Wilson's term — but after that — I'm done. I will not seek a second term. My wife and I will retire and move to Olympia. We bought a little house up there years ago – down by the lake."

Fitz nods, thinking the man is sharing a lot of personal information. He is nothing like Wilson.

"I'm sure you're wondering why am I telling you all of this", Barksdale says, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the desk. "Mr. Grant - I think you are the future of this city. You should run this city — become the city's executive — sit in this office. One man's floor is another man's ceiling", he says with a distant look in his eyes.

Fitz' eyes grow eye. He surely was not expecting Barksdale to suggest he run for mayor when he walked into the office 30 minutes ago.

"You have demonstrated that you care about the people of this city, Mr. Grant. You're tough — wasn't afraid to take on Wilson — as so many others were afraid to do over the years. More importantly — the people of this city love you. I saw how they responded to you during your campaign. I knew back then one day you would sit on this side of the desk."

"You certainly knew more than me", still stunned by the man's pronouncement.

"Well — it is your decision— of course. I just wanted you to know that over the next 18 months I look forward to having an amicable relationship with you and the council. I did not support many of Wilson's policies — especially his desire to privatize our police department — I won't be pushing for that. In my opinion, privatization is just short of militarization. But — we do have some serious financial problems with our police department — and we need to find a reasonable way to address them."

 **XXX**

Walking down the hall toward the floor-to ceiling, double glass doors, Marcella reflects on the first time she and her friends visited the office. The building is just a few miles from Springfield Heights, but she had never step foot inside the grand building. Before meeting Mr. Grant and agreeing to support his campaign, she never had reason to think about entering the building. Frankly, she never had reason to enter any of the downtown office buildings.

Awestruck does not describe how she felt when she and her friends entered the reception area nestled behind the glass doors. She had never seen anything like it. Everything was so bright, clean, and new; not like the old furniture at the community center. Although she shielded her feelings from the others, she knew she was in a different kind of place, and that made her uncomfortable.

"Marcella - it's so good to see you. It's been quite some time since you've been here", Sandra says, standing from behind her desk to greet the young woman.

"Hello, Miss Butler. It's good to see you as well."

"Remember - I'm Sandra. We don't go on formalities around here." Marcella smiles politely. "I'll let Marcus know you're here. He's doing a fantastic job — we're quite proud of him."

A few minutes later, Marcella watch Marcus walk down the long hall toward the reception area, buttoning his suit jacket. They both smile when their eyes meet.

"Marcella, it's good to see you. I'm glad you called", embracing his friend in a warm hug.

"It's good to see you, too, Marcus. Thanks for making time to see me."

"Making time? We're friends - I always have time."

"Marcus, catering has set up lunch in your office", Sandra says, standing next to her desk.

"Thank you, Sandra", Marcus says, giving the office manager a smile. "Come on Marcella — let's catch up my office."

 **XXX**

"You really look like you belong here, Marcus", Marcella says, glancing around the space.

"This is what I've always wanted, Marcella. I worked my ass off for an opportunity like this."

"So - what's your day like? What do you do in a place like this all day?" She asks, walking over to the window that overlooks the park.

"It varies. Some days I do research for Gregory. Other days I submit briefs over a City Hall. Sometimes I get to travel out of town — to a client's site. I like the variety. It's everything I thought it would be – and more. Some days I have to pinch myself to make sure it's all real", he says excitedly.

"That's good. It sounds exciting. I'm happy for you."

"So — how are you doing? What's been going on since our last meeting?"

"I'm fine", she says, looking at Marcus' diplomas hanging on the wall.

"Is something wrong, Marcella? Are you here about the moratorium on charter schools? I've made my position clear on that matter", turning and sitting in the chair behind his desk.

"No – we've all agreed to support Mr. Grant on the moratorium – even Rashid." Marcus nods.

"Sit down, Marcella - you're pacing around like a cat on a hot tin roof." Marcella forces a smile and sits in a chair in front of the desk.

"Isn't it funny that we used to have lunch meetings in Mr. Grant's office and now we're having lunch in your office?" Marcella says, glancing at the lunch setup on the small table across the room.

"It's crazy — isn't it?" Marcus laughs as he leans back in the chair.

"I know you like it here, Marcus, but do you ever feel like – like you don't belong in a place like this?"

" _Never_ ", he says without hesitation. "What is this all about, Marcella?" Studying her face closely. He has never seen Marcella nervous. In fact, she was always the most self-assured amongst their little crew.

"I've been offered a job – a different kind of job", she clarifies, and a smile spread across Marcus' face.

"Wow – that's terrific. Where – doing what?"

"At Mrs. Grant's foundation. She now has some bigtime job with Bryson's Foods and she's turning the foundation over to Mona. She wants me to be Mona's assistant."

"That's wonderful, girl", Marcus says, jumping up from his seat and giving her a hug. "Meeting the Grants was the best thing that could've happened to us. I'm working for Mr. Grant and you'll be working for his wife. When do you start?"

"I haven't accepted the offer, Marcus", stepping back and looking at him nervously. "I told her I needed a few days to think about it."

"You haven't accepted? Why the hell not? This is such a great opportunity for you. What is there to think about?"

"Marcus - you know I was born and raised in Springfield Heights. I left for a while to go to college – but I came right back after graduating to work at the community center."

"Marcella, don't doubt yourself. You are smart. You are talented. You can do this."

"I'm scared, Marcus. You always saw yourself doing more — being more. I never dreamed about doing anything different", she says, brushing the back of her hand over her cheek.

"You are good enough, Marcella. "You deserve more."

 **XXX**

After playing with her GranPop all morning, Jolie crawls onto her activity blanket and falls fast asleep. Calvin's old bones creak as he carefully stands from the floor and pulls the cashmere throw from the sofa. He covers his granddaughter then heads to the kitchen. He needs a cup of Café Touba. He stops abruptly in the kitchen doorway when he hears his wife detailing Hildie's sad story to Olivia.

" _Dear, Lord"_ , he exclaims. "That poor woman." Olivia and her mother turn in surprise and look at Calvin, then resume their conversation.

"Livvia, she is concerned that you and Fitzgerald will terminate her", Gwendolyn continues.

"Why would she think such a thing?"

"Baby - Hildie was placed in a mental institution after she lost her family. She's afraid you and Fitzgerald will think she is no longer suitable to do her job — to take care of Jolie."

"Livvia and Fitzgerald would never think such a thing. That poor woman needs our support. She's like family", Calvin says, pouring a cup of the spicy coffee. Olivia nods her head slowly.

"By the way, Rev. Walker said he hasn't seen you and Fitzgerald in church in a while. He's hoping to see you soon."

"We'll be there next Sunday, mom. Can you and dad watch Jo on Wednesday? I have to deliver my proposal to Fred Bryson."

"I thought you had another week before it was due", her mother says.

"I needed to finish early. I hope Fred will be satisfied with what I'm proposing."

"You worry too much, Livvia. Bryson is going to love your work."

"I hope so, mom. I have so many things I have to wrap my head around right now. So much is going on."

 **XXX**

Councilmen Dawson and Johnston sit on the sofa in the reception area, waiting patiently for Fitz' new assistant to make their presence known to the council president. They each reflect on the changes that have befallen City Hall in less than a week; it is all so staggering. Wilson has stepped down as mayor, and no one has a clear understanding why he decided to resign on a Saturday morning. Everyone knows Wilson enjoyed the power he derived from sitting in the Executive's chair. So, no one believes he has resigned to focus on his upcoming trial.

Almost as astounding as Wilson's resignation is the news that Fitz has decided not renew Darius' chairmanship of the Appropriations Committee. Darius has held the coveted position of the powerful committee for years, and he has been Fitz' trusted advisor since the new council president was sworn into office in January. It is widely known Darius enjoyed the sway he had over the rookie council president, but that apparently that has changed. They wonder what Darius could have done to lose the favor of the council president. They wonder the crime their colleague committed to warrant such a swift and embarrassing punishment.

Less important, but of note, Fitz has terminated his attractive assistant. Although politically inconsequential, the men enjoyed admiring her beauty whenever they visited Fitz. While no one knows the real truth about what has prompted all the changes, one thing is clear, Fitzgerald Grant is not afraid to make tough decisions.

"Councilmen Johnston — Dawson — Council President Grant will see you now", the middle-aged assistant announces. Both men nod as they walk toward the office.

 **XXX**

Fitz stands, plastering on his politician's smile as he walks around the desk to welcome his guests.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen", he greets, shaking the men's hands.

"Good afternoon, Fitz", the men respond as Fitz walks over to the credenza to pour another cup of the fabulous coffee.

"Coffee — gentlemen?" Gesturing the coffee pot in their direction. "It's wonderful – the best I've ever had", he boasts.

"No — no", the councilmen respond, shaking their heads. Fitz nods, walks over to the desk, and sits in the large leather chair.

"Have a seat", motioning his head toward the two chairs in front of the desk.

As the councilmen settle into their seats, Fitz sips the hot, black coffee and smiles inwardly.He must remember to ask Mrs. Handley where she buys the soothing java. He sets the cup onto the saucer and leans back in the seat.

"An institution is the length and shadow of one man - Ralph Waldo Emerson", he says, his cold blue eyes belie the smile on his face. "Institutions are just collections of rules - norms agreed upon by human beings. If leaders attack, denigrate and abuse them - they will be weakened and this - in turn - will weaken the character and quality of democracy."

Johnston and Dawson stare at the council president. They have no idea what the hell Fitz is talking about. Fitz seems to be different, changed in some way.

"Wilson and others denigrated this system — sold out the people of this city for decades — for personal enrichment", Fitz continues.

"Wilson and Marla are behind us, Fitz. The people want change. They want someone who is professional. They want someone they can trust. They want Fitzgerald Grant", Johnston says.

"Trust? Is anyone in this building trustworthy? This place is a barrel of crabs - everyone clawing over each other to obtain some mythical power."

"The people see you as their hope, Fitz. Barksdale might be mayor for now — but nobody knows who the hell he is", Johnson says, waving his hand in the air.

"Wilson made sure of that", Dawson adds.

"I met with him this morning — he's a good man", Fitz says, leaning forward and bringing the coffee cup to his lips.

"Well – well - well. Staking his claim already", Dawson says.

"Not at all. He's not interested in being mayor. In fact - he's not interested in politics. Barksdale doesn't plan to run for re-election. He wants to complete Wilson's term, then retire with his wife. Quite frankly that sounds rather appealing."

"Interesting", Johnston says, nodding his head with a smile. "Then the door is wide open for you to walk into that big office upstairs - step right into the Executive's seat."

"Whoa— whoa. Hang on there. You're getting ahead of yourself, Johnston. I haven't given any thought to running for mayor. This Wilson thing is only 48 hours old."

"You don't have much time to wait, Fitz. The vultures are circling this building as we speak."

"Republican mayors are rare in America's big cities, Johnston", Fitz says, taking another sip of coffee.

"Rare — but not non-existent", Dawson chimes in quickly. "Indianapolis has elected Republican mayors for 36 out of the last 48 years. Miami has elected numerous Republicans. Fort Worth, Oklahoma City, and San Diego have also elected Republican mayors."

Fitz sets down the cup, leans back, and looks at Johnson and Dawson, thinking the men have done their homework.

"Just think about it, Fitz. We're going to have to line up donors if you intend to run. You're going to need a lot of money. Your activist friends won't be enough to get you over the finish line this time", Johnston says.

"Of course, I have to talk to Olivia about this. We just came off a nasty campaign. I don't know if I want to subject my family to that again." Truthfully, does not know if he wants to go through the rigor of another campaign.

The two men nod and stand to leave. Dawson, never accused of being politically correct, stops in the middle of the room and looks at Fitz.

"What the hell happened with you and Darius, Fitz?"

 **XXX**

It has been a while since Olivia has walked down the halls of Bryson Foods headquarters. So much has been going on in her personal life, preventing her from working in the office two days a week as she planned when she accepted the position three months ago. Feeling somewhat light-headed, she inhales deeply and continues toward the reception area.

"Olivia - it is so good to see you. It's been a while."

"It's good to see you, too, Deanna."

"You look absolutely wonderful – beaming really."

"Thank you, Deanna", trying keep the nausea at bay. "Is Fred ready to see me?"

"He is. Go right in. We'll catch up later."

 **XXX**

Fred stands when Olivia enters the office, resisting the urge to give the petite woman one of his welcoming hugs.

"Olivia - it is so good to see you", smiling as he takes her small hand into his two beefy hands.

"It's good to see you as well, Fred", smiling as she glances over his shoulder at the incredible view.

"It never gets old."

"It certainly doesn't", Olivia replies.

"Have a seat — please", Fred says, motioning a hand toward the chairs that circle the large conference table.

Olivia sets her purse on one of the chairs and her stomach begins to perform somersaults when she sees her proposal on the table with handwritten notes in the margins. Fred has obviously gone over the document thoroughly. She inhales deeply.

"Can I get you something to drink, Olivia?"

"Perhaps some hot tea", giving Fred a nervous smile.

"Of course,", Fred says, walking over to the beverage bar and pouring a cup of tea.

"Thank you", Olivia says when he sets the cup and saucer in front of her. Her trembling hands placed on her lap prevent her from reaching for the much need tea.

"I was surprised when Deanna delivered your proposal a week early", Fred says, placing his large frame in the plush chair across from her.

"You're a busy man, Fred. I wanted to give you sufficient time to review the proposal thoroughly before we met."

"And I appreciate that, Olivia", setting his tortoise shell reading glasses far down on his nose before picking up the document. Never one to waste words, Fred immediately shares his assessment of the proposal "This is good, Olivia - very good."

Olivia smiles in relief and reaches for the cup of tea.

"There are a few changes I have indicated in my notes— the most significant is your recommendation to house social service centers in the schools. I believe schools should focus solely on academics and not get distracted by trying to provide students and their families every needed service." Olivia nods as she sets the tea cup onto the saucer.

"Fred, my intent was to eliminate any reason families will have for not taking advantage of the full spectrum of services we will provide to support their children's learning. If having these centers in schools is not an option — the next best option is to locate the centers as close to the schools as possible."

"I can support the centers being located near certain schools — that's not a problem. My other changes are minor - you can read them at your leisure", Fred says, closing the folder and handing it to Olivia. "So — when can we get started on implementation?"

"Over the next few months I'll be working with community leaders and charities to understand the services they are currently providing. Where possible – I will look for opportunities to partner with those groups who are currently providing services to the community – while designing new programs. I want to have an implementation plan for your review in 90 days."

"Very good", Fred says, removing his reading glasses and setting them onto the table.

"Will there be anything else, Fred?" studying the odd expression on the man's face.

"As a matter of fact - there is. How is Thandee doing these days?"

Olivia's eyes widen and the two stare at each other for a moment. She had no idea Fred knew about Marla's daughter.

"I know all about, Marla's daughter, Olivia. Marla and I were friends. Though - I wished she had come to me rather than take those drastic measures to keep Thandee at New Horizons."

Taken aback by Fred's knowledge of Thandee's situation, Olivia sits back in the chair and listens intently.

"I understand you and your husband have been paying for Thandee's care." Olivia squints slightly, wondering how Fred knows she and Fitz are paying for Thandee's care. After the funds Marla embezzled from the city were exhausted, they agreed to pay for Thandee's expenses at New Horizon. She could not allow Marla's daughter to be moved to a state-run institution. That would have broken Marla's heart.

"I want to help."

"Help?" Olivia says, finally finding her voice.

"I want to pay for all the expenses — keep Thandee at New Horizons as long as she lives. Marla would want that." Olivia's eyes widen. "Marla and I were friends, Olivia", clearing his threat and shifting in the chair.

"Friends?" Crinkling her brow. He cannot drop a bombshell like that on her and not provide her further explanation.

"Let's just say Marla and I go back a long way. And I know what you're thinking - and the answer is no. I am not Thandee's father. Marla never talked about that part of her life."

Olivia nods slowly.

"I've spoken with my attorneys about the matter", Fred says, standing and walking over to the desk. "Starting next month – all expenses for Thandee's care will be paid through our new corporate philanthropy program. You will find the details in here", picking up a folder from the desk and handing it to Olivia. Olivia nods, trying to process what he just said. "Your husband is a very talented contracts attorney - I'm sure he'll find everything in order."

 **XXX**

Excited does not begin to describe how Olivia feels after Fred accepted her recommendation for the philanthropy program and, unexpectedly volunteered to pay for Thandee's care. She is literally jumping up and down in her office with joy. She runs over to her desk and grabs the phone from her purse, she has to call Fitz and tell him everything. He is always the first person she wants to talk to when she has good news. The knock on the door interrupts her phone call, and she looks up in surprise when she sees Kelly standing in the doorway. She slowly lowers the phone from her ear and presses the red icon to disconnect the call.

"May I speak with you, Mrs. Grant", Kelly says nervously.

"Of course, come in, Kelly", not interested in having the conversation again about how she wants to be addressed.

"I hate to disturb you, Mrs. Grant", she says nervously, looking down at the floor.

"Have a seat Kelly – please."

Kelly carefully sits on the edge of the chair, as if she is afraid she will damage it in some way. She has never sat in a such a plush chair in all her life. She glances at the bay behind Olivia, thinking the bay looks good from this office.

"It is a beautiful view – isn't it?" Olivia says, smiling as she follows Kelly's eyes.

"It is, Mrs. - Olivia", Kelly says with a smile, which she quickly erases from her face.

Olivia sits back in her chair and glances at her beeping phone, Fitz is calling her back. She taps the Decline icon. She will call him later.

"What can I do for you, Kelly?" Kelly glances down at her fidgeting fingers again and inhales deeply before returning Olivia's gaze.

"I didn't want Asha to go to Cena's birthday party", she begins slowly, and Olivia furrows her brow. "Not because Cena isn't a sweet girl – just the opposite. She is so kind and respectful. You and your husband should be proud."

Olivia stares blankly at Kelly because it all sounds so familiar.

"I didn't want Asha to see everything that she – we — don't have. The big house. The family. I didn't want her to see what I have been giving her – can give her - is far less than what her new friend already has."

"Kelly – "

"Olivia - I have lived in Tilghman all my life – that's all I know — that's all Asha knows. My mother had five children – I'm the oldest. While my mother gave birth to her children — I became their mother at an early age – when I was not much older than Asha. My mother liked to party – get high. She would leave us alone for days at a time while she was off doing her thing — which meant at nine years old I had to figure how to feed my four brothers and sisters. And when she finally decided to come back home — she would simply crawl into bed and sleep for days."

Olivia's heart hurts for the woman who is about her age, but she remains silent.

"When I finally managed to graduate high school — which was a miracle since I missed so much time — I moved out of my mother's house as fast as I could. I was happy to be free of my mother and babysitting. If I never saw another child again - it would've been too soon."

Olivia blinks rapidly, desperately trying to fight back the tears.

"But as you can see that didn't last long. Asha's father left shortly after I told him I was pregnant. So once again I was left alone to raise another child — except this time it was my own child — and I couldn't just walk away."

Losing her battle with the tears, Olivia reaches for a tissue.

"I've worked all kinds of jobs – sometimes two or three — all low-paying — to keep a roof over our heads and put food in the refrigerator. I enrolled Asha in Ebony's dance class so she could have after-school care while I worked my second job. That is the best I could do."

Olivia nods.

"I might not be the best mother, Olivia, and I sure can't give Asha the kinds of things you give Cena — but I love her all the same."

"Of course, you do", Olivia manages to croak out.

"Asha has been sad ever since I told her she can no longer be friends with Cena."

Olivia nods because Cena has been sad as well.

"Asha loves Cena - she says Cena is her BFF. She always looked forward to dance class because she would see Cena. She definitely loved going to your beautiful home – spending the weekends. Whenever she came home – she would go on and on about all of the fun she had." She shakes her head in despair.

"We love having Asha at our home - she is adorable. You should be proud."

"I don't want to lose my daughter to you and Fitz", Kelly confesses, and Olivia's eyes widen in disbelief.

"The trip to Seattle - her wanting Fitz to be her father – it all became too much. I saw my daughter slipping away from me – and I couldn't allow that. But now she's so sad."

Olivia walks from behind her desk and sits in the chair next to Kelly. She hands Kelly a tissue and places a comforting hand on Kelly's shoulder. Tears run down her cheeks, too. _Damn hormones._

"Kelly - Asha is a beautiful, smart, and funny little girl — and my family enjoys spending time with her. But - Fitz and I are very clear on who her mother is - we would never try to replace you – that is unthinkable. And yes — we live in a wonderful home - and Cena has nice things — but things don't define who we are as a family. Asha gets that. She doesn't care about the size of our home – she just cares that she can spend time with her best friend."

Kelly wipes her tears with the wad of tissues.

"And Asha certainly does not want to replace you — she loves her mommy very much. But — if I'm to be honest — there is a void in her life. She sees how Fitz interacts with Cena and Jolie -and she just wants the same thing – that's all."

"Her father doesn't want to be a part of her life. How do I tell my little girl her own father wants no part of her?" Looking at Olivia as tears stream down her face.

"Kelly, Fitz and I are more than willing to have Asha in our lives. But Kelly — we want to protect our daughter as well. I don't want Asha to come back into Cena's life and you later decide they can't be friends. That would be cruel — for both girls."

"I won't change my mind this time, Olivia. This is the least I can give my daughter."

"Of course, I'll have to discuss this with my husband."

"I understand", Kelly says, brushing the tears away with the soaked ball of tissue.

 **XXX**

When he hears the security alarm chime, Bowtie barks and begins jumping up and down and turning around and around in the family room. Jolie laughs and points to Bowtie as he dashes down the hall. Calvin frowns and shakes his head, thinking the hyperactive dog needs to be on some sort of medication.

"Bowtie", Olivia says, bending and stroking the dog's head. "You're such a good boy." Bowtie whimpers and licks Olivia's hand.

"Livvia - that mongrel needs medication — all that jumping around and barking every time someone comes to the door", Calvin snarls. Olivia shakes her head and pecks her father on the cheek, then she picks up Jolie.

"How's Miss Jo doing this afternoon?" Olivia coos as she tickles her little girl. Jolie laughs hysterically and points to Bowtie."

"Dada – dada", Jolie says, and Calvin rolls his eyes.

"I'm sure Fitzgerald would love to know his daughter mistakes the family pet for him. "How is Fitzgerald doing these days, Livvia? He seems distracted as of late."

"He's busy days, dad. With Mayor Wilson resigning – there's just so much going on."

"Mhm", Calvin grunts, unconvinced by his daughter's explanation. "Your mother is upstairs helping Cena with her homework."

"Then, I'll get dinner started", pecking Jolie on the cheek before setting her onto the floor.

 **XXX**

Still ebullient from today's outcomes, with the sound of Bruno Mars', _That's What I Like,_ playing in her head, Olivia dances toward the pantry and grabs the sack of brown rice from the bottom shelf. She dances back into the kitchen and scoops a cup of brown rice from the sack, rinses it under the running water, then dumps it into the rice cooker. She slides over to the stove, turns on the flame under the skillet, then dances over to the refrigerator and pulls out the package of chicken breasts and vegetables. She sets the items onto the counter, next to the copper farmhouse sink, and begins to slice the mushroom. She cannot wait for Fitz to get home so she can to tell him everything that happened today. Her phone vibrates on the island, so she dances over to the granite top, smiling when she sees Marcella's name display on the screen.

 **XXX**

Later that night, Fitz walk into the bedroom as Olivia scoops a generous amount of the skin caviar from the jar and rubs it onto her leg. She is still humming the song that has been playing all afternoon on a loop in her head.

"Three readings tonight", he says, unfastening his watch.

Cena and Jolie fell asleep after the second reading of _Goodnight Moon_ , but he read it a third time because he stills feel guilty about hurting his daughter's feelings a few days ago. Olivia nods, bouncing to the music in her head as she rubs the cream onto her leg.

"You've been in a good mood all evening", he says, tossing the watch onto the nightstand. He sets his phone onto the charger.

"Do you want me to make an appointment with Dr. Brennan?" They have not talked about their meeting with Ben since they left his apartment, and that was four days ago.

"Not tonight, Olivia", he says somewhat annoyed. She nods and continues to massage the cream onto her leg. "Why did you hang up on me earlier?" He asks, climbing into bed.

"Babe — Fred accepted my proposal today. He had a few minor changes — but he was impressed. He wants to move to implementation as soon as possible", she says quickly and with excitement. He smiles, because she sounds like Cena when she gets excited about something.

"That's terrific, Liv. I knew you could do it — my brilliant wife", leaning over and kissing her on the cheek. "We have to celebrate. What do you want to do?"

"I don't know, babe, I'm too excited to think right now."

"We talked about going away after you submitted the proposal. I'm not sure if that's going to be possible now. This Wilson thing has everything turned upside down."

"What do you mean?" Looking over her shoulder at his twisted face.

"I met with Barksdale this morning."

"I hope he's not another Wilson. He was the deputy-mayor after all."

"Surprisingly — he's nothing like Wilson. He's a good man — not at all interested in being mayor."

" _Really?"_

"He'll serve out the remainder of Wilson's term then retire. He and his wife have a house in Olympia — they're going to move there. Frankly - I'm somewhat jealous."

"So – who do you think will run for mayor?"

"If Johnston and Dawson have their way - it would be yours truly."

"That's terrific, babe", excitement filling her eyes. "You would make a terrific mayor - everybody loves you. What did Darius have to say?"

"I haven't decided anything yet, Liv", ignoring her question. "I don't know if I want to subject our family to another campaign so soon. Besides — we're moving and have another baby on the way. I'm not sure I want to leave you and the girls alone while I campaign." He opens his tablet and taps the Instagram icon.

"We'll be fine, babe. I'll be fine. You'll be able to do so much good for the city." He nods, continuing to scroll through the pictures he posted of Jolie's party.

"You won't believe this, babe", turning again to look at him.

"What?" Still looking down at the screen.

"Well — you know Fred Bryson and Marla were friends. I'm still not sure the extent of their friendship." He nods. "Babe, Fred wants to pay for Thandee's care — in perpetuity."

" _Really?"_ He says, now looking up from the tablet.

"Somehow he knows we've been paying for her care and he wants to do it as a favor to Marla — through the philanthropy program."

"That's very generous of him. That's one thing off your plate."

"I didn't mind, Fitz." He nods.

"Babe", she says slowly.

"Hmm?" Looking down at the screen again.

"Kelly stopped by today – while I was at the office."

"She did? What did she want?" Looking at his wife suspiciously.

"She's had such a tough life, Fitz. She wants the girls to be friends again."

"Well that's not going to happen", he says emphatically.

"But –"

" _I said no, Olivia"_ , and she recoils at the harshness of his tone. "I'm sorry Kelly has had a difficult life – but I'm not going to let her play with my daughter's feelings. I won't allow Cena to get caught up in the vortex of Kelly's vacillation. Who's to say a month from now she won't find another reason to end the friendship."

"She says Asha misses Cee — and you know Cee still misses Asha."

"It's not our job to make her daughter happy – and it damn sure isn't Cena's responsibility."

"But –"

"Cena is doing better – moving along without Asha. She'll find friends in our new neighborhood – at her new school."

Olivia reluctantly nods in agreement. Fitz is right, Cena is doing much better and she does not want her to have a setback if Kelly changes her mind again. She will have to tell Kelly reuniting is not in best interest of the girls. It is time they all moved on.

"Babe", she says slowly, setting the jar of skin caviar into her nightstand drawer. She needs to tell him about Hildie. He knows that tone, so he closes his eyes, bracing himself for the next bit of unpleasant news. "Mom told me something rather shocking – about Hilde. She said Hildie was once married - before moving to the States. She said Hildie had a baby – a little girl. Both her husband and daughter were killed in a train accident on their way to Vienna – such a shame."

"I'm sorry to hear that", smiling at the picture of Jolie he has decided to frame and hang on the wall in the family room.

"After the accident - Hildie had to be hospitalized - institutionalized - for several months. It's such a sad story. Hildie told mom Jo is the splitting image of her daughter - they could be twins - actually. They even share the same birthday. Isn't that kind of weird?" She says blithely.

" _What?"_ His head snaps up and nostrils flare with anger. "Why the hell am I just hearing about this?"

"There has been so much — "

" _There's nothing more important than the safety of this family, Olivia. Do you understand that?"_ Slammingshut the tablet cover.

"What are you talking about?" Puzzled by his reaction.

"She has to go", he snaps, without equivocation.

" _What?"_

"You heard me. Hildie has to go— tomorrow", standing quickly and tossing the tablet onto the bed.

"You're being ridiculous. This is Hildie you're talking about, Mr. Grant", mimicking Hildie's accent to make light of the situation.

"I'm not going to risk my daughter's safety because our helper might not be able to distinguish Jo from her deceased daughter. How the hell did Chuck miss this?" He says half to himself as he paces around the room.

"Are you serious? Hildie would never …." He stops pacing and looks at her wild-eyed.

"How do you know what she would do? She hid her background from us."

"Babe - I'm sure she wasn't interested in reliving that horrible story with her new employer", she says sympathetically.

"What time is she due here tomorrow?"

" _What?"_

"What time is she arriving in the morning?" Stomping back over to his nightstand and grabbing the phone from the charger. He scrolls quickly through his schedule for the next day.

"Hildie has been with us for over a year. You know how long it took us to find her", pleading with him.

"Do you want to tell her - or shall I?" His mind already made up. "I'll send Mrs. Handley a text — have her move some things around on my schedule", eyes darting across the phone screen.

"This is unfair — you're being unfair."

" _Don't push me on this, Olivia. I'm not going to knowingly put my children in danger again. You should have told me."_

"What's wrong with you? Why are you overreacting?"

" _Overreacting? We have someone who's practically living in our home and we're just finding out she's been in a mental asylum."_

" _And - so has Nora."_ She closes her eyes, instantly regretting her words. He grimaces at her then types a quick message to Mrs. Handley. "Tomorrow is Thursday — it's her day off."

"Then call her at home — tell her we no longer require her services."

"Just like that? What is she supposed to do, Fitz?" Sitting on her knees trying to reason with him.

"Write her a generous severance check", he growls, then storms into the bathroom and slams the door.


	52. Chapter 52 The Ultimatum

**A/N:** I own nothing related to the TV series Scandal. I haven't said that in a while.

 **Sweet160717** , you're too funny. I'm glad you're enjoying the story. When you write two reviews I must write two responses. Haha. Chapter 51 was intended to be a bridge between everything that has happened since Fitz and Olivia decided to get involved in politics and what is coming next in their lives. **Dendardendan** , I'm glad you like my story. Fitz is kicking butts and taking names. He is tired of the betrayals and people endangering his family (Charlie, Darius, the mayor, Victoria, Hildie, and Kelly to some degree). However, it is all beginning to take a toll on him. Hildie's husband was not AA. Her daughter resembles Jolie because Jolie is much fairer than Cena. Remember, a _long_ time ago Olivia told Mona that Jolie is all Fitz. Also, Maura often says how much Jolie looks just like Nora when she was younger. Lots of little hints like that to describe Jolie's features. **Emma** , I like the suggestion that perhaps Hildie could go back to Senegal with the Popes or volunteer at the church. Neither will happen but I like the thoughts. I also like the idea of Olivia appealing to Bryson on Kelly's behalf, but that won't happen and you will find out why in a few chapters. Also, Bryson Foods does offer an education assistance program for employees. Employees must be motivated to take advantage of the program. Kelly has a lot going on in her life, which we will learn more about in a few chapters. J **ustbecauseican43** , I'm glad you enjoyed the update. The opioid storyline was subtly introduced _waaaay_ back when by Chief Schuller when he was musing about opioid use in the mountain community where Charlie tried to kill the Grants. Schuller was the police chief that investigated the crash scene and returned the items he recovered from the crash site to the Grants. **Monica** , Marion explained to Fitz when they met with Chief Fredericks that no socio-economic group is unscathed by this drug epidemic. The wealthy and the poor are both impacted. The wealthy can still access legal opioids, but the not-so wealthy must resort to using dangerous and extremely powerful street drugs like heroin and fentanyl, which lead to overdose. (See my response above to Justbecauseica43.) Fitz wanted that meeting with Marion and Chief Fredericks because he wanted more information about opioids. Remember, a few chapters ago, during the flashback, straight-laced Fitz stopped the car in the middle of the highway and admonished Olivia for smoking weed. He told her he never smoked weed or did any kind of drug. Fitz will be doing a lot more lashing out, he is under a lot of stress. Bennie was compassionate about Fitz' plight, but he never found out that Fitz wanted to talk to him about Olivia's depression. You're right, a lot can happen in 18 months. It's going to be interesting times for the Grants. Keep on reading. Bryson is a wealthy man and like Fitz, he also has people investigated. Remember when Fitz had Bryson investigated? Well, Bryson had Olivia and Fitz investigated, too. That's how he learned they were paying for Thandee's care. **Kandyse4olitz** , Fitz is under a lot of stress and he won't be changing his mind about Hildie anytime soon, unless Olivia can convince him otherwise. **CeresHelena** , keen observation that Fitz' behavior might be putting his family's sanity at risk. **Dakidd** , Fitz is being over-protective, but he is doing what he thinks is best for his family. **Guest1** , Olivia is in unenviable position. She is pregnant, scared she is going to lose her husband to drugs, and is feeling guilty for not seeing the signs earlier that Fitz is hurting. Knowing she is ill-equipped to handle the situation, she, like other family members rely on Bennie for all things medical. Also, Marion is a bit more than Fitz' colleague: she saved Fitz' life, cared for Jolie following the crash, and is dating his brother. Olivia wants to help her husband and isn't interested keeping his secret. Family secrets can be as destructive as the drugs. **Guest 2** , yes Fitz feels like he dropped the ball relative to Charlie and needs to protect his family. Many, many chapters ago when they were at Mirage, he told Olivia that is his role. _Hint._ Let's see if the real Fitzgerald who preaches about grace is still in there. **Guest 3** , wow, you remember Olivia saying kids remember what's important to them. I'm always amazed by what you all remember and take away from this story. **Guest 4** , as I said above, Fitz has been betrayed by a lot of people and is not trusting of non-family members, not even Hildie, although he loves her cinnamon rolls. You have no sympathy for Kelly nor Fitz? SMH. Too funny. **Guest 5** , hold tight, all your questions will be answered over the next few chapters. Hilde is an abduction offense about to happen, too funny. I'm not obsessed with politics, Fitz decided to become a politician so I must write about his work. Also, this decision has had a major impact on their lives. Let's see how long your new-found respect for me lasts. LOL. Love your enthusiasm. Cheers. **Guest 6,** Bennie is going to give Olivia the name of a doctor to help Fitz. Let's see what he does with it because he is already showing signs he is not interested in talking to a _shrink_. You're right, Fitz has a lot going on, and apparently, he is not feeling too forgiving these days. Let's see if he remembers the concept of grace. **Guest 7** , remember when Fitz and Olivia returned from Mirage and Fitz contacted Bennie for advice on how to handle Olivia's depression. Olivia is now doing the same thing. She wants help for her husband and doesn't care that Marion was there.

Thanks for continuing to follow and review this story, I am grateful for the feedback. Here we go!

 **Chapter 52. The Ultimatum**

Fitz has been seething since he and Olivia left Bennie's apartment, and that was a week ago. The passage of time has not diminished his anger, not even a little, and going to church this morning will have less impact. Knotting one of his favorite silk ties, he frowns as he studies his wife's reflection in the mirror. She is curled into a tight ball; the morning sickness is taking its toll on her. The nausea seems to have started earlier than he remembers when she was pregnant with Cena and Jolie. His hardened heart softens somewhat.

"Are you going to feel well enough for church this morning? We can stay home today", watching her hug the pillow.

"I feel awful, Fitz. I just want to puke and sleep — all at the same time", Olivia whines as she tries to fight back the latest wave of nausea. He sits on the side of the bed, pulls her onto his lap, and gently rocks her back and forth. This is the least he can do to help during this phase of their pregnancy.

"Don't …." Olivia says, pressing a hand to his chest trying to stop him from moving.

"Maybe we should stay home today so you can get some rest - be near the bathroom. We can go to church next Sunday." Unaware he is making a bad situation worse.

"Please stop", she whines, trying to squirm from his embrace.

"Would you like some tea?"

" _Don't, Fitz."_

"We've been through this before — you'll be fine in a few months", pressing his lips to her cheek.

Olivia tries to peel his arms from around her, but it is too late. Her stomach lurches and the putrid liquid spills over her hands and splatters onto his shirt and tie. She manages to push him aside and dash to the bathroom for her third date with the toilet this morning. Fitz' mouth falls open as he watches the vomit drip from his favorite tie onto his pants.

 **XXX**

With her soft, loose curls bouncing around her shoulders, Cena skips down the winding path ahead of her parents, then runs up the wide concrete steps toward the double red doors. She stops and turns, waiting impatiently while her parents amble down the walkway. It has been a while since they have attended church and she is excited to see her friends at Sunday School.

"Slow down, Cena", Olivia calls from the bottom step, feeling much better after drinking a cup of hot tea and taking a shower. "Babe, where did you find that hair clip? I haven't seen it in ages."

"Cena found it in her box of hair stuff. She showed me a picture of how she wanted to wear her hair today and she needed an extra-large hair clip", shifting a sleepy Jolie in his arm.

"I'm sure the picture wasn't quite like that, babe. But you get an _A_ for effort."

Fitz assesses Cena's hair as they walk up the steps. It is a simple hairstyle: hair pulled up from the sides and clamped at the crown with the decorative clip while the rest of the hair flows down her back. Perhaps the clip could be a little tighter, but the style looks similar to the little girl's in the picture, nonetheless. He pulls the heavy brass doorknob and Cena immediately dashes inside. Olivia shakes her head at her enthusiastic daughter and Fitz plasters on his politician's smile as they enter the church. The anteroom is filled with parishioners milling about and socializing before the service begins.

"Good morning, Mrs. and Mr. Grant. Good morning, Cena. Don't you look pretty today", says Melissa, one of the Sunday School teachers, as she smiles down at the wide-eyed little girl.

"Good morning, Melissa", Olivia says politely. "Say hello to Miss Johnson, Cena."

"Hi", Cena says, anxious to get in the back with the other children.

"Good morning, Melissa", Fitz echoes his wife.

"Mom and dad are holding our seats - let the girls go back with Melissa, babe", reaching to take Jolie from his arms.

"No — I want them to sit with us today", not bothering to offer an explanation.

Taken aback by his curt response, Olivia raises a perfectly arched eyebrow, wondering what is wrong. Fitz does not bat an eye, so Olivia turns to and Melissa displays her public smile.

"The girls will be sitting with us today, Melissa. Thank you so much." Cena frowns and pokes out her bottom lip when she hears she will not be going to Sunday School.

"That's fine, Mrs. Grant – Mr. Grant. Enjoy the service. I'll see you next Sunday, Cena."

Melissa waves to Cena then turns and walks toward the children's classrooms. Cena folds her arms across her chest and pokes out her lip further, if that were at all possible. Oblivious to the change in her daughter's demeanor, Olivia waves her hand frantically when she sees Yvonne and Darius Moton standing across the hall. She quickly navigates her way through the churchgoers but Fitz remains firmly planted in his spot.

"Yvonne — Darius – it's so good to see you. It's been forever", Olivia says, pecking Yvonne on the cheek, then Darius on his. "You look terrific, Yvonne. That dress is perfect for you", stepping back and assessing the woman's designer outfit. Pretending to shield a secret from her husband, Yvonne leans over and playfully whispers into Olivia's ear.

"Well we won't tell my husband how much it cost." The two women chuckle, but Darius is not amused.

"Olivia, the girls have gotten so big", Yvonne says, staring across the hall where Fitz is standing with Cena and Jolie. Olivia looks over her shoulder and beckons her husband, and he silently groans. He has not seen Darius since the argument in his office and has absolutely no interest in pretending to be social to the man. However, he remembers where he is, so he walks over to his wife.

"Hello Yvonne — Darius", Fitz says glumly.

"It's good to see you, Fitz", Yvonne beams and Darius grunts something unintelligible.

"How are the boys, Yvonne?" Olivia asks.

"They're fine - growing like weeds and as rambunctious as ever. They're in the back with Melissa. You're lucky to have girls, Olivia."

"Girls can be a handful, too. Cena is — "

"We better get to our seats, Liv", Fitz interjects, interrupting the chatter he knows will go on forever.

"Yvonne - let's get together soon for lunch. I'll call you. Take care, Darius", Olivia says, reaching down to take Cena's hand. "What's the matter, Cee?" Olivia asks when she feels her daughter pulling away her hand.

"I want to play on the computer with Deon", eyes welling up with tears. Fitz rolls his eyes and sighs at the mention of the boy's name.

"Let her go, Fitz. She misses her friends. It's been a while."

"Do you want to go to Sunday School or do you want to sit with daddy?" Looking down at his daughter's pouty face, and Olivia rolls her eyes at his shameless attempt to sway Cena.

" _Sunday School"_ , Cena replies excitedly, eyes now wide with anticipation. The corner of her father's mouth twitch slightly and Olivia summons everything within her to stifle the laugh that is threatening to escape her mouth.

"Are you sure, Princess?" Trying to will his daughter to change her mind.

"Fitz — please. Just let her go." He looks at his wife and sighs again.

"Fine - take Jo inside while I walk Cena back to Sunday School", placing Jolie into his wife's arms and giving her a look that says, _don't you dare laugh_. As Olivia walks toward the sanctuary, she smiles broadly, thinking _he has lost out to Deon again._

 **XXX**

Now that everyone is settled in their seats, Rev. Walker makes his way to the pulpit and begins to read the announcements listed in the church bulletin. First, he discusses the upcoming Father's Day breakfast, reminding wives and children to take care of dad on that special day. Next, he thanks the local florist for donating the beautiful flowers in the sanctuary. Finally, with a broad smile, he announces the new school is on schedule to open in the fall, and the crowd goes wild. He thanks everyone who has graciously donated their time and money to support the project. He gives a special thanks to Calvin and Gwendolyn Pope who have worked tirelessly to prepare the school for the fall opening before resuming their missionary work in Senegal.

The organist's fingers fly across the keyboard and the choir begins to sing. Parishioners are on their feet, clapping their hands to the harmonious voices of the singers. Others mimic the graceful movements of the Praise Dancers. The Holy Spirit is clearly moving through Triumph Tabernacle this morning. Rev. Walker closes out the service with a rousing sermon titled, _Compassion during Difficult Times_. He reminds everyone of the need to practice compassion – for themselves and for others.

After the service, Fitz seeks out Rev. Walker in the crowded hall and pulls him aside to schedule a meeting. He needs to inform the reverend of council's decision to place a one-year moratorium on new charter schools. He does not look forward to delivering the news.

"What were you talking with Rev. Walker about? I turned around and you were gone", Olivia says, stroking Jolie's back.

"I needed to schedule a meeting with him - to discuss the school."

"I'm sure he'll be happy to talk about that. Rev. Walker was so excited standing at the pulpit and giving the update on the new school."

"It won't be happening", Fitz says flatly, steering his wife through the hall by the arm.

" _What? What are you talking about?"_ Olivia says, stopping abruptly and looking up at her husband with crinkled brow.

"We'll discuss it later – when we get home. Let's go get Cena."

 **XXX**

Olivia frowns as she massages the skin caviar onto her leg. Her husband's shocking revelation has been weighing on her mind since they left church. She cannot imagine what has prompted him to halt the opening of Triumph's charter school. His Chinese wall to separate their professional and personal lives has left her out of the loop about the moratorium, and she does not like it. Walking from the bathroom, Fitz stops in the doorway, enjoying the sight of her massaging the cream onto her leg.

"I guess I'll be doing that for you in a few months. When is our appointment with Dr. Perry?"

"Two weeks. Do you want to know the sex this time?" Continuing to rub the cream onto her leg.

"I do", unfastening his wrist watch and tossing it onto the nightstand.

"So - you don't want to wait another eight months to find out we're having another girl."

"I just want our baby to be healthy, Liv."

"Sure — sure", she says playfully, twisting the lid onto the jar then setting it into the drawer.

"I'm serious. It's more important our baby is healthy — boy or girl", setting his phone onto the charger before climbing into bed. Olivia nods, turns around on the bed, and eyes him as he opens his tablet.

"Babe — what were you saying earlier about Triumph's charter school not opening in the fall?" Looking at him suspiciously.

"Council decided to put a moratorium on all new charter schools until we can get our arms around the performance disparities. Charter doesn't necessarily mean better, Liv", swiping his index finger across the screen.

"What do you mean? From what I understand— parents love charter schools."

Fitz sighs, he is not interested in discussing city business with his wife.

"What?"

"I don't want to discuss this with you, Liv."

"Well – I want to discuss it. Rev. Walker has been planning the new school for almost a year. Mom and dad have been spending all their free time there to help get it up and running - and you decide at the last minute it's not going to happen?"

" _Council_ decided."

"Don't tell me _council_ decided. You're the president of the city council - everyone knows how things work. I know how things work. Whatever the president wants the president gets."

"Perhaps Rev. Walker should've waited until the application was formally approved", Fitz says tersely.

"How can you be so cruel – uncaring. Charters are a viable option for families who want an alternate educational experience for their children. They have the right."

Fitz sighs again and closes the tablet cover. He really does not want to argue about charter schools or anything else tonight.

"Once we have the conclusions from the study — "

" _Study? What study?"_ Her voice beginning to rise.

"This is why I don't want to discuss these matters with you. You get too emotional."

"I don't believe this. Why am I just hearing about this?"

"We've already had this conversation. You're not my co-president - I don't have to consult you about my work decisions", tossing the tablet onto the nightstand. "You don't consult me about your work."

"As a matter-of-fact I do. I value your opinion", glaring at him. "What are you going to tell mom and dad?"

"They'll understand the need for additional research. It's only a year, after all", he says tiredly.

" _Only a year? They're going back to Senegal in a few weeks."_

"I don't make policy decisions based on your parents' personal schedule, Olivia. Good night", he says, pecking her on the cheek before turning off his lamp. Stunned by the abruptness with which he ended the discussion, she stares at the back of his head in disbelief.

 **XXX**

Mrs. Handley glances up at the tall man standing in front of her desk, and smiles slightly because she has a clear picture of what the council president will look like in another 20 or so years. With a mop thick white hair and piercing blue eyes, Gerry Grant is still a handsome man with a commanding presence.

"Good morning, Mr. Grant", Mrs. Handley's lips now stretched into a full smile. Gerry returns a polite smile and glances down at the nameplate on the desk.

"Good morning, Mrs. Handley. Is my son in?"

"Yes— he is, sir. I'll let him know you're here", quickly walking over to the office door.

 **XXX**

"Dad?" Fitz says with surprise as he sets the coffee cup on the saucer and springs to his feet.

"Hello, Fitzgerald."

"This is a surprise", Fitz says, walking around the desk to shake his father's hand. "I didn't know you were coming here today. To what do I owe the honor?" Smiling politely.

"May I sit down?" Gerry asks, grimacing as he quickly scans the office.

"Of course — of course. Can I get you something to drink, dad? Mrs. Handley makes the best coffee I've ever tasted. Don't tell Liv I said that", Fitz says jokingly.

"No - thank you", Gerry says as he sits on one of the chairs positioned in front of the desk and crosses his legs. Gerry smiles at the pictures of his son's family on the credenza behind the desk as Fitz returns to his seat.

"How are my granddaughters doing, Fitzgerald?"

"Cena and Jolie are well. Jo is becoming more confident in walking independently."

"Good – good. And Olivia — how is Olivia doing these days?"

"Liv is fine", refraining from revealing they are expecting another child. They agreed not to tell anyone until after their appointment with Dr. Perry.

"Good — good. Then - I'll cut to the chase. There's chatter around town you're considering a run for mayor."

"I really haven't given it much thought, dad. I've had some preliminary discussions with a few people — but I've not decided anything. Liv and I need to discuss it further."

"What the hell are you doing here, Fitzgerald?" Gerry asks in annoyance as he glances around the Second Empire-style office with disdain. Fitz squints at his father, he is not sure why the man is suddenly interested in his political career.

"Would you care to elaborate?" Lifting the cup to his lips.

 _Always the wise ass_.

"Politics is a dirty business, Fitzgerald. From time to time politicians have to get their hands dirty — do terrible things. You don't have the stomach for that."

Fitz crinkles his brow.

"You were never supposed to run for political office. You have a goddamn successful business - and you give it all up for what — to play at politics?" Fitz' face reddens.

"I couldn't sit on the sidelines forever, dad. I needed to get involved. I want to help the people", delivering his practiced speech.

"You can't help the people. Don't you know that by now? The system is stacked against _the people_. You don't know a damn thing about this city — what's really going on here — how things really work."

"And you do – I suppose?" Fit says, growing more annoyed.

"You should be running your business - taking care of your family — not pretending to be a goddamn politician." Fitz balls a hand into a fist and Gerry stands to leave.

"Give up on this nonsense of running for mayor. Go back to your business", Gerry says before leaving the office.

"Have a good afternoon, Mrs. Handley", Gerry says pleasantly.

"And you as well, Mr. Grant."

 **XXX**

Dinnertime has become a somber experience at the Grant house lately. There is little to no sharing of everyone's daily activities. Cena eats quietly, not jabbering as usual. She does not understand why her daddy is yelling a lot lately. Gwendolyn and Calvin are perturbed because Fitzgerald has terminated Hildie, but remain silent on the matter. After all, this is his house and he has the right to decide who gets to stay. Jolie, however, did not get the memo to be silent at dinner, because she is babbling loudly as she plays with her food.

"Another terrific dinner. Thank goodness Hildie was diligent in preparing extra meals. We're going to miss her cooking around here — those breakfast rolls. Mmm. The woman is a saint", Calvin says as he stares at his son-in-law.

Olivia glances at her father, silently warning him to let it go. Fitz smile at a babbling Jolie, who is making a mess of her food, and wonders how much food actually makes it into her mouth. He lifts the spoon from her hand and slides a spoonful of mashed sweet peas into her mouth.

"Dada, dada", Jolie responds, smacking her lips for more, and Fitz smiles at her green lips.

"Fitzgerald", Calvin begins slowly as he sets his fork on the side of the plate. He leans back in his chair and folds his hands.

"Yes, Calvin", Fitz says, smiling as he slides a spoonful of mashed sweet potatoes into Jolie's mouth. She bangs her hand on the tray again and squeals for more.

"Rev. Walker announced at last night's School Project meeting that you have decided to delay the opening of Triumph's charter school this fall."

Fitz' body stiffens and he slides another spoonful of mashed sweet potatoes into Jolie's mouth.

"Are you aware, Fitzgerald, how much time and effort we – _everyone_ — has invested in getting that school ready to open? Rev. Walker is devastated – we're all devastated."

Fitz closes his eyes thinking one more thing he has to deal with today.

"Dad –"

"Your mother and I want an answer, Livvia. We've been working nonstop for the past five months – and all for naught." Gwendolyn looks down at her plate and shakes her head.

"Dad – please. Not now." Her father is poking the bear.

"Yes – now, Livvia. I want Fitzgerald to look me in my eyes and tell me why he has decided to deprive marginalized children of the right to a decent education." Fitz silently sighs.

"I've met with Rev. Walker about the moratorium, Calvin, and he understands _council's_ decision", not really feeling the need to further explain city business to his father-in-law.

"What did you expect him to say? Rev. Walker is a man of God. Of course, he was going to be gracious about this assault on the poor - but he is devastated nonetheless. Moratorium is just code language for cheating poor children out of an equal education. Those children have no where near what the children of Church Falls have. They have not been given an equal chance, equal textbooks, equal amount of money, equal computers, equal quality of teachers. And now you want to take away the only chance they have for a decent education. This is criminal."

Fitz remains hunched over Jolie's high chair and closes his eyes and silently counts to 10.

"Enough, dad."

"It's not enough, Livvia. Those children in the city will never catch up with the privileged children of Church Falls if they're not given access to a good education."

" _Calvin"_ , Gwendolyn says in a warning tone, but her husband is fired up so he persists.

"Your husband is complicit in feeding the pipeline to prison — which is nothing more than a modern-day form of slavery."

" _I said enough, Calvin"_ , Gwendolyn demands.

Fitz stands abruptly, sending his stool flying backward and glares at Calvin. Cena looks up at her father and Jolie claps her hands because she likes the sound of the stool toppling to the floor.

"You don't know what the hell you're talking about, Calvin. You're now concerned about children in the city? Where the hell was your concern when you moved to Church Falls? Give me a break."

Calvin's eyes bulge and he rubs his thumb over the large silver and onyx ring he wears on his right index finger. Fitz shoots a glance at his wife before stomping from the kitchen; he has had enough. Cena jumps down from her stool and runs after her father.

"You went too far, dad", Olivia says, fuming with anger.

"I was just speaking the truth, Livvia", Calvin says smugly.

"The truth — whose truth? Why do you think your position is more valid than his? Have you been involved in the talks with the city? Have you read the research about charter schools' performance?"

"I know what's going on with the education system, Livvia", her father says in a dismissive tone.

"I understand you're upset about the school — I do. But you don't get to speak to my husband in that way. I won't allow it — not in this house. You will give him the same level of respect he gives you — nothing less."

"Livvia — "

" _Enough, dad — please._ Our eyes and hearts are shaped by our culture – our gender — our race — but that does not mean we cannot nor should not try to understand another's perspective. It certainly does not mean we have license to be disrespectful."

Olivia lifts Jolie from the high chair and storms from the kitchen to find her husband.

"You went too far this time, Calvin. You not only offended Fitzgerald — but you also managed to upset your daughter."

"Someone in this house needs to be a voice for those underprivileged children", leaning back in his chair and sucking his teeth in satisfaction.

"It might have been cathartic, Calvin — but catharsis isn't a substitute for common sense", Gwendolyn says before leaving her husband alone with his pomposity.

 **XXX**

Olivia sighs when she sees Cena once again sitting on the floor with her back pressed against the wall.

"Why are you sitting out here, Cena?" Staring down at her daughter who is stroking Bowtie's head.

"I'm waiting for daddy", she says softly.

"Take your sister and go play while I talk to daddy, baby. Okay?"

"Okay." Cena says reluctantly. "Come on, Jo", taking her sister by the hand and steering the little girl toward the family room. Olivia steps into the study and quietly closes the door behind her.

"Fitz –"

"It's not a secret that your father and I don't share the same politics – but I have always tried to respect his beliefs – even when his positions have no basis in fact. He wants to question my motivations when he doesn't have a clue about the disparities in charter schools' performance."

"Babe —"

"The man all but called me a racist, Liv. His armchair social activism is tiring. Your father is a self-righteous — arrogant ass."

" _Fitz."_

"Don't _Fitz_ me", turning from the window and looking at his wife. The hurt and anger are evident on his face. "The Great Calvin Pope — of all people — wants to preach to me about where I chose to send my child to school — I heard the slur. The man is a goddamn hypocrite."

" _Okay — that's enough."_

" _That's enough? Why is it enough? Maybe your father should have been more concerned about how he neglected his own daughter while he was running around taking care of strangers. Charity begins at home."_

" _Stop. Talking",_ flashing the palms of her hand at her husband. "I'm going to give the girls their bath and let you calm down", glaring at him before backing out of the study.

Fitz knows he has touched a sensitive nerve, but he does not care. He is fed up with everything these days. He is fed up with people taking liberties to offer him unsolicited advice. He is fed up with being scolded as if he is a child. He is fed up with people wanting to dictate how he should live his life. It is all becoming unbearable.

 **XXX**

Unable to focus on his notes for the upcoming budget hearings, Fitz stands, stretches, and looks out the window. He has been working all morning and has not accomplished much of anything. He needs a break, maybe some fresh air will help to clear his head. He tosses the ink pen onto the desk then walks from the study.

"What are you doing out here, Princess?" Looking down at his daughter who is sitting cross-legged with Bowtie at her side.

"Nothing", she says in a small voice.

"Nothing? Well, how would you and Bowtie like to go outside for a while and do nothing with me? It's a beautiful day."

"Yeah", Cena screams, quickly scrambling to her feet.

"Get Bowtie's leash and I'll meet you at the front door."

"Come on, Bowtie, we're going to do nothing with daddy." Bowtie scampers down the hall behind Cena while Fitz walks in the opposite direction, toward the kitchen.

 **XXX**

Olivia has been in the kitchen all morning preparing and freezing meals for the upcoming week. This is not how she wants to spend her Saturday. She would rather be taking a nap like Jolie rather than stirring the large pot of spaghetti sauce.

"I'm going to take Cee and Bowtie for a walk."

"What did you say?" Looking over her shoulder at her husband who is standing in the doorway.

"It's a nice day — I'm going for a walk. I'm taking Cee and Bowtie with me."

"Oh — okay. Lunch will be ready when you get back", searching his eyes to gauge his temperament. Her father's outburst last night did nothing to improve his demeanor. _Thank goodness mom and dad are out for the morning._

With the leather leash wrapped twice around his right hand, Cena holds her father's left hand, swinging their hands back and forth as they make their way down the long driveway. It is spring and their property is bursting with color. Todd, the landscaper, did a fantastic job when they moved into the house almost eight years ago. Todd planted a mix of conifers, ferns, perennials, and shrubs throughout the property. He made sure the gardens would be filled with color all year.

Inhaling deeply, Fitz fills his nose with the with rich floral scent of roses and daphnes. He smiles as he reminisces about the day he and John found the house, new construction. He liked the size of the house and loved that it sat on a one-acre lot, and the neighbors were far enough away to afford them the privacy he wanted. Sadness washes over him when he thinks in just six short weeks they will be moving from their home. As they approach the end of the driveway, Fitz turns in surprise when he hears Rufus barking and running toward them. Bowtie returns the barks, testing Fitz's strength as he tries to pull away. Fitz tightens his hold on the leash and pushes Cena behind him.

"Daddy — here comes Rufus", Cena says excitedly.

Struggling to get away from Fitz, Bowtie yelps louder as Rufus runs across the manicured lawn. Fitz grabs a large tree branch from the ground and prepares to pummel Rufus, if necessary. He threatens the dog with the tree branch and Rufus whimpers, turns tail, and scurries down the street to his approaching master.

"Daddy, Rufus wanted to play with Bowtie", not understanding her father's reaction. Fitz quickly hustles Cena and Bowtie up the driveway and back into the house.

"Cena, you must stay away from that dog. Do you understand?" He warns as they stand in the foyer.

"But —" Cena's protests are interrupted by the ringing doorbell.

"Fitz – I'm so sorry — Rufus was startled by Dave's lawn mower again. He took off running before I knew it."

" _Keep your goddamn dog on a leash, Harry — or I'll contact animal services."_ Cena eyes widen and she runs down the hall to get her mother.

"Fitz, I'm sorry", Harry tries to apologize again.

" _That damn dog could have harmed my daughter - sorry isn't good enough."_

"Fitz, Rufus has known Cena since she was a baby. You know he would never –"

" _Don't tell me what he would never do. He was clearly out of control. If you can't handle that animal then — "_

"Fitz – what's wrong? Oh – hello, Harry." Olivia says, drying her hands on the dish towel as she looks at Harry then at her husband's twisted face. Cena remains at the end of the foyer, hugging the doorframe and watching the scene unfold.

"Hello, Olivia. I'm sorry – there was a misunderstanding – Rufus got away from me –"

" _That dog almost attacked my daughter."_

"Fitz – that's not true", Harry says calmly.

" _Are you calling me a liar, Harry?"_

"Fitz, there's no need — "

" _Keep your dog off my property. Do you understand me?"_ Taking a step toward the shaken neighbor, and Olivia steps in front of her out-of-control husband.

"Harry, thank you for stopping by - I'll take it from here", Olivia says in an apologetic tone.

"I'm sorry, Olivia – Fitz. We meant no harm", Harry says, turning and walking down the steps with head bowed.

Fitz slams the door with such force, the painting they bought while on their honeymoon in Greece falls to the floor and the glass shatters. Cena runs upstairs to her bedroom and slams the door.

 **XXX**

"Are we not going to talk about what's going on?"

" _No"_ , he says through clenched teeth.

"No? What do you mean no? Will you just talk to me? I know you're angry with me for telling Ben, but –"

"We could have handled this ourselves. I didn't need you to advertise my personal affairs to my brother and his girlfriend."

"We couldn't handle it. You weren't handling it — and I didn't know how to handle it. I needed help - we needed help — and I'll do it again if it means saving our family."

"Don't get up on your high horse, Olivia. You don't know everything that's good for me – for this family."

"Well - excuse me for making the grievous mistake of trying to help my husband", throwing her hands up in despair.

"Who else did you tell?"

"What?"

"You heard me. Who else did you find the need to blab?" Taking a step toward her.

"One – I don't like the tone with which you're speaking to me. Two -"

"Did you tell your parents? Your father certainly felt emboldened the other night."

"No – of course not. Why would I?" Looking at him in disbelief.

"Well you sure couldn't wait to tell Bennie." snatching open the refrigerator and grabbing a bottle of sparkling water.

"I told you we needed to talk to Ben. There's no shame in talking about what happened. Besides — you agreed."

" _You_ needed to talk to Bennie. I only agreed under the circumstances — to satisfy you." Slamming the refrigerator door and causing its contents to shudder.

" _Whatever your reason — it's done. I wasn't going to_ _shove it under the rug. It needed to be swept into the light._ _Now it's in the open — so you can stop pretending you're all right._ _This is not about your dignity — this is about our family."_

" _You don't know every damn thing, Olivia"_ , squeezing the bottle.

" _I know you've been raging and fuming around here for days_. _I know you need to talk to someone because this lashing out has to stop._ I could accept you not wanting Asha and Cena to be friends", lowering her voice so Cena does not hear. "I could even accept you wanting to terminate Hildie - but what I can't accept is your constant state of anger."

" _I'm not in any state",_ he snarls.

"You are. You made Cena cry last week when she was simply trying to please you — as usual. Now you're fighting with the neighbors for god's sake."

" _Neighbor – singular."_

She places a hand on her hip and stares at him as if he has lost his mind. She cannot believe he wants to parse her words right now.

" _That fearsome animal was ready to attack our daughter."_

" _Rufus is ancient and barely has teeth. And what about my parents - you were rude –"_

" _Rude? I work for the citizens of the city — not your father. I don't have to explain a damn thing to him about my policy decisions."_

They glare at each other, her chest rising and falling and his face flush with anger. Neither is willing to back down. Calvin slowly enters the kitchen, he could hear their raised voices when he walked into the house.

"Is everything all right in here?" glancing back and forth at the tension on the couple's faces.

"Everything is fine dad", flashing a smile that her father does not buy. Fitz throws the bottle of water into the copper farmhouse sink and storms from the kitchen in a huff. Olivia looks at the shattered glass and shakes her head.

"Livvia – "

"I need a minute dad", flashing her palms at him. She does not want to involve her father in her marital matters. Wanting to say more, Calvin stares at his daughter for a long while, but remains silent.

"Everything is fine, dad. I'm fine – really", nervously rubbing her temple.

"I'm here if you need me", giving her a reassuring look before reluctantly turning and walking from the kitchen.

Hearing her father's footsteps fading down the hall, Olivia clamps a hand over her mouth, allowing herself one minute to silently cry. After a minute, she dries her eyes with the dish towel and walks from the kitchen to check on Cena.

 **XXX**

Fitz has begun to work at the office later and later, often calling Olivia just before dinner to let her know he will not be home for bath time. He claims he is preparing for the upcoming budget hearings, but she knows otherwise. Sitting on the sofa in the family room and watching the girls play with their toys, she is surprised when the alarm chimes, which signals her husband has arrived home. With Bowtie close behind, Cena runs from the family room and down the hall to greet her father. Jolie stands to her feet and slowly follows her sister and the family pet.

"Daddy — daddy, can we play a game tonight?" Cena asks excitedly as she jumps into his arms.

"Not tonight, Princess. Daddy has work to do", walking into the family room where Jolie is just making her way to the entrance. Cena drops her chin and pokes out her bottom lip, and Olivia sighs as she looks at her daughter's crestfallen face.

"I have work to do —I'll be in the study", Fitz says, pecking Olivia on the cheek.

"You just got home. Aren't you going to eat dinner?"

"I'm not hungry", he says, turning and walking toward the study.

As Olivia's sits on the sofa, her thoughts drift to her husband's demeanor of late. He is hurting, and when he is hurting, she hurts as well. She hurts in a place that can only be touched by him. It is the kind of hurt that, if gone unattended, will destroy both them. Shaken from her thoughts by Cena's sudden outburst, Olivia looks across the room as Cena snatches a doll from her sister's chubby little hands.

" _Stop it, Jo. That's my toy."_

" _Cena._ You don't speak to your sister like that."

"She has my doll, mommy", Cena defends.

"Let's put the toys away for the night and go upstairs. It's time for your bath", Olivia says, bending and picking up a crying Jolie.

 **XXX**

After reading _Goodnight Moon_ , Olivia stomps down the hall toward their bedroom and walks into the closet; she has had enough. It is time to end the madness. She snatches the suitcase she bought him after the accident from the shelf and drags it into the bedroom. She has been trying to give him space to get over his anger or whatever, but there is no indication things are going to change any time soon. He is angry all the time and continues to make not-so clever excuses not to see a therapist. His behavior is no longer acceptable. Fitz enters their bedroom, stopping abruptly when he sees his wife walking from the closet with an armful of his clothes.

"What is this?" His eyes darting back and forth between the suitcase on the bed and the clothes in her arms.

"You have to get help or you need to leave - tonight." Her statement has him back on his heels.

" _What?"_

"You're upset with me — I get it — but you're confusing the children."

"I'm not", he protests.

"You are. Cena sits outside the study every night because she's concerned about you. It's not a six-year old's job to worry about her father." His face reddens with anger.

"This is absurd - I'm not going anywhere", scoffing at the idea of leaving his home.

"You need solitude - time to think."

"I'm not leaving our family", watching in dismay as she tosses more of his clothes into the suitcase.

"You're not leaving us — you're going to find yourself – figure out what's wrong. And when you're done — we'll be here for you", she says, pacing back and forth and trying to hold it together.

"You're giving me an ultimatum?" He says in disbelief.

"Yes."

"Well - I don't like the terms of your demand", his face hardens as he slips into lawyer mode.

"This is not a negotiation", she retorts, and his eyes darken.

" _Where the hell am I supposed to go?"_

"To the lake house – maybe. You still have toiletries and some clothes there. Thank goodness, we decided to leave a few things up there. I've ordered food for you - it should arrive in the morning — maybe around 10."

She knows she is rambling, but she cannot stop talking, she cannot stop moving. If she stops, she knows she will break down, and breaking down is not an option. Fitz pinches the bridge of his nose, trying to stave off the headache that is building behind his eyes.

"This is ridiculous. What do we tell the girls?"

"I'll handle Cena."

"I have work to do if you've forgotten while you're busy making decisions for me", his words dripping with sarcasm.

"Mrs. Handley knows you'll be away for a while", and that statement sends him over the edge.

" _You had no right. Who the hell do you think you are contacting my assistant? You've crossed the line, Olivia."_

" _I have every right. I am your wife and I will not stay silent — look the other way - while you remain stuck in this purgatory. I will not be a part of your self-destruction."_

With chests heaving, they stare at each other for a long time, but she will not capitulate to his ranting and raving. So, she walks over to the drawer and grabs more shirts, and his eyes widen, wondering how long she thinks he is supposed to be gone.

"We have an appointment with Joan tomorrow— we close on the house."

"I've rescheduled our appointment. I can't think about moving when our current home is crumbling around us", dropping the pile of shirts into the suitcase and shattering his last excuse. So, he goes for the jugular.

" _I'm not leaving my family - we've been down that path once before - if you've forgotten",_ snatching the suitcase from the bed and throwing it to the floor.

"You. Should. Go. _Now_ ", folding her arms across her chest.

Fitz knows he cannot break her resolve once she has made up her mind. He is fraught, so he raises the heel of his shoe and kicks the luggage across the room with such force it collides with her vanity table, toppling over makeup and bottles of perfume onto the silver tray. Olivia jumps back and stares at him with wide eyes. The tension in the bedroom is palpable, and this time, there is no one nearby to interrupt the stare-down. Any eternity seems to have passed before he decides to relent.

" _Fine - make the damn appointment if that'll make you happy."_

 **XXX**

Olivia is typically an early bird, rising before her husband to get Cena ready for school and feed Jolie breakfast. But these days, she can barely lift her head from the pillow long after the sun has peaked through the curtains. This baby is draining all her energy and she just wants to sleep. She pulls the covers around her shoulders, allowing herself a few more minutes to enjoy the warmth of the bed before starting her day. After a minute, she groans, because her plan is foiled once again by the feeling of nausea and the need to empty her bladder. She crawls from the bed and drags herself to the bathroom, which has become her least favorite room in the house.

Thirty minutes later, Olivia finally makes her way downstairs for a much-needed cup of hot tea, and quickly realizes she is alone in the house. Fitz has left for work and Cena is at school. Her mother has left a note on the granite island top stating she and Calvin have taken Jolie with them for the day.

Caressing the mug of hot tea, Olivia enjoys the solitude of their home. She has forgotten what it is like to spend time alone in the beautiful house with her thoughts; there is always so much activity swirling around the house. She leans back in the chair and brings the mug to her lips; the hot tea has quelled the nausea and her stomach is no longer lurching. She is starting to feel better. A smile plays on her lips as she slowly scans the room, reflecting on the wonderful times they have had in the beautiful kitchen over the years. From serving as Fitz' official food testers, to helping Cena with her homework, to entertaining family and friends, the kitchen has been the heart of their home. She brings a finger to her lips, smiling as she remembers coming home one day and finding Fitz bathing baby Jolie in the sink.

She carries the mug to the family room, sits on the sofa, and pulls the cashmere throw over her legs. She smiles at the sounds of birds chirping and tweeting; their backyard is a virtual aviary. She wonders if the goldfinch has returned this year. Taking another sip of tea, Olivia runs her fingers through her shoulder-length hair, she is long overdue for a haircut, but sitting in the salon for hours is not a priority. Fitz needs her right now, so everything else has to take a backseat.

Tears well in her eyes as she thinks about how much she misses her husband. She looks down at the floor and thinks how she misses his laugh, especially when he is playing with the girls and allowing Cena to win another game. She misses the private time in their bedroom at night where they discuss their hopes and dreams. She misses the feel of his mouth gliding over her body when they make love. Brushing away a tear from her cheek, she thinks about the man who was raging in their bedroom a few nights ago. That man is not her husband. That is a man who is hurting, a man who is in pain, and that breaks her heart. She glances at the clock on the small table and quickly downs the remainder of the tea. It is time to get dressed.

 **XXX**

Olivia exits the elevator on the third floor of City Hall, her heels clickety-clacking on the marble floors as she walks toward the reception area. Relieved she no longer has to interact with the former obnoxious assistant, who always made her feel like she needed an appointment to see her own husband, Olivia smiles when she sees Mrs. Handley sitting at the desk.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Grant. It's so good to see you again", Mrs. Handley says with an inviting smile.

"Hello, Mrs. Handley, it's good to see you as well. Is my husband available?" Glancing over at the office door that is slightly ajar.

"Yes — he is. Go right in, Mrs. Grant."

 **XXX**

The sight of him shrouded by the warm glow of the sun takes her breath away. He looks relaxed, at peace, and that makes her sad because he no longer looks like that at home. She watches him smile as he lifts the coffee cup to his lips, and wonders what he is reading. He is so studious, a hard worker, who digs deeps to understand the substance of issues.

"What's so funny?" She asks, slowly entering the office and closing the door. Fitz glances up from the document and the twinkle immediately fades from his eyes.

"Liv — what are you doing here? Is something wrong?" Squinting as he lowers the cup to the saucer.

"Can't I visit my husband?" Smiling somewhat nervously, which is odd, because she should not feel uneasy around her husband. "You left before I woke this morning."

"I didn't want to disturb you - you're sleeping later these days." She nods and takes a few steps toward the huge, ornately designed desk that separates them.

"I thought we could go together for our appointment with Dr. Brennan." His face reddens and his lips form a tight, straight line.

"I told you I would be there. I don't need an escort, Olivia", he snarls, tossing the document onto the desk. She inhales deeply again; she will not be baited into another argument.

"I know we agreed to meet there - I just thought afterwards we could have an early dinner — alone — down on the waterfront." He stares at her, the love of his life, the mother of his children, and he does not know what to say.

"What's the matter, Fitz? Tell me", she pleads and he stares at her a while longer.

"We should go", downing the rest of the soothing coffee then sliding on his suit jacket. He walks around the desk, intertwines his hand with hers, then walks from the office.

 **XXX**

Before they left Mirage, Avril advised them to do three things to reduce the stress in their marriage: Fitz should hire someone to help him at the office. They should hire a housekeeper to help Olivia around the house. And, they should find a therapist in their area to continue the work they started with her. After much research, they found Dr. Brennan, who proved to be more orthodox than Avril, but met the needs of Fitz and Olivia. In the beginning, they were diligent about meeting weekly with Dr. Brennan. But after a while, one week turned into two; two turned into a month; and a month turned into nothing.

"Olivia — Fitz, it is so good to see you again", Dr. Brennan says when he enters the office wearing the familiar sweater vest Olivia finds endearing.

"Hello, Dr. Brennan. It's so good to see you again. Thank you for making time to see us on such short notice", Olivia says with a nervous smile as she shakes the man's hand.

"Of course, Olivia — anytime", extending a handshake to a stoic Fitz, which he accepts without enthusiasm.

"Have a seat — please", Dr. Brennan says, motioning his hand toward the well-worn, yet comfortable leather sofa.

"So — why are you two here today? What can I do for you?" Glancing back and forth at the couple with his warm brown eyes.

"Dr. Brennan, Fitz is having panic attacks", Olivia says quickly and without preamble.

"I see", Dr. Brennan says with a nod.

"I _had_ one or two", Fitz says tersely and Olivia rests her hand on his thigh.

"Fitz - a panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear that triggers severe physical reactions when there is no real danger or apparent cause. The symptoms usually last 10-15 minutes. Sometimes sufferers think they are having a heart attack. Is that what you've been experiencing?"

Fitz nods.

"Sometimes people only have one or two panic attacks in their lives, and occurs when they're under extreme amounts of stress or pressure. Have you been under any unusual stress and pressure lately."

"We all have stress", Fitz responds defensively, and Dr. Brennan nods.

"Fitz — you and your family experienced an extremely traumatic event several months ago. What happened was not an accident of circumstance. It was intentional. It was attempted murder."

Fitz and Olivia cringe because they never used those words to describe what Charlie did to them.

"Tell me how you handled the fact that someone tried to kill you and your family."

"I don't understand the question", Fitz says tightly. Dr. Brennan nods and Olivia nervously twists her wedding rings.

"I understand you've had occasion to take pain medications – opioids – after your recuperation."

"I only took them a few times. I no longer take them", Fitz says, swiping away a tiny piece of lint from his pants leg. Dr. Brennan nods and scribbles something onto the yellow legal pad.

"You say the first panic attack occurred at your vacation home. Is that correct?"

"That's correct", Fitz says, slowly nodding his head.

"Were you still in physical pain when you went to your vacation home?"

"No - I was feeling much better by then."

"Yet you took the pills with you?" Feeling cornered, Fitz turns crimson red and he clenches his jaw.

"As I said – I no longer take the medication."

Fully aware Fitz is not answering his questions and is being defensive, Dr. Brennan scribbles on the yellow legal pad and moves on to another line of questioning. He knows how far to push a patient, especially on the first visit.

"You two have very busy lives. Over the past year, Fitz — you started a new career in politics. Being in public service can be extremely rewarding —but I don't have to tell you it comes with its own set or stressors. Olivia, you are also now working in a new and demanding job. And now you're preparing to move to a new home."

Fitz and Olivia nod.

"Being over-scheduled, over-booked, and over-extended will contribute to stress. Fitz, when was the last time you did something you really enjoy?"

Fitz frowns and looks to the left at his wife, silently asking her when was the last time they did something fun.

"I mean _you_ , Fitz. When was the last time _you_ had fun — alone — without your wife — without your children?"

Olivia looks at Dr. Brennan skeptically, she does not like the question. Fitz continues to stare at his wife, and she squeezes his hand, encouraging him to answer the question. He clears his throat and looks back at Dr. Brennan.

"I love my family, Dr. Brennan."

"I don't doubt that", the doctor says as he leans back in the chair, doodles on the yellow legal pad, and waits for Fitz to answer the question.

"Well — we — I've been busy, as you've noted.", nodding at the yellow legal pad resting on Dr. Brennan's knee."

Dr. Brennan nods.

"Maintaining a healthy level of stress has many positive benefits - but there is a thin line between healthy and negative stress that we all cross from time to time. You have to take care of yourself, Fitz — do the things you enjoy as an individual - so you have the strength to take care of your family."

"Are you saying to stop the attacks I need to _play_?" Fitz says with sarcasm.

"In part — yes. Getting caught up in something you enjoy doing is a great way to relieve negative stress - it refocuses your mind."

"He's a fencer – used to be. Master of the Sword", Olivia chimes in.

"That was years ago, Liv."

"When was the last time you were on a piste, Fitz?"

"It's been years."

"Obtaining Master of the Sword is no easy fete. You had to be really good."

Fitz nods with a slight smile.

"You might want to think about getting back onto a piste — or rekindle another passion you let die – or even find a new one. Think about it. Well - our time is up for today. If you like - we can set up another appointment."

Olivia nods and pulls out her phone.

"Not you, Olivia. I would like to meet with Fitz— alone", smiling kindly at the eager wife.

Olivia glares at Dr. Brennan, then looks at her husband, waiting for him to object, waiting for him to say he needs her there. But he does not.

"I'll be fine, Liv", giving her a reassuring smile. Olivia stares into his eyes for a while, then drops the phone back into her purse. _He has to do this on his own._


	53. Chapter 53 I'm On Your Side

**AN:** Sorry for the late update, the past month has been so busy with work, travel, birthdays, showers, graduations — okay, enough excuses. I appreciate those who nudged me for an update. **Sweet160717** , write as many reviews as you like, I enjoy your enthusiasm. That was a low blow when Fitz mentioned Olivia parents abandoning her as a child to help other people. But, couples sometimes say hurtful things, especially when they are hurting. That was an important moment. Don't forget it. Olivia will not be leaving that house with two children and pregnant, not this time. Yes, Fitz can be a nerve-wrecker when he is in one of his moods. He probably needs some loving, but he won't be getting any until he resolves what's going on with him. Hold tight. **Monica** , Fitz' anger escalated with each interaction, starting with Darius, Big Gerry, Calvin, then poor Rufus and the neighbor. The man is definitely on the edge. Interesting you side with Calvin about the school matter. Fitz better go to therapy or take his bags to the lake house, Olivia won't have it any other way. **Dendardendan** , keen assessments. Let's see how things play out. **Emma** , you're right, it is difficult for Olivia to see her husband descend into this person she does not recognize. That man is not her Fitz. We'll see how she tries to help him return to the man she loves. **noro** , the Grants are having challenges right now, but it's necessary so they can finally put the past behind them. **kelleekellkell** , glad you're still enjoying the story. You're right, Olivia is fighting for her family and marriage. She is willing to send Fitz packing to save the family unit. **CeresHelena** , Dr. Brennan can help with your stress. Haha. **Guest 1** , there is more to Fitz' anger than Liv telling Bennie and Marion about his opioid usage. We'll find out in the next chapter what is really going on with him. Good point, Liv has put up with a lot of the Grants' craziness, but Calvin disrespected the man in his own house. Fitz didn't think to tell the Popes about the moratorium because he is dealing with a lot. **Guest 2** , compelling? Thanks. Glad you're still enjoying the story. Dr. Brennan is definitely going to get to the bottom of what's going on with Fitz. **Guest 3** , the story isn't going in circles. You have to read closely, but I understand this story no longer serves your needs. **Guest 4** , yes, Fitz is in an emotional free fall. Liv didn't call Dr. Brennan initially because she wasn't thinking clearly. She was shocked to discover that her husband was having panic attacks and using opioids. Secondly, she, like all the other Grants, go straight to Bennie with all medical issues. Remember, long ago when Fitz was in the hospital, Bennie complained to Marion about the family thinking he can answer all their medical questions. Oftentimes, there is one person in a family who everyone relies on because they have special skills/knowledge. Olivia always defends her husband, even when her father is the offender. **Guest 5** , Gerry is tactless. But remember, if Fitz becomes mayor, Gerry and his cronies will never get to privatize the police department. Fitz is confusing the children because he is no longer the playful, loving father. Interesting, the man who puts family above all cannot see he is harming his family, especially his Princess.

Here we go!

 **Chapter 53. I'm on Your Side**

 _ **Tuesday Afternoon**_

For the past week-and-a-half, Fitz has been leaving City Hall and making his way through the late afternoon traffic for his sessions with Dr. Brennan. The appointments are not on his official schedule, and he is sure Mrs. Handley wonders where he goes every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon. He appreciates she has not asked because he is not interested in telling his assistant that he has been coerced into seek counseling.

Fitz is always punctual for his sessions, a habit drilled into his head as a kid by his father and reinforced by the Navy. He arrives five to ten minutes before his scheduled appointment, and the routine is always the same. He and Dr. Brennan exchange greetings, where Dr. Brennan asks him how he is doing, and Fitz responds with the perfunctory _fine_. Then, silence befalls the room for the next 50 minutes, allowing Fitz to lose himself in his thoughts and Dr. Brennan to doodle on the yellow legal pad that teeters precariously on his knee. Little to no counseling occurs, and today is no different.

With legs crossed and chin resting on his fist, Fitz sits on the comfortable sofa, staring out the window across the room. A steady stream of thoughts flow through his mind, and he silently sighs when he thinks about all the things he should be doing at the office instead of sitting on a shrink's sofa. His first budget hearing as president of city council is next month and he is none-too excited. Over the years, he has seen the news reports of council budget hearings; they can get quite rowdy.

He sighs again as he thinks about council going on summer hiatus after the hearings have ended. The three-month break will give him and Olivia time to settle into their new home and find a school for Cena. Although he has been researching the selective private schools in the city that have a diverse student body, faculty, and administrators, his mouth twitch when he thinks about transferring Cena from Church Falls Elementary School. He attended the Church Falls schools and he wanted his children to have a similar experience. He shakes the unpleasant thoughts from his mind and replaces them with something more appealing, like spending time up at the lake house for a few weeks with Olivia and the girls before council and school resume in September.

Dr. Brennan glances down at his watch then looks over at a pensive Fitzgerald Grant. The ppursed lips and rigid body indicate he is suppressing anger. He has seen the angry and disinterested expression many times on the faces of people who have sat on that sofa. These people were usually mandated to attend therapy, either by court order, by order of their employers, or by order of a family member. Clients who enter therapy voluntarily are motivated and ready to change - they do not look like the man sitting across from him.

"Why are you here, Fitz?"

Interrupted from his thoughts, Fitz looks up with knitted brow, he is not quite sure if he heard the question.

"Excuse me?"

"Why are you here? This is your third session and you've not said more than _hello_ since you've started coming here. It's obvious this is the last place you want to be. So again - why are you here?"

Fitz stares at Dr. Brennan for a long while before responding in a flat and unemotional tone.

"Olivia insisted."

"I see. Do you do everything Olivia insist you do?" Fitz glares at the man stone-faced.

"I'm not a child", he says in pouty tone.

"I didn't ask if you were a child. I asked if — "

" _I know what you asked."_

Unperturbed by the harsh response, Dr. Brennan continues to stare at Fitz, waiting for an answer to his question.

"I love my wife and will do anything to make her happy", he says flatly.

"So - the only reason you're here is to make Olivia happy."

Fitz grimaces at the man. Hearing the words come from Dr. Brennan's mouth makes him sound like a child who is trying to please his parent. He grows angrier.

"What will happen if you stopped coming here — didn't come here?"

Fitz remains silent.

"You know you can just sit on a park bench every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon for an hour — not come here - Olivia would be none the wiser. You would save yourself a lot of money."

Face set hard, Fitz stares at the doctor for a moment, then turns and stares out the window, retreating in his thoughts again. As silence fills the room, Dr. Brennan resumes doodling on the yellow legal pad.

"She'll send me away — insist I leave our home. I don't want to lose my family — so I come here", struggling to stop his voice from cracking.

"You have to want to be here, Fitz. You have to want to uncover the source of your anxiety. You have to do it for yourself— not because you're afraid of losing your family."

The clouds are beginning to shield the sun, so Fitz glances down at his watch, stands, and walks over to the door. He grabs the doorknob to exit the office.

"I will see you on Thursday", he says before exiting the office.

 _ **Tuesday Evening**_

Jolie bounces up and down in the high chair, struggling to escape the restraints of the high chair when she hears the alarm chiming. Her father has arrived home.

"Dada — dada", Jolie squeals, banging her hand on the tray as she looks over at her mother.

"Calm down, Jo", Olivia says, shaking her head as she walks from the stove to unbuckle her overly excited daughter from the high chair.

"Dada — dada."

"Go to dada — please", Olivia says as she stands Jolie onto the kitchen floor.

When Jolie's feet touch the tiled floor, she quickly waddles from the kitchen in search of her father. Olivia shakes her head again, hoping this new baby will show her the same degree of enthusiasm Cena and Jolie show Fitz. Maybe she needs to have a boy to get that kind of attention.

 **XXX**

Since Fitz has started meeting with Dr. Brennan, he appears to be less withdrawn from the family, and has stopped lashing out in anger. He no longer calls Olivia at the last minute to inform her that he is working late at the office. And, instead of immediately retreating to the study after dinner, he now joins Olivia and the girls in the family room. Although he is doing all the right things, Olivia knows her husband - she knows he is pretending. She knows he is still angry, so she begins to put her plan into action.

"Babe - I've been thinking about what Dr. Brennan said - maybe you should think about taking up fencing again."

"I don't need a hobby, Olivia", he says curtly.

"Well – maybe you should do something else you find fun – something that makes you happy."

"I am happy - I don't need to go on a quest for happiness", he responds brusquely. Not wanting to further irritate her husband, Olivia decides to drop the hobby discussion for the night.

"How are your sessions going with Dr. Brennan?" She asks cautiously. Respectful of his privacy, she has refrained from asking him about the sessions, but tonight her curiosity has gotten the better of her.

"Fine", he says flatly, not bothering to volunteer any details.

"That's good", twisting her wedding set as she stares at his profile. She expected him to say more — to tell her that his sessions with Dr. Brennan are helping, but he reveals nothing. Instead, he dips his head and continues reading something on the tablet.

"I'm going to visit Mona tomorrow at the foundation - Marcella accepted the job. She's going to be a big help to Mona."

"That's good", he says, not looking up from the screen.

"Daddy, look at me, daddy", Cena yells as she demonstrates the somersault she learned in gymnastics class today. Fitz looks up from his tablet and smiles as his daughter does a forward flip across the floor.

"Ta-da", Cena says, rolling onto her feet then standing straight up with her arms all the way up in the air.

"That was terrific, Princess." Cena smiles and prepares to do another somersault.

"Babe, the girls have a dentist appointment next Wednesday — after school. Do you think you can pick Cee up from school?" Cena looks over at her mother with eyes stretched wide.

"Of course," he says, opening the calendar app on the tablet. "What time is the appointment?"

"I don't want to go to the dentist, daddy. It hurts."

Jolie looks at Cena when she hears the fear in her sister's voice. Jolie has been to the dentist once and is clueless whey the mention of the dentist has upset her sister.

"It'll be all right, Princess. I'll be there with you."

"I don't like the noise." Cena places her hands over her ears and Jolie places her hands over her ears, too.

"You can wear your earbuds — listen to music. Okay?"

"Okay", Cena says, nodding her head up and down. Jolie nods her head, too.

"Maybe we can go for ice cream afterwards. Would you like that?"

"Yeah, Jo. Daddy's going to take us for ice cream — but you can't have any." Jolie gives her sister a perplexed look.

"Jo can have a fruit icee, Cee", Olivia says.

"You can have a fruit icee, Jo. Okay?" Cena says, nodding her head up and down. Jolie smiles and nods her head, too.

"Okay, Cena — it's bath time", Olivia says, standing and looking at her husband because she has been giving the girls their baths for the past few weeks. She could use a little help.

"I'm going to stay down here a little longer", Fitz says, glancing at her before quickly returning his attention to the tablet screen.

 _ **Wednesday Morning**_

Olivia pulls her phone from her purse and opens the security app to disarm the alarm at the foundation. She knows Mona is watching her on her phone, so she waves her hand at the camera before unlocking the door.

"Olivia, it's so good to see you", Mona purrs as she walks into the waiting room. "You look absolutely wonderful", arms outstretched and beckoning Olivia for a hug.

"You look terrific as well", pecking Mona on the cheek.

"Come on back and let's catch up over a cup of tea."

"That sounds nice", quickly scanning the waiting room.

Trailing behind Mona down the hall to the private office space, Olivia glances in her old office, and a feeling of nostalgia washes over her. She spent so many years in that small space trying to build a foundation to help people with the water issues. She cannot believe how much her life has changed since those early days. When she enters Mona's office, she remembers that Mona's office is smaller than her old office. Time away from the foundation and perspective helps her to see the contrast.

"Sit down, Olivia", Mona says, setting a mug of hot tea on the desk in front of her. "I'm now hooked on this tea Maura left here. I've been buying it ever since."

"Thank you, Mona", setting her purse on the desk and sitting in the singular small chair positioned in front of the desk. Olivia closes her eyes as she lifts the mug of steaming tea to her lips. "Mmm - Maura really upped our game when she bought this tea to the foundation. Freshly brewed tea is so much better than those old teabags we were using."

"It certainly is. How is Maura these days? We didn't get a chance to catch up at Jolie's party — which was fabulous I might add."

"I think Maura is still trying to figure out what she wants to do with the rest of her life. For now — she's trying to help Nora to heal."

"Mothers sacrifice for our children. By the way, your mother outdid herself with the decorations. I've never seen so many balloons. And the ceremony — I had to use Tom's handkerchief to stop the tears. You Grants have wonderful traditions, Olivia."

"Oh — I have something for you, Mona", pulling out two picture frames from her large purse. "This picture is from the party — of course. Fitz selected this one to add to the wall in the family room. And here's a picture of Cena, too."

Mona smiles adoringly as she stares at the pictures.

"I know I say this every time – but you and Fitz make beautiful babies."

"Thank you, Mona. I think so, too", Olivia says with a chuckle.

"So how are things going at Bryson's? I know you've been working on the proposal" Mona asks as she brings the mug to her lips. Olivia's eyes brighten and she smiles.

"I submitted the proposal to Fred two weeks ago. He loved it, Mona", clasping her hands together with excitement. "I was so nervous. I'd never done anything like that before."

"Olivia — you've written many grant proposals for this foundation over the years."

"I know— but this was different, Mona. I knew about water — but I didn't know anything about establishing a multi-million-dollar philanthropy program. Thank god for Donald."

"Who's Donald?"

"He's the director of the Diatell Institute - a local think tank on corporate philanthropy. He was so generous— allowing me access to his resources."

"You better be careful accessing his resources. The Fitzgerald Grant I know will not take too kindly to that", Mona laughs but Olivia does not join in as usual.

"Is something wrong, Olivia? Is Fitz all right?"

"He's under so much stress right now, Mona."

"I would imagine so with Wilson resigning. But if you asked me – that crook couldn't resign soon enough."

"The budget hearings are coming up next month and Fitz has proposed some radical changes. Although he has the support of council — I'm not sure how the community is going to respond."

"What do you mean — if you can tell me? I don't want you to violate any confidences."

"Mona – Fitz – the council - has voted to halt the opening of new charter schools until more research can be done on their effectiveness."

"I think that's a damn good idea", Mona says without hesitation.

" _Mona."_

"Olivia, my friend's grandbabies are in charter schools. She put them in there because they were promised a better education – but it's been nothing but a mess. The children don't have all the textbooks they need, computers are almost non-existent, and that building really needs major work. The place leaks when it rains – and there's no heat on hot days. Gayle says she's not seeing any improvement in her grandbabies test scores. I know there are some good charter schools — but a lot aren't. I agree with Fitz"

"Well my father doesn't."

"Your father? What does your father have to do charter schools?"

"Rev. Walker was planning to open a charter at Triumph this fall. Mom and dad have been helping the church build the curriculum— get the school ready to open in September. This moratorium halts their efforts. My father had no problem voicing his displeasure to Fitz. It wasn't pretty – to say the least."

"Hmm", Mona says, sipping her tea.

"I know that tone, Mona. What are you thinking?"

Mona sets the mug onto the desk, leans back in her chair, and twiddles her thumbs. She ponders if she should speak what is on her mind. She does not want to overstep, and she certainly does not want to offend her friend.

"Mona …"

"Olivia, I know you love your parents and your parents love you very much. They are passionate about their social work and apparently have instilled that in you." Mona stops to gauge Olivia's reaction, and Olivia nods for her to continue.

"How much longer are your parents planning to remain in the States — live in your home?"

"They were planning to return to Senegal in two weeks— but the turn of events at Triumph has changed their plans. Why do you ask?"

"Olivia, I know your parents left Senegal to support you and Fitz after the accident."

"Attempted murder, Mona. Charlie tried to murder my family."

Mona nods slowly in agreement and continues with caution.

"I'm sure they've been a fantastic help around the house – but …" Olivia looks at her friend curiously because Mona is never at a loss for words. "You remember I told you about the time my brother moved in for a while with Tom and me?"

Olivia nods.

"Bringing people into your home to live — even family — can be a tricky thing. They sometimes forget their place."

Olivia frowns.

"A husband and wife need privacy to argue and swing from the chandeliers without worrying about family interfering — especially parents. When Tom and I argued, my brother thought he needed to jump in to defend me. He didn't get that Tom is my husband and married couples sometimes argue. Fitz is your husband, Olivia - that man loves you and those girls more than anything — will do anything for all of you - everyone knows that. He does not need your father reprimanding him in his own home about decisions he makes for his job."

Olivia listens intently and slowly nods her head.

"Have you thought — perhaps — it's time for your parents to return to Senegal — sooner rather than later?"

"Mona …."

"Olivia, I get you enjoy having your parents around — but sometimes people can overstay their welcome. If your parents choose to stay in Church Falls longer than they planned — then maybe they should rent an apartment. You and Fitz need your space."

With brow crinkled, Olivia pounders what Mona has said, then quickly changes the subject.

"How's Arnold — how's your brother doing, Mona?"

Mona nods her head, realizing Olivia does not like her advice, so she shifts with Olivia to the next topic. "Not good. I'm waiting for the phone call any day now."

"Oh, Mona — I'm so sorry. What can I do?"

"Nothing, Olivia. It is what it is. Life is short and we all have to do a better job taking care of ourselves. My brother didn't take care of his body - in fact – he abused it for years. All the partying finally caught up with him. I'm going to have to go to Texas when he passes. I promise — the foundation will only be closed for a few days."

"Nonsense, when the time comes - you take as much time as you need. In fact - you should go there now - before …." Mona raises her hand in a stopping position and shakes her head from side to side.

"That's kind of you — but I need to be home with Tom. He needs me - I can't do anything for my brother. Besides — there is so much that needs to be done here", looking around the office.

"Mona - Marcella accepted the position — you now have help. Take as much time as you need", sliding a hand across the desk and squeezing Mona's hand.

"That's terrific – but I need to be here to get her up to speed."

"Well it's your call. And, Mona – take my old office. It's not much bigger – but it should be yours now."

 _ **Wednesday Afternoon**_

It was late afternoon when Olivia finally left the foundation, she and Mona had a lot of catching up to do, and Mona certainly gave her a lot to think about. As she maneuvers the car through the traffic, she glances at the clock on the console then voice dials Ben.

When Olivia arrives at Ben's apartment, the two old friends greet each other with warm hugs and kisses.

"Liv – it's good to see you", Ben says, opening his arms for a hug.

"It's good to see you too, Ben", returning the hug and pecking him on the cheek.

"Come in—have a seat. Can I get you something to drink?

"No – I'm good, Ben."

"How's my goddaughter?"

"She's getting into everything now that she's walking."

"I'm sure she is. We'll have to schedule time to come over for a visit."

"I'm sure she'll love that", Olivia says, pacing around the room.

"What's the matter, Liv? You seem upset."

"Fitz was delaying going to a therapist – and I finally put my foot down – gave him an ultimatum."

"That's good. It was probably the kick in the pants he needed."

"He's angry, Ben. He's pretending he's not – but I know him. I hope I'm doing the right thing — insisting ..."

"You did the right thing. Fitz has to get to the bottom of what's causing the panic attacks."

"I just don't want to push him into taking those pills again."

"Liv — you can't fix this for Fitz - he has to do it for himself and therapy is part of the process."

"The doctor says he needs to do something he loves — something just for himself — not with the family."

Bennie nods.

"I was thinking - maybe you can take him to a wrestling match - he hasn't gone in years. There's one next week at the Dome — I checked", she adds quickly. Ben smiles thinking how fortunate his brother is to have someone who loves him as much as Olivia does.

"We never used the season passes he bought for us. I'll call him — twist his arm", Ben laughs.

"Thanks, Ben - you'll never know how much this means to me."

"We're family, Liv. We're more than family", Ben says, giving his sister-in-law a tight hug.

"Oh, Olivia — I didn't realize you were here. I must look a mess - I just got in from the gym – took a quick shower", Marion says with the plush Egyptian cotton towel wrapped around her head.

"You look beautiful as usual, Marion. I was at the foundation earlier and I called Ben from the car — hoping he was home."

"Is everything all right? Do you want to sit down?"

"I'm fine — thank you, Marion. I was just leaving. Thank you, Ben", kissing him on the cheek.

"I'll call Fitz tomorrow."

"Thanks, Ben. Good night, Marion."

"Call me when you get home", Ben says, pecking Olivia on the cheek before she hurries from the apartment.

"Is Olivia all right? Is something wrong? She looks upset."

"She's concerned about, Fitz— of course."

"How is Fitz doing?" Marion asks as she pulls the towel from her head, letting the wet tresses fall to her shoulders. Ben smiles and pulls her into his arms, he loves when she looks fresh and natural – without all the makeup.

"He finally started therapy - the doctor recommends he engage in an activity he enjoys. Liv suggested I take him to the wrestling match on Thursday. She thinks it will help get his mind off things."

"I see. Maybe I'll call Nora — take her to dinner while you and Fitz go to that barbaric event. I want to get to know your sister, Ben. She seems so sad."

"I think Nora will like that", brushing wet strands of hair from her face before kissing her deeply.

 _ **Thursday Morning**_

Fitz is surprised when he enters the kitchen and sees his mother-in-law scooping ground coffee into the coffee maker filter. He wonders if she no longer drinks ginger tea.

"Good morning, Gwendolyn", he says, draping his suit jacket over the back of his chair. Gwendolyn turns with a big smile and, in the moment, Fitz realizes, how much Olivia resembles her mother.

"Good morning, Fitzgerald", Gwendolyn says as Fitz walks over to the cabinet to retrieve his mug.

"I have your mug", Gwendolyn says, holding up the mug Cena made him for Father's Day last year. Fitz looks at her curiously. "I'm making coffee this morning. Don't worry – it's not that stuff my husband drinks. I know you don't like it. Have a seat – the coffee will be ready in a minute."

"Thank you, Gwendolyn", Fitz says, sitting in his seat.

"Calvin has taken Cena to school", Gwendolyn says as she fills the mug with coffee.

Fitz nods.

"Livvia is sleeping late these days", Gwendolyn says as she sets the mug in front of him on the granite island top.

"She had a long day yesterday. She spent a lot of time with Mona at the foundation", not offering his mother-in-law more explanation about Olivia's sleeping habits of late. They agreed to keep the pregnancy a secret until after their appointment with Dr. Perry.

"I see", eyeing her son-in-law as he raises the mug to his mouth. "Fitzgerald, I want to apologize for my husband's behavior last week at dinner. We've all been going in different directions lately – I've not had time to speak with you – privately."

"There's no need for you to apologize, Gwendolyn. Calvin has strong beliefs", Fitz says, not interested in reliving that night.

"True – but he let his emotions get the better of him. He's passionate about education – as am I", glancing at her son-in-law. "The thought of underprivileged children not having access to a quality education is quite troubling."

"The moratorium is only for one year, Gwendolyn. The results of the study are expected to be presented to the council by the end of next year."

"Fitzgerald, this is not about data - this is rapport. This is about the ability to speak to the needs of vulnerable communities. It's as important to understand the individuals in those communities as it is the numbers."

Fitz brings the coffee mug to his lips again. He does not want to discuss the matter with his mother-in-law.

"Fitzgerald, I understand you - the council — have real concerns about the performance of some charter schools — that they don't make the grade – are not performing to standard. But - what if I can assure you that Triumph's charter school will meet all the State requirements when it opens in the fall?"

"How can you make that kind of commitment?"

"Because all these months I've been involved in interviewing and selecting qualified teachers. I've worked with these teachers to review the State curriculum. Rev. Walker has made sure that the school will have all the resources to support the children's learning experience: books, computers -"

"Gwendolyn - I can't make special dispensations for Triumph — that would be unethical."

"Of course - I'm not suggesting you do that. I'm just suggesting you — the council — be more surgical about the matter — and not summarily shut out all new charter schools. I'm suggesting that council reviews the viability of each new charter school applicant and determine - on a case by case basis - which ones are eligible to open in the fall and which aren't. If Rev. Walker and others can demonstrate they can meet the State's standards on day one – then allow them to open their doors."

"Gwendolyn –"

"Don't penalize those applicants who meet the criteria - don't penalize the children. A year in a poor performing school will set those children behind another academic year. They can't afford that."

Fitz runs his hand through his hair and examines his mother-in-law's face, realizing where Olivia inherited her strong-willed nature. Neither woman likes to take no for an answer, they want what they want. He stands and grabs his suit jacket from the back of the chair, thinking he does not know how much more of this pressure he can endure. He is preparing to defend his policy decisions at the budget hearings next month and now he has to defend his decisions in his home.

"I have to get to the office. Have a good day, Gwendolyn", pecking her on the cheek before walking from the kitchen.

 **XXX**

When Fitz arrives at his Thursday afternoon session with Dr. Brennan, the two Brennan exchange greetings, and to Dr. Brennan's surprise, Fitz give his usual and unenthusiastic response of _fine_. Instead, he readily shares the events of his day as he sits on the comfortable sofa with legs crossed.

"My mother-in-law made coffee for me this morning. She's a wonderful woman — but not much of a cook."

"So — how was it — your mother-in-law's coffee?" Dr. Brennan asks with his warm, brown eyes,

"She's a tea drinker", Fitz says with a crooked smile, and Dr. Brennan nods with understanding.

"Not very good — hunh?"

"I'm afraid not - but Mrs. Handley — my assistant — she makes the best coffee ever."

"Why is that?"

"I don't know - it's just so rich and flavorful – soothing. It seems to help mymental acuity during the day."

"That sounds like some really special coffee."

"Mrs. Handley says the coffee beans are picked individually. Every cherry is chosen by a picker before it's placed into their bags. Think about the person who picked that first red cherry", Fitz says with a far-off look in his eyes.

"For some - caffeine is a mood-boosting substance - increasing the senses of euphoria and energy. It can raise levels of dopamine – which is the neurotransmitter of feeling in love for the first time - feeling happy, motivated, and rewarded about something – versus feeling scared. Dopamine is typically low in people with depression as well as social anxiety. A cup of coffee can heal and comfort you, Fitz - but too much caffeine - even for people who can tolerate it - will turn things very bad - mood-wise. You should drink no more two cups a day - sipped slowly works well. More tends to make people inclined to anxiety become anxious and experience heart palpitations."

Fitz nods his head slowly.

"Does your mother-in-law typically make you coffee in the morning?"

"No", his mood shifting noticeably. "She wanted to discuss the moratorium I – the council - has imposed on new charter schools. Everyone is furious about my policy plans - I'm beginning to doubt my decision", he mumbles under his breath.

"Is there a downside to imposing this moratorium?"

"Charters have many problems - some do a stellar job of increasing performance. But others — too many - are an abyssal failure. It's necessary to understand the performance gaps before we allow new schools to open - the children deserve nothing less from council. They deserve the same opportunity for a quality education as their wealthier peers. Allowing more charters to open unchecked only exacerbates the problem."

"This topic has been receiving a lot of attention in the press lately."

"In my home as well", Fitz chuckles mirthlessly. Dr. Brennan peers over the top of his eyeglasses at the obviously distraught man and encourages him to say more.

"My in-laws are missionaries for our church - they've been working in Senegal for years - educating communities and – recently - building a new school."

"That's sounds admirable."

"It is. They're quite dedicated to education. After the acci— attempted murder — they left their mission to help our family to recover. Once we were back on our feet — they volunteered their time to helping establish a new charter school at our church. Needless to say — they're quite upset with me."

"I see."

"This morning - Gwendolyn – my mother-in-law -wanted to explore options that would allow Triumph to open its charter school in the fall. She was hoping to change my mind about the moratorium."

"Did you — change your mind?"

"No. The moratorium is the right thing to do. I can't make policy decisions to appease my in-laws."

"How does Olivia feel about the moratorium?"

"She's disappointed — of course. Everyone is disappointed."

"In the moratorium or in you?"

"Olivia is much like her parents - she gets emotional about the things she cares about."

"I see."

"Everyone one around me is so comfortable voicing their opinions – and displeasure – about my decisions – my in-laws, my church, my wife."

"And what about you – where is your voice in all of this?"

"I feel like I no longer have a voice in my home."

"And how does not having a voice in your home make you feel?"

Fitz glances down at his watch and stands from the sofa, he has to meet Bennie at City Hall in a few hours.

"I'll see you next Tuesday", Fitz says, standing and walking toward the door. "By the way — I'm going to a wrestling match tonight with my brother", turning and displaying his crooked smile.

"Have a good time", Dr. Brennan says, with an approving nod.

 _ **Thursday Evening**_

Nora frantically waves her hand in the air as Marion pulls the car into her parent's driveway. Marion smiles at the young woman who is waiting outside on the front step, thinking Nora must be excited to get out of the house for a change. As she parks the car, Marion glances up at the large house and realizes she has never been inside Ben's childhood home. Although she has interacted with his parents on several occasions, it has always been at Olivia and Fitz' home. Now that she thinks about it, she realizes she has never been invited to his brother John's home. She shakes off the feelings of insecurity and smiles as Nora climbs into the car.

"This is nice car, Marion", Nora says, turning around to survey the backseat of the small sports car.

"I bought it on a whim – at a time when I needed things to fill me", Marion says, looking over her shoulder as she backs the car out of the driveway.

"This car is perfect for you - you're always so put together. I can see why Bennie fell for you."

"I made reservations at Paolo's - Ben said you like Mexican food. They have the best paella ever."

That sounds good", Nora says excitedly.

 **XXX**

When Marion and Nora arrive at Paolo's, they are immediately escorted through the packed dining to their table. Nora glances around at all the diners who are chatting and seemingly enjoying themselves, she cannot recall the last time she had dinner at a restaurant.

"This is a really nice restaurant, Marion", Nora says, smiling broadly as she settles into her seat.

"I'm glad you like it. With Ben and Fitz going to the wrestling match – I thought tonight would be a perfect time for us to get to know each other."

"Gerry and his _boys_ were always watching that stupid wrestling on TV or going to a wrestling match together. Of course, _I_ was never invited", Nora says sourly as she fiddles with her silverware.

"Good evening - my name is Carmen - I will be your server for the night", smiling pleasantly at the two women sitting across from each other.

"Hola, Carmen", Nora says giddily. Carmen nods her head at the odd woman.

"Can I start you ladies off with something to drink?"

"Just iced tea for me", Marion says, having given up on drinking wine since she and Ben reunited.

"I'll have the same", Nora says.

"I'll be back shortly with your drinks", Carmen says.

"Mom warned me not to drink tonight - because of the medication I'm taking. She watches me like a hawk these days", Nora says with a hint of resentment in her voice.

"Your mother just wants the best for you, Nora. You're lucky to have parents who care about you."

"What has Bennie told you about me? Did he tell you why I was in that facility back East?"

"Honestly, Ben hasn't give me any details – and I didn't ask. Your brother respects your privacy, Nora."

"Bennie is the good one – but he is still a _Grant_ man – controlling."

Marion furrows her brow at the unexpected remark, now wondering if it was a good idea to invite Nora to dinner without Ben.

"They're all like Gerry in one way or another – Fitz more than any of them. I guess that's why they share the same name", Nora chuckles. "He loves Liv more than anything – so he hides that side of himself from her. And John – well I think he still hates Gerry for how he treated mom. He's the oldest – the first – so he saw and understood a lot before the rest of us came along. He pretends to like Gerry – like at family functions – but if he knew how Gerry and mom feel about Abigail - he wouldn't speak to them ever again. They think Abigail is crass - not the kind of woman John deserves. I know them all – watched them my entire life - and they say I'm the sick one."

Marion is stunned by Nora's unsolicited comments about her family, and does not know what to say. She is relieved when she sees their server walking toward the table with their drinks.

"Your iced teas, ladies", Carmen says as she sets the sweating glasses on the table. "Are you ready to order you entrees?"

"We'll have the paella", Marion says, glancing at Nora for confirmation.

"I can't wait to try it", Nora says, bringing the straw to her lips.

"I'll be back shortly with your paella", Carmen says, rolling the word off her tongue.

"I just love her accent", Nora says and Marion smiles at the talkative young woman.

"And - the captain goes crazy if any man even looks sideways at Liv", Nora continues as if there was not a break in her storytelling, and Marion examines her closely. "He's always been cocky — so sure of himself. He was a hot head growing up — always getting into fights while in school. The principal threatened to expel him several times - but Gerry used his _influence_ to keep Fitz enrolled in school. If he had gotten expelled – he never would've gotten into the Naval Academy."

Marion smiles to herself, because the Fitzgerald Grant she knows always seems in control. She would never think of him as a street fighter. Before Marion could finish her thought, Nora continues talking.

"A few of my girlfriends had a crush on him back in the day - but he never noticed them. They were way too young – although Liv is younger than him. She and Bennie are the same age. We were all surprised when the captain moved back to Church Falls and immediately started dating Liv - Bennie was livid. He had been crushing on Liv for years and suddenly his big brother swoops into town and steals his girl. It's the worst kept secret in the family - everybody just accepts that Bennie will always be hooked on Liv. Fitz accepts that's how it's always going to be - I guess because of the well and all - but Bennie better not cross the line – cross the line – if you know what I mean. I guess you're okay with Bennie being smitten with Liv?" Nora asks as she brings the straw to her lips again.

Marion cringes and looks around the dining room for Carmen, she is going to need a drink after all.

"What about the well, Nora?" Marion asks, wanting to divert Nora's attention from the Ben and Olivia story.

"Bennie didn't tell you? Well – to make a long story short - he saved Fitz' life when they were kids. Fitz fell into that old well on our property and Bennie saved him. That's why Fitz still allows Bennie to get away with the shit he has over the years."

"Your entrees, ladies", Carmen announces as she sets the enormous plates of food onto the table. Marion decides not to order a drink, she needs to focus on what Nora is saying.

"This looks terrific - it's so much food. I'm going to take some home to mom" Nora says, her eyes wide with excitement like a little girl.

"I'm sure she'll enjoy it", Marion says, digging her fork into the paella. "I remember the first time Ben bought me here - I fell in love with the paella right away. We tried making it at home – but of course it tasted nothing like this. We're terrible cooks."

"You really like Bennie?" Nora says, looking into Marion's dazzling green eyes.

"Your brother is a really good man, Nora."

"Like I said – he's a _Grant_ \- controlling", Nora says, sliding a forkful of paella into her mouth. "You know - it's funny to watch how Fitz struggles to keep his emotions – or should I say his anger - in check around Olivia and the girls. I believe that's one of the reasons she left him – but I'm not sure."

Marion looks at Nora with surprise, thinking another thing Ben has not told her about Olivia.

"Oh - Dr. Bennie didn't tell you that Liv left Fitz and ran off to who knows where? Bennie was so angry with Fitz because he thought the captain did something to chase away his precious _Olivia_. Fitz found her after a few months and brought her back home – but he never told any us where she was. He's private like that."

Marion nods, recalling Olivia confiding in her about the antenatal depression. She wonders if Olivia checked into an institution when she left Fitz for all those months. Her anger rises when she thinks about how Ben shields Olivia's secrets.

"Since Liv came back home - the captain has been a different person – at least pretending to be."

"What do you mean?"

Marion silently admonishes herself for participating in the family gossip with Nora, but tonight she is getting more information than she has gotten from Ben in all the months they have been dating. Ben never tells her anything negative about Olivia.

"Like I said - Fitz is just like _Gerry_ – controlling. All my life I watched how Gerry controlled my mother – I couldn't stand it. But Liv – well she's nothing like mom – she's independent and strong-willed. I guess on some level that's why Fitz is attracted to her. Hell – I even love that about her. But her independence also drives my brother crazy – I guess because he can't control her. You know - it's funny – it seems like Liv now controls the captain", Nora says, shaking her head as if it is the strangest thing she has ever said.

"How so?"

"Well – when I lived with them I saw a lot – _and I mean a lot_. Let's just say Liv has my brother wrapped around her finger. Don't get me wrong - she loves Fitz - a lot. They both have that crazy kind of love for each other - but I've seen how Liv can manipulate him – and I'm not sure she knows she's doing it. All she has to do is bat those big brown eyes at him – or rub him in a certain way – and he'll do whatever she wants - even if he does not agree with what she wants to do. Gerry hates that shit. He thinks Liv has reduced his pit bull to a puppy dog – kind of like Bowtie." Nora laughs out loud at her own joke. "Liv better watch it because that puppy dog can turn into a pit bull in the blink of an eye. Don't let those expensive suits and that eloquent tongue fool you."

Marion sips her tea and listens intently to Nora.

"This so good, Marion", Nora says, sliding another forkful of paella into her mouth.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it. We'll have to come back – if you like."

"I would like", Nora says with a smile as she dabs the corners of her mouth with the brown linen napkin. "You know my parents didn't want Fitz to marry Liv."

"Really – your parents seem to adore Olivia."

"They adore her _now_ – but when they started dating – Gerry and mom thought she was too independent – owning her own business and all. Liv didn't care that my brother was some bigshot negotiator - she doesn't really care about money like that. She'll walk away from the captain and all the material stuff in a heartbeat. I'm sure the thought of her doing so keeps _Fitzy_ in line. He'll do anything for her – well _almost_ anything because he loves her that much."

Marion nods as she spears a piece of chicken with her fork.

"When Cena came along – my parents really thought Liv should be a stay-at-home mom – and so did Fitz - but Liv stood her ground. I kind of think that's why she left him - but I don't know for sure. As I said – the captain is very private about those things."

Marion stares at Nora as she jabbers on, wondering if the young woman is on or off her medication tonight.

"Fitz and Cena became so close during those months Liv was away", Nora continues, shaking Marion from her thoughts. "We didn't think he could do it — take care of a four-year-old girl that is."

"Why not?"

"As independent as Liv is – raising Cena was her responsibility. Fitz was traveling a lot back then — trying to establish his business – and Liv's foundation was still small potatoes at that time. But the captain came through — to everyone's surprise. He learned how to take care of Cee and the house while Liv was away. When Fitz says Cena is his Princess", using air-quotes, "he really means it. I sometimes wonder who he loves more — Liv or Cena."

Marion tilts her head and gives Nora a curious look.

"I'm just saying — if they were ever to divorce— as much as my brother loves Liv — he'll fight her for Cena. And - my brother fights dirty, Marion. He didn't win all those cases by being a good guy."

Marion slowly nods her head.

"I love Liv - but I think she can be a little selfish - maybe because she's an only child and her parents were never around. They basically allowed her to do whatever she wanted when she was growing up – no restrictions."

"What do you mean?"

"I like the Popes — Mrs. Pope is beautiful and she wears those colorful dresses - but they're a little weird if you ask me. They spent all their time helping others and left Liv to her own devices as a kid. I guess that's how she learned how to take care of herself — put herself first - because her parents surely didn't."

Although she has gotten an earful, Marion has had more than enough of Nora's gossiping. She really likes the Grants and does not want to listen to Nora further disparage her family, so she deftly changes the subject.

"So — Nora — what do you plan on doing now that you're back home?"

Nora sets her fork onto the edge of the plate and stares at the remaining paella. She is not as interested in talking about herself as she is talking about the members of her family. So, she stares at the chicken and seafood intermingling with the yellow rice and sweet peas. She hated sweet peas as a child, but tonight she is enjoying them in the paella. _Perhaps things can really change_.

"Nor – "

"I'm not sure what I want to do — what I can do. Maybe I'm just like my mother", she laughs nervously, a habit she adopted while at the facility back east.

"Nora — you're a wonderful artist - with a great eye for design. That box you created for Jolie's rocker was absolutely beautiful. There is so much you can do with that kind of talent."

"Before I went away – Liv got me a job at a community center in the city. I loved teaching the children about art", her smile slowly fades when she thinks about her behavior with Amir.

"Is that what you want to do – be an art teacher?"

"Artists were never appreciated in my family, Marion. All the boys have lucrative careers – two lawyers and a doctor. Mom always encouraged me to marry – like she did. That way I wouldn't have to worry about a career. Well – we see where that has gotten her", she says bitterly.

"I have a friend who has a graphic arts publishing company in Portland. If you like – I can put in a word for you. You can go there and see if it's something you might like to do."

Nora drops her head and begins to withdraw again. "I don't know what I want to do, Marion."

"Well let me know and I'll arrange everything.

"Do you think I could really do it?" Sounding somewhat childlike.

"Of course - you can. You can do whatever you put your mind to."

"Thank you, Marion", she says softly, thinking no one has taken a real interest in her since Olivia got her the job at the community center. She wonders whatever happened to Amir.

"Would you ladies like dessert tonight?" Carmen asks, and Marion looks at Nora with a smile.

"No - thank you. I'm stuffed", Nora says softly.

"I guess not", Marion says, smiling up at Carmen. "Please wrap the rest to go."

"Of course, ma'am.

 **XXX**

After taking Nora home, Marion was tempted to drive straight to her apartment and open a bottle of Chardonnay and, perhaps, drink the entire bottle. But she promised Ben she would wait at his apartment for him to return from the wrestling match with Fitz. She kicks off her heels and settles onto the sofa, amongst all the pillows she urged Ben to buy, and thinks about how Nora's storytelling about Ben's infatuation with Olivia stirred up old feelings of jealousy. She wonders why Nora would say such horrible things about her family, better yet, she wonders why she would allow Nora's words to upset her. She wonders if Nora was playing some sort of sick game, enjoying watching her twist with jealousy as she regaled her with stories about Ben's undying love for Olivia. Marion shakes her head, because she knows her jealousy is not on Nora – it is on her. Ben has confessed his love for her and, for some reason, that is not enough to keep her green-eyed monster at bay. The sound of Ben's key turning in the lock shake Marion from her thoughts, so she glances over at the door. She bursts into laughter when she sees Ben standing in the doorway pretending to wrestle a Kenny Omega doll.

 _ **Friday Morning**_

"I bought cannolis – a peace offering", Olivia says cheerily, holding up the small white box with string wrapped around it.

"I don't like those anymore", Abby says, dismissing the peace offering with a flick of her hand.

"Since when?" Olivia asks in disbelief as she closes the door and follows Abby down the hall.

"If you had been around you'd know", Abby says snarkily. "Since Jonathan knocked me up again. I tell you, Olivia - this is the last one - I'm not having any more crumb snatchers." Olivia looks at her friend thinking Abby is in a snit today.

"You love children."

"I never said I didn't love children - I just hate being pregnant."

"So - what do you now like? What do you crave?" Olivia asks as she removes her coat and sets the box onto the coffee table.

"I don't like anything - this baby has _destroyed_ my appetite", Abby groans as she carefully lowers herself onto the chair. "So how are you doing? I haven't seen you in forever."

"We saw each other at Jo's party."

"You know what I mean" Abby says grumpily.

"I've been a little busy. Now that I've submitted my proposal to Fred Bryson - he loved it by the way – I'll have more time to catch up – we can go to lunch and shop for the baby."

"That's good, Olivia - I'm proud of you. I knew you could do it – liking to help people and all."

"Says the nurse. The recommendation is just phase one, Abbs - I have to implement the program - that's going to be a lot more work."

"You can do", Abby says, already tired of hearing about Olivia's job. "By the way — your hair is getting really long."

"I know - I haven't had time to get to the shop", raking her fingers through the shoulder-length tresses.

"So - what's been going on? You and Fitzgerald were acting all kinds of weird at Jolie's party. He was being more solicitous than usual."

"Where do I begin?"

"The beginning always works", Abby says, leaning back in the occasional chair and rubbing her belly.

"First, Fitz fired his assistant. Apparently - she had some kind of crush on him", rolling her eyes at the thought of Victoria.

"Really?" Abby's green eyes dancing with excitement. She loves juicy gossip.

"Second, Fitz fired Hildie. Well I had to terminate Hildie – but Fitz insisted we let her go."

"Well – well — well. What has Fitzgerald in the firing mood these days? What's all this firing about?"

"I don't agree with it – firing Hildie that is —but under the circumstances I have to support it."

"What circumstances? Spill, Olivia."

"Apparently - Hildie was married — many years ago — and had a child – a baby girl. Her husband and daughter were both killed in a train accident. Hildie was institutionalized for a brief period – which is understandable."

"You mean she was in a nut house?" Olivia gives her caustic-tongue friend a disapproving look.

"Abby, her daughter was born on the same day as Jo — and apparently looked like Jo. She's always been so protective."

"Why are you just finding out about this?"

"I guess Jo's birthday triggered a lot of memories for Hildie. Mom saw her crying in the kitchen during the party - and she told mom everything - and mom told me - of course."

"This sounds like some sort of bad soap opera."

"Unfortunately - it's my life, Abby. Fitz was concerned — and that's putting it mildly — that Hildie might transfer feelings for her daughter to Jo – or worse. Truth be told — I think he over-reacted. He doesn't give anyone the benefit-of-the-doubt these days."

"As much as it pains me to say this – I agree with Fitzgerald." Olivia's eyes bulge in disbelief. "You've been living in Church Falls way too long, Olivia. Believe me sister – Church Falls is hardly the real world. There are all kinds of whack jobs out there. I know – I know – Hildie hadn't exhibited any craziness in over a year – but you never know when she might've gone off her rocker. If Jolie's birthday party triggered memories of her daughter – who knows what she could do next. I'm with Fitzgerald on this one - keep that woman away from your house. I always thought she was a bit strange."

"Abby."

"Well - I did. All that _ma'am_ this and _ma'am_ that — so pretentious. Who talks like that?"

Olivia shakes her head, thinking how much she has missed Abby's lack of a filter.

"I don't think you should give people the benefit of the doubt, Olivia —nor do I think you should go in assuming they're bad. You should collect data on people — then develop an informed opinion. You didn't have all the data on Hildie - she cheated you out of that."

"Abby, I can understand her not wanting to relive that horrible story." Abby rolls her eyes.

"Don't ignore the red flags — the woman has problems — don't be Pollyanna, Olivia. You can still love her — but from a distance. You don't have to expose your family to her."

"It was difficult— heartbreaking really — to tell Hildie we needed to sever ties with her. She was understanding - but it was painfully apparent she was disappointed — hurt. I guess on some level she expected it."

"I might have someone to replace _Hildie_ ", Abby says, already moving on past Hildie's sad story as she stretches her swollen feet onto the coffee table.

"Really – who?"

"Irma's sister."

"Your housekeeper Irma?"

"My everything Irma. The woman is a godsend. Her sister is moving to Church Falls - from upstate to be closer to Irma. She'll be looking for work."

"Has she ever done this kind of work?" Olivia asks as she opens the box of cannolis.

"Of course - she has - I wouldn't tell you about her if she hadn't. She's work for Jonathan's friend – the State Attorney General. She's worked for Kotch and his wife long before they even had kids. And you know if she worked for them all these years she's clean as a whistle - Kotch doesn't mess around. He'll find Fitzgerald's balls if you ever tried to hide them. He's tenacious— like a dog with a bone when he gets wind of something."

"I'll have to talk to Fitz about it— of course. He's not going to be too eager bringing someone new into our home."

"Then he can become a stay-at-home dad – take care of the kids and clean the house. You taught him how to do all that stuff."

Olivia rolls her eyes.

"Unless your parents are going to hang around this time — not go back to Tanzania and take care of a bunch of strangers."

"It's Senegal — and it's called missionary work. They have their life, Abby."

"Whatever", Abby says with a wave of her hand. "I'll have Irma talk to her sister - but you better let me know – and fast. She'll be down here in six weeks - someone that good doesn't stay on the market very long."

Olivia nods.

"I see Benjamin is still dating that doctor – what's her name?"

"You know her name, Abby. I actually think Marion is good for Ben."

"Well — I think something's wrong with her. Who buys a one-year-old designer outfits – two for that matter? She's so self-indulgent - spending goo-gobs of money on all those designer clothes. I bet she spends hours in front of the mirror before leaving the house. Benjamin is going to have his hands full with that one –mark my words. Why are you looking at me so weird?"

"Why do you dislike Marion so much? She's a good person, Abby."

"I've known women like her all my life – well saw them around town where I grew up. Always looking down their noses at us like we were less than the dirt on the bottoms of their fancy shoes. Never wanting for anything or having a problem in their privileged lives", bitterness lacing her tone.

"Abby –"

"I get that you like her – feel indebted because she saved Fitzgerald's life – but you don't have to be blind. She's not who she appears to be, Olivia."

"None of us are. Everything isn't always as it seems, Abby - believe me. Are you always so suspicious of people?"

"Yes. Where I come from you better keep your eyes and ears open - people were always trying to manipulate or con you in some way. Everybody isn't as nice as you think, Olivia."

"We found a house – in the city", not wanting to discuss Abby's past again.

"So - you're really going to do it? You finally wheedled Fitzgerald into moving to the city."

"I did no such thing", Olivia protests. "He thinks it's a good move for our family."

"He loves you, Olivia. I'm sure he only agreed to move to the city — _of all places_ — to satisfy you. Have you forgotten he moved _back_ to Church Falls to be closer to his family?"

"And I will do anything for him, Abby", Olivia says defensively.

"It's like you need Fitzgerald to prove over and over how much he loves you – which is ridiculous because everybody knows that man loves you more than anything – you know it. If you ask me - I think you're making Fitzgerald pay for what your parents didn't give you."

Olivia eyes darken. "You don't know what you're talking about, Abigail", she says tersely.

"You know I only tell you these things because I want the best for you, Olivia", Abby says as she struggles to stand to her feet. "I don't even think you're aware you do it. You just shouldn't take him for _granted_ , Olivia", chuckling at the play on their surname.

"I don't take my husband for granted", Olivia protests.

"Olivia, I know you love him — why — I'll never figure out — but that's on you." Olivia rolls her eyes. "But seriously, you gotta understand he has needs, too."

"It's a beautiful house Abbs - you and John have to come once we're settled", wanting to change the subject.

"And when might that be?" Getting the message that it is time to drop the matter.

"We close in six weeks. Once we're settled - we'll have everyone over."

"Even what's-her-name?"

"You're incorrigible."

"And you love me for it. Now – back to that hussy who tried to get into Fitzgerald's pants. And don't leave out _anything_."

 _ **Sunday Evening**_

 _When you need to smile_

 _But you can't afford it_

 _Go on point it out_

 _I'm gonna steal it_

 _When the floor is more familiar than the ceiling_

 _I will break in late at night_

 _Shake up how you're feeling_

 _I'll never stop_

 _Breaking the law for you_

 _I'll never stop_

 _Helping to pull you through_

 _Whatever it takes to get what you need_

 _Ignore the alarm_

 _Ignore the police_

 _I'll never stop_

 _Breaking the law for you_

:

:

 _Breaking the Law, Emeli Sande'_

Listening to the soothing sound of the water streaming against the shower walls, a myriad of thoughts run through Olivia's mind as she begins her nightly routine. She thinks about Mona's advice, and wonders if it is time for her parents to move back to Senegal. She and the girls will miss them so much. As she rubs the rich cream on her arm, she smiles when her husband walks from the bathroom and digs into his drawer for a pair of pajama pants. She runs her tongue over her lips when the towel drops from his waist and forms a puddle of cotton around his feet; it has been a while. She clears her throat and continues to massage the cream onto her leg as she reflects on Abby's comments earlier in the week. It saddens her that Abby thinks she is insensitive to her husband's needs. She wonders if Fitz feels the same way.

"Babe, this skin caviar is magnificent. It makes my skin feel so smooth— silky."

"Do you need more?"

"No – I have plenty. You bought the whole set, babe. I won't need any for a while. I visited Abby on Friday - I told her about the set - I think she is going to have John buy it for her."

Fitz nods his head as he steps into his pajama pants.

"Babe …."

"Hmm?" Pulling a tee shirt over his head.

"I've been thinking …."

"About?" Setting his phone onto the charger then climbing into bed.

"Well — I've been thinking maybe we should join the club — the Church Falls Country Club", she says as she screws the lid on the jar of expensive cream.

" _What?"_ Looking over at her in disbelief.

"It's one-stop shopping for everything you could ever want to do in your spare time. You can use the pools – they even an indoor pool - Cee will enjoy that. They have tennis courts and golf courses. We can even have meals at one of the club's restaurants. It's also a great place to socialize with friends."

" _Stop it."_

"Stop what?" Looking over her shoulder at his reddening face.

" _Don't handle me, Olivia. I'm not Cena._ "

"I don't know what you're talking about", she protests innocently.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about - and I want you to leave it alone. I don't need you arranging _play dates_ with my brother - and I'm not joining some damn stuffy country club because _you_ and _Dr. Brennan_ think I need to _play_. _My life is fine the way it is - so let it go._ "

" _I won't let it go. I don't want you to wake up one day feeling that your life has passed you by — that you've missed out on something."_

" _It's called a mid-life crisis. I'm not having a midlife crisis and I'm not going out to buy a red sports car - so leave it alone."_

" _I'm just trying to help. I'm on your side"_ , she cries out.

" _Then stop trying - you've done enough."_

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Startled by the comment

"Just go to bed, Olivia." He turns off his lamp and stares at the wall across the room.


	54. Chapter 54 It's Time to Move On

**A/N: Sweet160717,** I can feel your frustration with Fitz flowing through the internet. We'll find out if things will get better for Olitz. You picked up a lot on the second reading. "Mother's sacrifice for their children" is an important line to remember. Fitz is trying to control his temper. **didi46,** glad you're enjoying the story. I like adding a little suspense and mystery. Abby's attitude toward Olivia is about jealousy. She thinks she is losing Olivia to Marion. For Abby, Marion represents everything she has disdain for. Dr. Brennan is going to get to the bottom Fitz' problem. **Dendardendan,** aww, your favorite story. I bet you say that to all the authors. LOL. Much appreciated. Nora and Marion are going to live long and healthy lives. Sorry. Fitz does need a soft place to land, and that place should be his home. **Oakbluffsdiva,** you're right about the different factions in this story. Mona is the sane one. She's loyal to Olivia, takes care of her husband, and minds her business. **scandalbrenda5,** yeah, yeah, I know some don't like the politics, but these are multi-dimensional characters. You're right, Fitz doesn't want to lose Olivia again, but he's stressed. Glad you stuck with the story – for now. Haha. justafan51, you're right, Nora hasn't changed. We'll find out why. We'll also find out how Olitz will handle the pregnancy. **TstormVA,** I appreciate you understanding that other commitments prevent me from updating as often as I like. I also appreciate the enthusiasm for the story. **Monica,** you frowned the entire read? Goodness. The story won't be rushed. Themes introduced early in their marriage must be addressed as well as other hints I've left along the way. Hang in there, things will get better for Olitz as a couple. They're going to need to rely on each other to deal with an upcoming matter. **dafney64,** Olivia can be a bit stubborn, but Abby cares enough about Olivia to tell her the truth. Fitz does need to open up more to Dr. Brennan. **reneelovesolitz,** you're right, all of Fitz' pretending has to be tough and tiring It has taken its toll on him. Time for him to come clean. **kandyse4olitz,** let's see if you and Abby are right. Is Olivia taking Fitz for granted? **GeeGee612,** it sounds like you're a little annoyed with Olivia. But you're right, she does have to work out some issues with her parents. Fitz does not want his Princess to get if Kelly changes her mind again. But a little compassion goes a long . **Cleo,** remember, Olivia defended Fitz to her father. She is in a tough position. She is trying to be a supportive wife and a respectful daughter. **kelleekellkell,** lots of tea was spilled in Chapter 53. Marion learned a lot from Nora about the Grant clan and gave us more insight into Fitz. Let's see how Marion handles the information. Gwendolyn gave Fitz some things to think about, but let's keep our eyes on Mrs. Pope. Fitz blew up at Olivia because he is frustrated and suppressing so many feelings. Glad you're enjoying the story. **Emma,** you're right, Nora is filled with a lot of animosity. We'll find out what's at the root of her behavior. She confessed her feelings to Olivia long ago, but Olivia did not realize how much Nora was hurting back then. You remembered that little detail about the security Fitz hired to keep an eye on his family. Will add you to the column of reviews who think it's time for the Popes to leave. **Jadidar,** you read all 53 chapters. Wow. Thanks for joining the party and the compliment. I appreciate all the reviews, I can only tell the story the way I see it in my mind. Hold tight, there is so much more to come with the Cena and Asha storyline. **Guest 1,** you're right, I intentionally withhold information. It's no fun knowing too early why certain things are happening. Most times there are always bread crumbs being left along the way, though. **Guest 2,** yes, Olivia's parents have done a stellar job helping them with all aspects of their lives since Charlie tried to kill them. But everything isn't as it seems. **Guest 3** , tell me how really feel about Nora and Marion. Haha. Nora spilled a lot of tea and Marion was there to sip. We'll hear more about their dinner in Chapter 54. So, you're giving Fitz a little sympathy because you agree with Abby that Olivia pushes him too much. We'll see about that. These two are complicated. **Guest 4,** 'Marion giving leash for gossip.' I have never heard that phrase before. Marion is listening to Nora's gossip because feels left out — that Ben doesn't tell her anything. We'll learn more about this. **Guest 5,** we'll see what's going on with "self-indulgent" Fitz. The girls' bath time used to be a special time for him. **Guest 6,** you also enjoyed Nora's gossiping. She certainly had a lot to say. You think Olivia is self-absorbed? Let's see what's going on with her. **Guest 7,** BASTA. I haven't heard that in a while. So, you're tired of the Olivia bashing? Abby can be a little caustic. That caustic attitude comes from a place of insecurity, which stems from her poor background. **Guest 8,** another person who enjoyed Nora's gossiping. Steamy sex? Hmm.

Thanks for all the interest in this story. I truly enjoy reading all the reviews. I'm trying to stick to a monthly update schedule, but it's difficult. Work is heating up again, Ugh. Enough of the whining. Here we go!

 **Chapter 54. It's Time to Move On**

 _What happens to a dream deferred?_

 _Does it dry up_

 _like a raisin in the sun?_

 _Or fester like a sore—_

 _And then run?_

 _Does it stink like rotten meat?_

 _Or crust and sugar over—_

 _like a syrupy sweet?_

 _Maybe it just sags_

 _like a heavy load._

 _Or does it explode?_

 _ **Harlem**_ _, Langston Hughes_

Now that he and Marion are back together, Bennie is once again motivated to become a better cook. He has resumed exploring easy recipes online and practicing different techniques to make their meals taste better. He learned the importance of cutting meats and chicken the same size so they can cook at the same rate, especially when used in a stew. The same is true when he roasts vegetables. However, he no longer tries to encourage Marion to cook, giving her a special dispensation since she really is not good at it and has no interest in learning. So, her job in the kitchen is to keep him company while he cooks.

"So how did Fitz enjoy the wrestling match? We didn't get a chance to discuss since you've been spending much of your time at the hospital with your chef."

"I assure you - neither of us is happy about that. I had to open him up again - repair a leaky valve. He doesn't trust anyone else with his heart. He doesn't want it broken", Ben says, laughing at his own joke.

"You're so trustworthy, Dr. Grant", Marion laughs lightly as she brings the glass of diet cola to her lips.

"Fitz seemed to really enjoy himself — we both did. You should come with me some time. Maybe we can go with Fitz and Liv one night. Liv loves wrestling."

"She does?" Marion says with a hint of surprise in her voice. She never would have guessed that Olivia enjoyed that sort of entertainment.

"She didn't in the beginning. Like you — she thought it was phony."

"Well it is phony — and barbaric."

"Dr. Harris — don't ever — and I mean ever — imply that wrestling is phony — at least not to a diehard fan", tapping her on the nose.

"Excuse me", she says playfully, watching him resume dicing the onion. She smiles internally, thinking his knife skills have really improved. He is much faster chopping and slicing vegetables.

"How was your night out with Nora? I'm sure she was happy to get away from mom and dad for a few hours."

Marion slowly rubs her fingers up and down the side of the sweating glass, contemplating what, if anything, she should tell Ben about Nora's odd behavior.

"She really liked Paolo's. She wants to go back."

"That's good. We can all go together next time", he says, focusing on slicing the carrots on the diagonal just like they appear in the video on the cooking website.

"Mhm", Marion mumbles with a far-off look in her eyes. Ben looks over at Marion when he hears his usually articulate girlfriend's mumbled response.

"Mar – is something wrong? Did something happen at dinner?" Setting the Santoku knife on the edge of the wooden cutting board.

"Ben, Nora is a lovely young woman -"

"What happened?" Walking over to Marion.

"Ben, you never told me why Nora was away — but I assumed her problems were psychological."

"I wasn't trying to hide anything from you, Marion. I just wanted to respect my sister's privacy. She's been through a lot."

"I understand — I really do — you're so considerate. But, Ben — Nora has a lot of pent-up rage."

"What do you mean?" Silently hoping Nora did not do anything inappropriate.

"She is very resentful of you — of all her brothers. In fact — she gave me an earful about the entire family. I'm ashamed to say I listened for a while."

"What did she say?" Deepening the furrow in his brow.

"It seems like she is still holding on to a lot of anger from childhood. As the only girl in the family she feels your father played favorites when it came to you boys. She always felt like an outsider — almost invisible growing up."

"She has every right to be angry. My father had no interest in a little girl — we all saw it. He gave all his attention to us boys. I guess that's what men of his generation did. He's trying to make amends now — I just hope it's not too late. And — mom — well she was in no state to give Nora what she needed. Growing up in a home feeling unwanted and unloved had to be devastating for my sister."

"I can certainly relate", Marion says sadly.

"I'm sorry — I didn't mean to — "

"That's quite all right, Ben. We can't pretend like my childhood didn't happen. I'm done pretending. I just feel badly for Nora — it's obvious she's still struggling."

"Unfortunately, the consequences of parental favoritism are mostly bad. Disfavored children experience more depression, greater aggressiveness, lower self-esteem, and poorer academic performance than favored children. Many of these consequences affect their self-esteem – the chronic need to feel special – even as an adult. It also poisons relationships with siblings. I get the hostility."

"It sounds like you've researched the topic."

"I have. I wanted to understand my sister – understand the choices she's made. She's engaged in some pretty self-destructive behaviors, Marion."

"I love you", Marion says, smiling up at him. She has become more comfortable saying those three little words.

"And I love you — too", pecking her on the lips before walking over to the stove to sauté the vegetables.

"Nora is a talented artist, Ben. She needs to do something with that talent."

"Liv got her a job at the community center in Springfield Heights— teaching art to the children. She seemed to enjoy doing that. Apparently — something went wrong there."

"I offered to introduce her to a friend who owns a graphic arts studio in Portland. I'm sure he would be more than willing to give her a job. Maybe that's what she needs — to move away from home and discover who she is while doing the work she loves."

"That's so kind of you. What did she say?"

"She's going to think about it."

 **XXX**

Fitz silently sighs when he enters the kitchen and sees Calvin sitting at the island reading the newspaper. He is not in the mood this morning to debate with his father-in-law about any of the myriad of social and political matters that seem to regularly offend his sensibilities.

"Good morning, Calvin", draping the suit jacket over the back of his chair. He hopes Calvin did not make two pots of Café Touba this morning.

"Good morning, Fitzgerald", his eyes tracking his son-in-law as he makes his way over to the coffee maker. "The women-folk are still upstairs. Everybody seems to be moving slow these days."

Fitz nods, thinking about Mrs. Handley's wonderful coffee as he fills his mug.

"Fitzgerald, I want to say – _if_ my words were inappropriate - hurtful last week – well – that certainly was not my intent." Fitz silently sighs again as he sits in his chair. It is time to put the matter to rest.

"Calvin - we have to ask ourselves what kind of school system we want in the city. Do we want one that provides an equal education to all – or one that provides a stellar education for a few? If an equal education is not available to everyone — to every child — then economic disparity, lack of social mobility, and upward dreams so many people aspire to do not happen. The education system has to be healed - not patched. We cannot function as a city if we continue to put bandages on the problem. So - yes - we need to take a step back from the politics and rhetoric and do what is right — not what is expedient. If that means one good school does not open during this moratorium - then I'm okay with that because that also means that 10 bad ones won't open either. This is bigger than Triumph, Calvin."

Impressed by his son-in-law's articulation of his position, Calvin leans back in his chair and slowly nods his head. He understands why Fitzgerald was so successful negotiating business deals.

"Well — it seems like we share the same concerns — are on the same page — so to speak. We just express ourselves differently. I'm more optimistic knowing that the future of the children is in your capable hands, Fitzgerald."

"The moratorium is the start of the process - not the end, Calvin."

Fitz stands as he drains the last bit of coffee from the mug and slides on his suit jacket.

"Have a good day, Calvin."

"You as well, Fitzgerald. You as well." With a newfound respect for his son-in-law, Calvin sips the spicy coffee and watches Fitz stroll from the kitchen. _Livvia has definitely picked well._

 **XXX**

"My father-in-law apologized to me this morning. Well - it was an apology of sorts. Calvin Pope is not the kind of man who apologizes. The man rarely seems to regret anything he says or does. It must be liberating to have that kind of moral certainty", Fitz sniggers.

"What about you - do you have any regrets?"

"What?"

Dr. Brennan has been working with Fitzgerald Grant long enough to recognize the man's idiosyncrasies, like answering a question with a question when he does not want to give an answer. So, he doodles on the yellow legal pad until Fitz is ready to answer.

"No – I don't have any regrets", Fitz replies after a few minutes, shifting uncomfortably on the sofa.

Dr. Brennan nods, preparing to enter dark territory. It is time to push him. It is the only way he can help his patient uncover the source of his anxiety.

"Do you miss your other life — that of a negotiator?"

Fitz looks at Dr. Brennan curiously, runs his fingers through his hair, then glances down at his watch. They are just getting started; 40 minutes remain in the session.

"You started a successful consulting firm — negotiated some of the most complex and lucrative mergers and acquisitions for multinational companies — and you walk away from it to become president of the local City Council."

"Is there a question in there somewhere?" He says smugly, another behavior trait he cultivated for times when he feels cornered. Dr. Brennan does not have time for games today, so he ignores the snide remark and presses forward.

"The original question stands – why did you walk away at the prime of your career - from a successful business you built - to become a politician?"

"It's not unusual for business people to enter the political arena", uncrossing and crossing his legs.

"True — but why did _you_ do it?"

"I've always enjoyed helping the less fortunate — did so while I was in the Navy", giving the standard response he learned was acceptable to most during the campaign. Tell people what they want to hear and they will usually move on, not ask more questions. That tactic worked well for reporters and citizens, but not so much with Dr. Brennan.

"But you weren't involved in any social causes or politically active before you were married."

Fitz press his lips in a straight line; his breathing is shallow. He is a smart man, he knows where this line of questioning is going. He glances down at his watch again. Silence fills the room for the next five minutes.

"I knew it would make my wife happy", he says flatly, continuing to look straight ahead at nothing in particular.

"What do you mean?"

"I love my wife — more than anything."

"I don't doubt that - Olivia is a wonderful woman. I'm sure she loves you dearly." The corner of Fitz' mouth twitch.

"My wife has been involved in community service all of her life. Her parents are the same — always putting the needs of others before their own - perhaps to a fault", he utters half under his breath. "When I met Olivia — before we were married — I thought – still think — she was the most incredible woman I'd ever known. Young — younger than me — and fiercely independent. I admired her independence. She'd started her own foundation and was so dedicated to helping people – although at times it made it difficult for us to see each other. She was always so busy."

"Did Olivia ask you to give up your business to enter politics?" Fitz pinches the bridge of his nose, trying to stave off the headache that is building behind his eyes.

"No - not in so many words. Although she was excited about the prospect of my entering public service. Especially after the Marla scandal."

"So - you gave up your business to please Olivia?" Fitz glances down at his watch again, then abruptly stands from the sofa.

"I have to go. I have to meet Olivia at the dentist." He lies, the girls' dentist appointment is not until tomorrow.

 **XXX**

 _I try to do  
The best I can for you  
But it seems it's not enough  
And you know I care,  
Even when you're not there.  
But it not what you want._

 _You close your door,  
when I wanna give you more.  
And I feel, I feel so out of place.  
And you know it's true,  
Don't you think I'm, good enough for you._

 _Can't you see,  
That you're hurting me,  
And I want, I want this pain to stop.  
So if you really care,  
I mean if you really, really care,  
Then open up your heart to me.  
Open up to meeee..._

 _.  
_ :

 _ **I Try**_ _, Angela Bofill_

Walking from the bathroom, Fitz glances at his wife, who is leaning back against the headboard with an ink pen lightly pressed to her lips. She seems to be in deep thought.

"What are you doing?" Glancing at the pile of papers on her lap as he unfastens the watch from his wrist.

"Writing thank-you notes. _Trying_ to write would be more appropriate. It's been two weeks since Jo's birthday party, babe. Our family and friends have blessed Jo with so many wonderful gifts - I want to thank them properly - show our gratitude."

He tosses the watch onto his night table and smiles slightly because she still likes to send handwritten notes. He has also adopted the practice for special circumstances.

"Do you want to write one to Ben?"

"I've already written his", setting his phone onto the charger.

" _You did?"_ She says with a degree of surprise in her voice as she watches him climb into bed.

"Of course, I did. I wrote one to dad as well. It's tradition. Have you forgotten?"

"No — I haven't forgotten. You didn't say anything. Do you want to help me write the others? I can't seem to think of the right words."

"You know there's an app on your phone that does that for you. It would make your life much easier."

"I would never. Is that what you used?"

"No", sighing as he picks up a thank-you card from her lap and takes the pen from her hand. She watches as he quickly scribbles a message onto the card.

"Aren't you going to think about it — make it personal?"

"You don't have to think about it, Liv. You just have to be sincere and brief. Read", handing her the card.

 _Dear Mona and Tom:_

 _"Olivia and I cannot tell you how much we appreciate you sharing Jolie's first birthday with us. Jolie will enjoy the beautiful Manhattan Activity Center for many years to come. We look forward to seeing you both soon._

 _Warm regards,_

 _Fitz and Olivia_

"This is good, babe — really good", nodding her head as she reads his slanted scrawl. "It takes me forever to write thank-you notes. Do you want to write the others?"

"No - you only have a few more to do", tossing the pen onto her lap then crawling under the covers.

"Babe - have you given any thought to what you want for your birthday? It's a few weeks away."

"You know I don't like celebrating my birthday", he says grumpily, and she tries not to roll her eyes. They have the same conversation every year.

"Maybe celebrating your birthday is not just about you. Maybe it's about me and the girls wanting to celebrate you. Besides, you know Cee wants any excuse to eat ice cream - just like her daddy. And I'm sure your mother — "

"I don't want a party, Liv", he says abruptly.

"Okay — no party - at least not a big one." He frowns because once again she is not listening to him. "Is there something you want? Write three things on this sheet of paper and I'll select something for you", pushing the pen and paper at him.

He sighs. "I don't need anything, Liv."

"Birthdays aren't about getting the things you need, babe. They're about receiving gifts you wouldn't ordinarily buy for yourself."

"Fine", snatching the pen and paper from her hand. He quickly jots down three gift ideas then hands the sheet to her. Olivia scans the list and immediately dismisses the first item.

"You're kidding, right? You can open your drawer and find all the tee shirts you'll ever need. What about an experience — something you've always wanted to do but haven't had the chance?"

"I don't feel like playing games tonight, Olivia. I have a long day at the office tomorrow. I have to finish preparing for the budget hearings. They start in a few days you know – or have you forgotten?" Undeterred by his sarcasm, she continues.

"That's why we need to celebrate your birthday. Maybe once the hearings are over we can do number two on your list — go up to the lake house for a few weeks."

Good night, Olivia", pecking her on the cheek before turning onto his side.

Olivia wants to scream. Lately, their interactions, no matter how innocuous, always seems to end on a sour note. She stares at the back of his head, blinking rapidly, trying to fight back the tears. No longer in the mood to finish writing the notes, she sets the stack of cards and envelopes onto her night table and turns off the lamp. She slides under the covers and wraps her arm around his waist, snuggling close. He stiffens, and she holds him tighter, nuzzling her face in his neck. He closes his eyes tight when he feels the ever-so slight bump of her stomach pressing against his back.

For the next few hours, he lies awake in the dark, thinking he needs to get beyond whatever it is that has a hold on him. When the sun begins to rise, he detaches himself from her and rolls out of bed. He lifts his phone from the charger and slips into the bathroom, quietly closing the door behind him. He calls Dr. Brennan's office and leaves a message requesting to change his afternoon appointment to the morning. He sets the phone onto the counter and examines his reflection in the mirror.

 **XXX**

When Dr. Brennan enters the room, Fitz stands and the two men exchange their usual greeting. Fitz sits onto the sofa and crosses his legs. He smiles slightly as he watches Dr. Brennan begin his ritual. Once settled into his well-worn, leather wing-back chair, Dr. Brennan balances the yellow legal pad on one knee, then puts on his round, wire-framed eyeglasses.

"Thank you for seeing me this morning on such short notice."

"Not at all. It helped that we had a cancellation", Dr. Brennan says with a kind smile. Fitz nods and turns his attention to the window across the room, watching a hawk soar higher and higher toward the clouds. The bird looks so free.

"Olivia is trying to make me better", he finally says with a degree of guilt.

"I see", Dr. Brennan says.

"She's pregnant - we're pregnant", forking his long fingers through his hair.

"Congratulations."

Fitz sighs, not sure if the good wishes are warranted. He is not sure if another pregnancy is reason to celebrate. The thought of Olivia going to that dark place again is disquieting.

"Liv has wanted another baby for quite some time. Our youngest just turned one."

"How do you feel about becoming a father again?"

Fitz sighs, and silence befalls the room as he takes a few minutes to formulate a response.

"I love children — but we were supposed to wait. You know pregnancy is not a happy experience for my wife - quite the contrary."

"I'm sure you and Olivia have discussed the possibility of depression again."

"We have. We were planning to consult a specialist about it - we just didn't take precautions. I should've been more responsible."

"The last time I checked - it takes two."

Fitz nods his head and silence fills the room again. Forty-five minutes remain in the session. He rubs his thumb back and forth against the leather armrest as if he is trying to erase an imaginary stain from the material. His eyes dart around the room and, for the first time, he notices the stacks and stacks of books that seem to cover every flat surface. Books are piled on top of books. Books are piled on top of tables. Books are piled on top of the desk. And the bookshelves threaten to collapse under the weight of the voluminous tomes. He wonders how many of the books Dr. Brennan has actually read. He wonders if Dr. Brennan even knows what books he has piled around the room. He shakes his head because he cannot remember the last time he has read a complete book.

"Last week you asked if I had any regrets. Well — I do. Lots", he says almost imperceptibly.

"What do you regret?"

"I regret leaving the work I love. I regret going into politics. I regret agreeing to move from the house I love. I regret not killing Charlie Barber when I had the fuckin' chance", he says through clenched teeth.

"And how do these regrets make you feel?" Watching the tense man ball the hand resting on the armrest into a tight fist.

"Angry – mad as hell", he says in a measured tone.

"You don't sound like a man who is mad as hell." Fitz closes his eyes and he slowly massages his forehead. For months, he has been on the verge of exploding. He is trying to keep his anger under control.

"I don't want to frighten Olivia – not again", he admits reluctantly. "My temper is one of the reasons she left – went to Mirage. There were other reasons – of course."

"Who are you angry with?"

Fitz presses his large hands against the sides of his head and leans forward as if he is trying to block out unwanted sounds. The thoughts he has been stifling all these months sicken him. He shakes his head from side to side as tears stream down his face.

 _"Olivia. I'm fucking angry with Olivia_."

"Why are you angry with your wife?"

"I feel like she no longer listens to me — considers my needs. My wife is strong-willed — she wants what she wants. And I want to give her what she wants. I want to make her happy. But at times it gets hard— all the concessions", he says solemnly. "I feel like a piece of my soul is chipped away with each concession I make — and god knows I've made plenty. I've become a contortionist of sorts — twisting and bending myself into unnatural positions — trying to become – I don't even know what. I no longer know who the hell I am anymore."

"Fitz, there's a beauty when two people come together in a marriage – but each must always remember to have a self that is independent of the union. We all have beliefs and expectations – those things we hold deeply – the things that define who we are. And we experience greater fulfillment when we live by our values. When we don't honor them - our mental, emotional, and physical state suffers. Mind you - I'm not suggesting we never live beyond our limits - but I am saying if we are consistently stretched beyond what we can bear — then it is time to make adjustments."

Fitz nods in agreement. Lately he feels stretched tight like the strings on an upright bass.

"You have experienced emotional and life-changing transitions over the past year. A career change - moving from the home you love - another baby on the way. You have tried to rationalize these transitions — be okay with them - but doing so has only served to heighten your stress."

Fitz stares helplessly at Dr. Brennan.

"You feel like you are always giving up vital parts of who you are. The ongoing self-sacrifices – the regrets — have stirred up feelings of resentment. You are angry with Olivia and you resent her because of the sacrifices you believe you have made for her."

"How can I resent the person I love more than anything in the world?" Shaking his head in despair.

"Resenting someone you love is not uncommon, Fitz. There is the old cliché - love and hate are bedmates."

With the corners of his mouth turned down, Fitz listens intently to Dr. Brennan's assessment.

"You are conflicted. On the one hand you love your wife and will do anything to make her happy. On the other hand - you blame Olivia for all the unwanted changes in your lives over the past year. This conflict has created an uncomfortable dissonance."

Fitz looks up at Dr. Brennan with knitted brow.

"Cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort we experience when we simultaneously hold two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values. The stress caused by this dissonance is partly the cause of your panic attacks."

Fitz nods.

"What is the worst thing that can happen if you decide you no longer want to be in politics and you no longer want to move to the city?"

"Olivia will be disappointed— unhappy. Perhaps I might push her to choose."

"Choose what?" Fitz hesitates a few moments.

"A life without me." Dr. Brennan nods. A breakthrough.

"Fitz, you're a highly assertive, highly achieving, and highly ambitious man - but you have old insecurities – old stories - that you have been telling yourself."

Baffled by the assessment, Fitz looks at Dr. Brennan with confusion in his eyes.

"The story that you need to constantly satisfy Olivia's wants at the expense of your own desires. The story that you're not good enough for her. When you stop telling yourself these stories - you will create space for new ideas to emerge. It is in this new space that interesting possibilities and different life stories can be woven. However — in order for these new possibilities to emerge – and for you to move forward and live the life you truly want - you have to let go of the old stories."

"Are you saying I should divorce my wife?" He asks with a nervous laugh.

"What I'm saying is you cannot lose who you are in your marriage. There comes a time when self-preservation has to take over. There's nothing wrong with putting those you love above everyone else - but it becomes an issue when you put them above Olivia above yourself only reinforces the stories that you're not good enough — or that you constantly need to show her unmatched love, respect, and affection. You don't have to lose yourself — sacrifice who you are - to be with Olivia. If you lose yourself you lose it all."

"Doesn't every man want a woman to worship and adore?"

"You should adore your wife – but you cannot lose who you are in the process. I'm sure Olivia doesn't want that. You have to trust that your wife loves you for you — and not for the person you _think_ she wants. But — you also have to be all right if you find out otherwise."

Fitz returns his gaze toward the window.

"The panic attacks you've been having is a call to show you that you have outgrown these old stories and are ready to replace them with something else – something more aligned with your true self."

Fitz looks back at Dr. Brennan and slowly nods his head. Everything is beginning to make sense.

"You also have to give yourself permission to feel the emotions that you have built up — not suppress them. And you must once again find your voice - discuss your feelings and needs with Olivia. If you don't - your resentment will fester like an unhealed wound and destroy your marriage."

 **XXX**

Another hour passes and Fitz leans back against the park bench thinking about his session with Dr. Brennan. He tilts his head skyward, allowing the afternoon sun to warm his face. He misses the sun; it always rains in Washington. He smiles as he turns his head in the direction of the quacking sounds of ducks. He watches how they interact, all floating in the same direction, in a V-formation, on the water's surface. He wonders if they are of one family. He watches the ducks a while longer, stands and drapes the suit jacket over his arm, then walks toward his truck. He will not be going back to the office this afternoon.

 **XXX**

Olivia is not sure if her roiling stomach is solely due to the pregnancy or if her husband's situation is a contributing factor. Maybe it is both. In either case, she will not allow the nausea to slow her down, to stop her from devising ways to help her husband. She is trying not to be over-bearing and push him to start using those pills again, if he has not already done so. He swore he was no longer taking he pills, but she is not sure if she believes him. He hid it from her all these months, who is to say he is not hiding it again? She brushes the tears from her cheek and shifts Jolie in her left arm before pressing the doorbell.

"Come on in, Liv", Ben says, pecking her on the cheek and taking Jolie from her arms. "How's my goddaughter doing today?" Tossing Jolie in the air. Jolie giggles and squeals.

"Thanks for seeing me on short notice."

"You never have to thank me, Liv. You know that I'm always here for you. Besides, I'll take any excuse to see my goddaughter on my day off", turning his head to dodge Jolie's fingers that once again reach for his nose.

"Can I get you anything – something to drink?"

"No – nothing. Thank you."

"She likes pulling noses - don't you little girl?", hoisting Jolie in the air again.

Jolie's tiny body shakes with laughter and slobber runs from her mouth, falling into Bennie's eye. He laughs as he wipes the dribble from his face. He and Jolie are having too much fun.

"I can't get over how much she looks like Nora", he says, red-faced with laughter.

Olivia remains silent and Ben glances at her, immediately realizing something is wrong. He sets Jolie onto the Monkey Mat, one of the many fun things he has bought since her birthday. He enjoys shopping at the children's store that is located within walking distance of the hospital. He has become quite friendly with Frieda, the sales clerk, who often helps him to select age appropriate toys and clothes for his niece.

Once on the mat, Jolie immediately grabs the huge clear rattle and begins to shake it. She laughs out loud when the colorful lights blink on and off and the music starts to play.

"What's going on, Liv? What's wrong?" Concern filling his voice as he sits next to her on the sofa.

"It's Fitz. He's so distant — detached. He's built a wall so high and he won't let me in – no matter what I try. I'm losing him, Ben."

"You're not losing him. Fitz just needs time to get through this. My brother loves you more than anything. He might just be a little upset about you telling me about what is going on. He has always been a private person."

"It's not that, Ben. Yes - he was upset— but it's something more. Something is going on and he won't tell me. I'm scared, Ben. I don't want him to start taking those pills again."

"Liv — "

"I worry about him — all the time. I cannot bare the thought of losing him. I can't go through that again."

"Tell me what's going on."

"I can see it in his eyes - he's not happy. Something is haunting him."

"That's why he's working with Dr. Brennan. Getting to the root cause of matters like this can take a while."

"No - no — it's something more. I feel the difference. He's going through the motions - we no longer have real conversations."

"You can't fix him as quickly as you like, Liv. You have to give it time."

She stares at Ben for a while, wondering if she is trying too hard to fix her husband, but quickly dismisses the thought. She does not have time to second guess herself.

"I've been doing some research — about opioids", staring at Ben with desperation in her eyes.

"Liv — "

"I know you and Marion explained — but I needed to do more research— understand more about these drugs."

"Fitz is no longer taking the opioid, Liv. Wait — is he? Have you found more pills?"

"No — no. I don't know. He said he isn't – but he hid it from me the first time."

"You have to believe him, Liv."

"Do I? Why must I believe him?" Her voice rising in panic. Jolie stops banging the rattle on the floor and looks over at her mother.

"Liv — "

"I read that overdoses are the number one cause of unintentional deaths in America."

"Liv -"

"I read there are medications designed to rapidly reverse an opioid overdose", frantically digging into her purse for the thank-you card on which she wrote the names of the medications."

"Why are you doing this to yourself?"

"I have to be ready, Ben — just in case. I missed it all before - I won't miss it again", handing him the note card. Ben frowns as he reads the names of the medications. "I would never forgive myself if there was something I could do to save my husband and I didn't. I need you to tell me how to get the Narcan — just in case. I need to be ready to help my husband." Tears stream down her face and Ben wraps his arm around her shoulders. Jolie looks up again when she hears her mother crying. Ben presses two fingers to his temple. He feels a headache building.

"Fitz is going to be fine, Liv."

"Do you need to check his heart?" Blurting out the random thought. "Perhaps the drugs — "

"Liv — Fitz is healthy. The last cardiac study I did on him showed he is as strong as a horse."

Unable to sit still, Olivia stands from the sofa and paces around the room. She stops in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, wringing her hands as she thinks about their upcoming move to the city.

"I'm pregnant, Ben", turning from the window with fright in her eyes.

"That's terrific, Liv. It seems like my brother is working on getting those five children after all", walking toward her with a broad smile spread across his face.

"We haven't told anyone yet. No one else knows", she adds quickly.

Ben nods with understanding.

"I can't lose him, Ben. I can't — not now", she says, sobbing uncontrollably.

Ben pulls her into his arms and Olivia holds on tight, allowing herself to have a much-needed cry.

"Okay – okay. Don't cry. I'll get you the Naloxone – Narcan. I'll show you how to administer it", holding her close in an attempt to console her.

The door swings open and Marion fights back the the green-eyed when she enters the apartment and sees the two embracing.

"Ben — Olivia?" Marion's says with surprise.

"Marion …" Ben says, turning to face his girlfriend.

"Hello, Marion", Olivia says through the tears as she steps away from Ben, swiping the tears from her cheeks. Jolie begins to cry because her mother is crying again. Marion feels silly when sees Jolie sitting on the floor and crying.

"I have to get going. We have to stop at the grocery store on the way home", grabbing her purse from the sofa.

"Don't leave — not like this, Liv", Ben pleads as he bends and lifts Jolie from the floor and pats his distraught niece on the back. Puzzled by what she is seeing, Marion stands across the room and watch the scene unfold.

"Thanks for listening, Ben", trying to take the rattle from her daughter's hand. But Jolie has a tight grip on her new favorite toy.

"You have to leave it, Jo", but Jolie resists, continuing to pull the toy away from her mother.

"Let her take it, Liv. We have plenty of goodies, right, Jo?" Ben says as he tickles Jolie's side.

"Come on, Jo – we gotta get going", taking Jolie from her uncle's arms.

"I'll call you tomorrow. And don't worry — everything is going to be all right." Olivia gives her brother-in-law a weak smile and he pecks her on the cheek.

"We're going to get out of your way, Marion — leave you two alone", giving Marion a quick hug.

As Olivia hurries from the apartment, Marion looks at Ben for answers. She wonders why Olivia is so upset.

"What's going on — what's wrong with Olivia?" Marion asks with genuine concern. Ben shakes his head as he walks over and kisses her on the lips.

"She's gotten herself all worked up about Fitz. She's been researching Naloxone. She wants me to get it for her – show her how to use it – just in case."

"My god", Marion says, shaking her head in dismay.

As the city's Director of Public Health, Marion has direct insight into the rising death rate in the city from opioid overdoses. Every day she sees how families are traumatized by the loss of a loved one who has died from an opioid overdose. So, it is heartbreaking to see her friends struggle with what has rapidly become the country's latest epidemic.

"Maybe that's not such a bad idea", she says cautiously as she sits onto the sofa. Ben shoots her a disapproving glance. "Just listen to me, Ben. In these times — knowing how to administer Naloxone – or one of the other drugs to counteract an opioid overdose — is like knowing CPR. You of all people know that anyone around us can have a heart attack. Similarly — anyone around us can potentially be an addict and overdose from an opioid. I see the effects of these drugs every day, Ben. It's devastating for families. You don't want Olivia and the girls to go through that."

"I'll get it for her – but I don't like the idea of Liv being exposed to this sort of thing – not now."

"Better safe than sorry, Ben."

Displeased there is a need to discuss such a matter, Ben stomps toward the kitchen. He is trying really hard not to blame his brother for putting Olivia in this position.

 **XXX**

Olivia shifts Jolie in her left arm as she sets her purse onto the foyer table. Then, she walks up the hall carrying Jolie and the bag of groceries she bought to prepare tonight's dinner. She crinkles her brow when she hears Fitz and Cena singing that song from the Disney movie. She does not remember seeing an early dismissal scheduled for today on the school calendar. She wonders if Cena is ill and the school called Fitz to pick up Cena. She wonders why they did not call her.

:

:

 _Let it go, let it go_

 _Can't hold it back anymore_

 _Let it go, let it go_

 _Turn away and slam the door_

 _I don't care what they're going to say_

 _Let the storm rage on_

 _The cold never bothered me anyway_

 _Let it go, let it go_

 _Can't hold it back anymore_

 _Let it go, let it go_

 _Turn away and slam the door_

 _Let it go (go, go, go go, go go, go go, go, go, go go)_

 _Let it go_

 _Let it go_

 _Let it go_

 _It's funny how some distance makes everything seem small_

 _And the fears that once controlled me can't get to me at all_

 _It's time to see what I can do_

 _To test the limits and break through_

 _No right, no wrong, no rules for me_

 _I'm free_

 _:_

 _:_

 _ **Let It Go**_ _, Idina Menzel_

She stops in the entryway and quickly scans the kitchen where she sees Cena sitting on her knees at the granite island scooping flour into a large ceramic mixing bowl. She seems to have as much flour in her hair and on her face as she has in the bowl.

"Daddy - are you happy again?"

Fitz stops singing, turns away from the stove, and looks at his daughter's innocent face. Guilt washes over him. He has been so absorbed with his own feelings he did not consider the effects his behavior was having on his daughter.

"Yes – daddy is very happy. And you know why?"

"Why, daddy?"

"Because you're the best Princess ever and I love you more than anything. Never — ever forget that", kissing the top of her head and turning back to the stove.

"Never – ever, daddy."

"What's going on? Why is Cena home so early from school? Why are you home early from work?" Olivia asks with worry in her voice.

"So many questions, Mrs. Grant", Fitz says, turning from the stove with a huge smile spread across his face.

"Daddy picked me up from school and I didn't have to do arithmetic. I hate arithmetic", Cena says, poking out her bottom lip. Fitz knows that Cena thinks she hates arithmetic, but he tricks her into using it whenever they are cooking. He does not want his daughter to limit herself. He wants her to become a confident and independent woman just like her mother.

"She hates arithmetic", Fitz chuckles as he pecks Olivia on the lips and takes the grocery bag from her hand. Olivia squints at her husband, closely studying his face. Unlike last night, he is upbeat. She prays he is not high.

"Mommy, Mrs. Reston always smiles when she sees daddy."

"Is that right? Well — maybe mommy will have to pick you up from school the next time", watching Fitz walk across the kitchen and set the grocery bag onto the counter next to the refrigerator.

"We're having coke and ben, mommy – your favorite. Daddy said so", Cena continues to report.

"Coq au vin, Princess", Fitz corrects his helper as he takes a sleeping Jolie from Olivia's arms.

"Oh", Cena says, brushing hair from her face with the back of her hand, which only adds more flour to her cheek.

"Coq au vin? On a Thursday?" Olivia asks with surprise.

"Mrs. Grant — mother of my children — _all_ of my children. You deserve coq au vin every night of the week", grinning as he pats her stomach. "Sit down — we have a little time before dinner is ready."

"I'm going to need 10 sprigs of thyme and one-and-a-half cups of sugar, Princess", walking into the family room to lie Jolie on the play mat.

"Okay, daddy."

Cena dips the measuring cup into the large jar of sugar and uses her safety knife to level off exactly one-and-a-half cups the way her father taught her. She dumps the sugar into the bowl then starts to count 10 sprigs of thyme.

"We're making dessert, too, mommy."

 **XXX**

Olivia watched him closely all evening. He and Cena talked non-stop during dinner and he helped Jolie to slide spoonfuls of food into her mouth. After dinner he played on the floor with the girls before bath time. The light seems to have returned to his eyes and he is no longer tense. Her husband is back.

With the girls safely tucked into bed, Fitz walks down the hall to their bedroom, then continues toward the bathroom when he does not see Olivia. He leans against the door frame with arms folded across his chest and smiles when he sees his wife. She looks angelic with her hair pulled up into a bun and the flickering candles casting a warm, golden haze around her. He has had a lot to think about today, and he knows one thing for sure. Despite everything they have gone through as a couple, and everything they will go through, he will never love another the way he loves her.

"This is a surprise", he says with that irresistible, impish grin she will never tire of seeing.

"Come on in — the water is perfect", smiling as she beckons him to her.

He hurriedly pulls the tee shirt over his head, clumsily pulling down his sweatpants and boxers in one fell swoop. He kicks them to the side and Olivia pushes back against the bathtub, making room for him. He sits between her bent legs, stretching his long legs that fall short of the tub's length.

"Mmm — this feels good. It's been a while", leaning back against her breasts and resting his arms on her bent knees.

"It's been a while", she repeats.

" _Goodnight Moon_ – three times tonight. I think Jo is beginning to understand."

"Maybe it's time to stop reading that book, babe. Start telling a different story."

"They still enjoy it, Liv. Besides, it's not about the book."

"It's about the book, babe."

"No — it's about spending time with the girls", he insists.

She sighs, deciding to drop the touchy subject. He is the one who still enjoys reading the story. She knows Cena would like to hear a different story.

"You and your sous chef outdid yourselves tonight - coq au vin. That's a lot of work for a week night."

"It's your favorite", kissing her knee.

"It is. What was Cee doing with all that sugar?"

"I was going to bake your favorite tart. It didn't turn out very well", he says with disappointment.

"Aww, babe - that's so sweet of you - since you don't really bake."

Olivia lifts the cut crystal tumbler from the tub deck and taps it against his shoulder. He turns and gives her a questioning look when he sees the cool glass which is half filled with scotch on the rocks.

"The Fitzgerald Grant I know _always_ appreciated a good glass of scotch. Sip." He closes his eyes as the smooth, smoky liquid slides down his throat.

"You bought out the good stuff tonight. Are you trying to get me drunk, Mrs. Grant - take advantage of me?"

"Yes", dipping the natural sea sponge into the lavender-scented water.

"How are you feeling? How's my baby tonight?"

" _Our_ baby is fine", squeezing the sponge and allowing the warm water to drizzle down his back. She slowly drags the sponge over the faint scar on his shoulder, a reminder of the surgery he had long before they were married. She forgot this is why he no longer fences.

"How's the nausea?"

"I feel queasy all day. And the smell of almost everything makes me want to puke. I just want to sleep all the time, Fitz."

"I've noticed - so has your mother - by the way."

"Did she say anything? Did you say anything?"

"No - of course not. We agreed. When is _our_ appointment with Dr. Perry?"

"Next week. Sip."

"Ultrasound, right?" Enjoying the taste of his favorite scotch.

"Do you want to know the sex this time?"

"I do."

"Ah — so you don't want to wait another seven or so months to find out if we're having another girl."

"I'll be happy no matter the sex, Liv.".

"Liar", slapping the sponge against his shoulder.

"I'm —" They both look over at the open bathroom door when they hear the jingle of Bowtie's dog tags.

" _Out_ ", Fitz shouts, his voice reverberating against the slate and tile. Bowtie whimpers and looks at Olivia with his big brown eyes.

"Don't be mean, Fitz. You know he's harmless."

"He's taking too many liberties with my woman. You've spoiled him."

"He's just protective — like someone else I know", kissing the scar on his shoulder.

" _Out"_ , Fitz demands again. Bowtie turns and walks through the bedroom with his tail between his legs.

"Head back."

"I'm getting the full treatment tonight", tilting his head back and closing his eyes.

"The full treatment." She drizzles water over his head then squeezes a generous amount of shampoo in her hand.

"That smells nice", taking another sip of scotch as she massages his scalp.

"Lime and green tea. You like?"

"I like."

"Mhm", she mumbles as she turns on the hand-held show to rinse the shampoo from his hair. She massages the conditioner in his hair and he quickly slides under the water, and does not immediately resurface.

"Get up, Fitz. You're being silly." He laughs as he comes back up, swiping the water from his face.

"I love this tub, Liv."

"I know — you've told me once or twice", she says playfully.

He slides to the other end of the tub and sits facing her. He marvels how pregnancy is making her breasts full. Olivia stares at him. Her mind is racing, wondering why he moved to the other end of the tub.

"I don't want to move, Liv. I love this house — our home."

She tilts her head slightly, trying to understand why he is bringing up the seemingly out-of-the blue comment.

"My mind has been a battlefield these past few months — conflicting thoughts warring with each other."

Olivia folds her arms across her chest and eyes him closely.

"I can't pretend anymore. I don't want to pretend."

"Pretend about what?" She asks with a shaky voice.

"About who I am – what I want." She holds her breath and prepares for the worse.

"I don't understand", she says, trying to remain calm, but quaking internally. She does not want to vomit right now.

"My life — our lives — have changed so much. I never pictured this is what our lives would look like."

"What do you mean?"

"I moved back to Church Falls because I wanted to be near my family — settle down in the place where I grew up. I wanted to start my own family here."

She nods.

"I never saw myself getting into politics, Liv. Never wanted it."

" _What?_ You never said anything. I thought — "

"I didn't want to disappoint you."

"What do you mean disappoint me?" She says with surprise.

"You were so hurt by the whole Marla scandal — devastated really. It killed me to see you so sad. I just wanted you to be happy again. I wanted my Livvie back."

"Fitz …"

"When I was approached to run for Marla's seat – you were excited — happy again. I just wanted to make you happy, Liv. My heart was never really in it."

She bites her fist, thinking about all the trials and tribulations they have endured since they got involved in politics. How could she not know her husband never wanted to run for political office?

"I need to do more than negotiate policy. I love what I do — what I did. And it's not about the money, Liv. Making deals — merging and acquiring companies energize me."

"You didn't say anything."

"I know. I should have — and that's on me." He stares at her for a while before entering unchartered waters. "I created a narrative — a story — in my head where I blamed you — resented you — for everything that is wrong in my life."

An audible gasp escapes her lips and tears well in her eyes.

"Hey - hey. Don't cry."

"How can I not cry when you tell me you hate me?"

"I don't hate you. I love you - more than anything — always will."

"How can you say you love me and hate me at the same time?" Brushing a wet hand over her cheek.

"I will never love anyone the way I love you. Never - ever forget that. But I have to tell you some things — things that will help us both — okay?" Nodding his head as he looks into her frightened eyes. She nods her head slowly, bracing herself for the worst.

"It happened in small doses - not speaking up here and there — until I felt like I had lost who I am. I've changed, Liv. Some days when I look in the mirror I don't recognize my own reflection. And that angers me — makes me want to explode."

Her eyes widen. "Babe ..."

"I've been trying so hard to do everything I thought would make you happy. I thought if I didn't — then …."

"Then what?" Anxiety filling her voice.

"Then you wouldn't want me – us – this life", spreading his arms wide. "You're so adamant about moving to the city. It's like our life isn't enough for you. And — honestly — I wasn't sure if the move was just about providing the girls more diversity."

Olivia crinkles her brow.

"You're strong-willed, Liv. You know what you want — always have. And I want to give you everything you want — but sometimes what you want conflicts with what I want. And it seemed like you didn't consider what I want. And that angered me because we are supposed to be in this together."

The melodic sounds flowing through the built-in speakers fill her ears, but she cannot seem to remember the name of the song. A myriad of thoughts swirl around in mind. She shifts her gaze from him and stare across the room at nothing in particular.

"This is not on you, Liv — it's on me. This is about me not feeling like I was enough for you."

Her heart is heavy as she listens to him expose his innermost fears, and she admires his strength and unabashed willingness to be vulnerable. Staring at his nakedness, she remembers what Avril said about shedding the skin of their old selves.

"I had to tell you, Liv. I was wrong to blame you for my insecurities. I'm sorry."

The apology is like a punch to the gut. It is unwarranted because he has not done anything wrong. She covers her face and the tears spill over her hands. Some wounds take longer to heal than others. Surface wounds like a bruise or scrape heal rather quickly. But deep wounds, when left unattended, can fester and become infected. To heal properly, deep wounds must be immediately dressed, kept warm; otherwise, there could be long-lasting consequences. Her old emotional wounds have not been properly tended to. They have not healed, and they are infecting her marriage, have been for a long time. Mirage was a just a small bandage that did not heal a much deeper wound.

"This is my fault", she says half to herself, as if she is beginning to realize a deep truth. He slides across the tub and peels her hands away from her face.

"Hey –hey, don't hide from me - don't cry. I'm all right - everything is all right. I'm not hiding — wearing a mask anymore. I've faced my fears." He kisses away her tears and she shakes her head from side to side, pulling away from his embrace.

"I did this to you — to us. I haven't let it go, Fitz. I thought I'd gotten over it — but I haven't. It's been standing between us all this time."

She sees the confusion in his eyes and inhales deeply. The bitter taste of lime and green tea fill her mouth.

"In the beginning – I didn't know how to love you – at least not the way you deserved. But you made me want to learn – you taught me. You were so patient."

Liv — "

"I told you everything about my parents – I didn't hold anything back."

He looks at her tortured face and nods slowly.

"All I ever wanted was for my mother to put me first – give me what she so freely gives to strangers. She thought making me independent was her greatest gift – but in fact it was her worst. She and dad always bragged to their friends at church about how resourceful their Livvia was – but I wasn't - really. I made a lot mistakes – fell down a lot. And she was rarely there to counsel me –– to show me the way —to tell me everything would be all right. You know – she was not there to talk to when I had my first menstrual cycle? I was so scared and I didn't know any of the girls at school to talk to about what was happening. I had to figure out so many things on my own."

"I know. I know", he says softly.

"I was so unprepared for life — which is ironic since mom spends so much time helping others to face the world. After a while I just got used to not needing them – not needing anyone – until you. But I didn't know how to do it. I didn't know how to love this man who had so much love to give and had no problem showing it anywhere and everywhere. You scared me at first", she says with a nervous smile.

He smiles slightly when he thinks about those days.

"You deserve so much better than what I've given you. I've been selfish — not paying enough attention to you - your needs. Abby is right – I push you – always testing if you really love me. Testing if you would leave."

"Livvie, I'm not going anywhere. I love you more than anything."

"My parents left me, Fitz – over and over – and they said they loved me. I've let this thing with my parents — with my mother — stand between us all these years. I am so sorry what I have done to you. Can you forgive me?" He caresses her face and his thumb slowly brushing away the tears.

"There isn't anything you could do that will stop me from loving you."

"Never – ever?" She asks with trembling lips.

"Never – ever", pressing his lips to her forehead. "You have to tell her, Liv. I had to put some things behind me and so do you. It's time to move on. Okay?"

She slowly nods her head and he stands, outstretching his hand to her. She smiles up at him and places her hand in his.

"Let's get out of this cold water", pulling her to her feet. She wraps her arms around his waist and stands on her toes, kissing him deeply.

"I love you for you. Never – ever forget that." He smiles. "Call Rheta tomorrow - tell her we won't be moving."

"Can you be okay with that?" Searching her face for any signs of regret.

"It's a beautiful house — but this is our home. This is our bathtub."

 **XXX**

He has not fully transitioned from sleep to wakefulness, but he instinctually pulls her close after drifting apart during the night. Skin to skin, he nuzzles his face in her neck and cups her full breast. He inhales deeply; he loves her scent. He presses his lips to her neck and his hand slowly glides down her stomach, licking his lips when his fingers feel her soft, warm sanctum. He gently strokes her outer lips and she moans slightly. Now fully awake, he rubs his morning hardness up and down her butt.

"Liv", he says in low tone. "Wake up, Liv", his warm breath wafting over her ear.

"Hmm?" She moans, not yet awake.

"Wake up, Liv", he whispers again as he rolls on top of her. Semi-conscious, she is confused, unable to speak or make sense of what is happening.

"What are you doing?" Slowly opening her eyes. They stare into each others' eyes and he smiles.

"Trying to make love to my wife."

Holding his hardness in his hand, he slowly slides in and they both gasp. It has been a while. "I love you more than anything, Mrs. Grant", sliding his tongue in her mouth as he rides her nice and slow. She spread her legs and moves with him, slow and rhythmically. Needing to experience all of her, he slides down her body and spread wide her other lips. He inhales deeply and her uniqueness sends him into a frenzy. He glides his tongue up and down, loving taste of pregnancy.

"Delicious", he mutters, darting his tongue in and out then plunges in deeply. She grabs a fistful of his hair and lifts her hips.

"Oh god, Fitz", she cries out, trying to escape his unrelenting mouth. The sensation is unbearably exquisite.

He drapes his arm over her stomach, pinning her to the bed, not allowing her to move. She tastes so good. He suckles the swollen flesh until she quivers in his mouth, her legs tremble uncontrollably. He slides up the bed, kisses her tenderly as he slips inside. His body tenses. The feeling is near overwhelming.

"Livvie", he moans with pleasure.

She lifts her hips and presses her hands to his butt, pulling him in deeper. She knows what he likes. He thrusts faster, reveling in the glorious friction. He is in that other space, the place that is otherworldly. The place of eternal pleasure. Then he explodes, and the cries of pleasure escape his throat as his love flows deep inside. His ears are ringing. He is euphoric. The pent-up stress is released. He rests his head on her shoulder and for the next few minutes they lie in silence, their loud breathing filling the room as his body slowly returns to its normal state. Bowtie glances down the hall at the closed door from his bed outside of Cena's room.

"Hi", he says, looking deep into her eyes. He feels giddy and renewed.

"Hi", she says, returning the smile. "You're up early, mister. What time is it?" She asks in her raspy morning voice.

"Early", continuing to grin at her.

"Why are you smiling?"

"Because I've missed you – missed us. And I'm happy and I love you."

"I'm happy you're happy. But, babe – you have to let me up. I have to pee."

Limbs entangled in mess of Egyptian cotton and Belgian linen, Fitz rolls onto his back as Olivia crawls from the bed. He rubs his hand up and down his chest as he listens to the birds begin to sing. It is sunrise.

"I don't know how I made it through the night without going to the bathroom, babe. It seems like that's all I do is pee these days", she says crawling into bed and curling into his side. He pecks her on the top of her head.

"Maybe you should talk to Dr. Perry when we see him next week."

"What is he going to do, Fitz? It's just part of being pregnant", she says beginning to fall back to sleep.

"Liv. Wake up, Liv."

"Not again, Fitz. I need to sleep."

"Liv."

"What?" She whines. He is never this talkative after making love.

"I was thinking a lot today – yesterday - about Rev. Walker's sermon on compassion a few weeks ago. What was that quote from the Dalai Lama he mentioned?"

"Hmm?" Trying to keep her eyes open.

"The Dalai Lama quote. What was it?"

"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion."

 _ **One Week Later**_

The hurried footsteps shuffling across the concrete floor, car engines starting, and horns blaring have no effect on them. They are in a daze, oblivious of all the sounds filling the underground parking garage of the Medical Arts Building. They have no idea how long they have been sitting in the same position since neither has the presence of mind to check their watch or the clock on the dashboard. Perhaps it has been an hour, maybe two. Maybe they have only been there for five minutes. Time seems to have stopped for them. The loud sound of a motorcycle careening from the parking garage finally shakes them from their haze and they turn and stare at each other. They open and close their mouths, but nothing seems to come out. They are dumbstruck. They turn their heads and look straight ahead again; neither is sure how to process the information.

"Are you all right?" He asks, finally finding his voice.

Olivia shakes her head from side to side, then up and down. She does not know what she is right now. The tears roll down her cheeks.

"Everything is going to be fine, Liv. We're going to get through this — together", trying to sound confident and reassuring. But, the quiver in his voice provides her little to no solace.

"What are we going to do?" Looking at him with fear in her eyes.

"What do you mean? I don't know." He says in an abnormally high-pitched tone he hardly recognizes.

They stare at each other a few more minutes then turn and look straight ahead - at the windshield.

"Twins", she says.

"Twins", he repeats.


	55. Chapter 55 Summer Break

**A/N: Sweet160717** , it takes a while for people to change their behavior. Marion is trying to do better because she really loves Bennie and she wants to be a better person. It is shocking that you now understand Fitz' PoV. LOL. Excellent observation about the way Olivia and Fitz show love for each other. They are complicated as individuals and as a couple. Ms. Rhimes might have something to say about me publishing this story. I suppose I can change the names, but will anyone read it if they don't recognize Fitz and Olivia? Yes, you caught that at different points in their marriage each has felt like they didn't have a voice in their own home. Now that the pretending is over, they can move on. **didi46** , glad you loved the chapter. Marion stepped up in this chapter, providing Bennie insight about Nora and containing her jealousy. You are so right; the Grant household is going to be overflowing with children soon. Let's see how they handle it. **Reader575** , Fitz, like Olivia, has finally realized that he must take care of himself before he can take care of others. While at Mirage, Olivia came to the realization she must take care of self and family before taking care of the community. Dr. Brennan is so smart for helping Fitz to realize what was happening with him. Also, remember there was a one-week time jump from the time Olivia met with Bennie and when she and Fitz literally and figuratively came clean with each other. We'll see how the Narcan situation is handled. **kandyse4olitz** , you're so right, communication in a relationship is equally as important as love. They're going to be all right and they will need to be on the same page for what is to come. So, you also think it's time for the Popes to leave. Let's see what happens. **GeeGee612** , let's see if there is any fallout from Olivia going to Bennie about her suspicions rather than to her husband. **Dendardendan** , I'm glad you're enjoying the story and I appreciate the compliment. Liv is usually the culprit, intentionally or unintentionally, when it comes to Fitz' woes. Remember, Olivia and Bennie have been friends long before Fitz or Marion came into the picture. She has relied on him since they were in school. But, is it time for the two to change, be more aware how their friendship impacts their mates? The children are definitely going to give Fitz a run for his money. _Hint._ **Coralsue** , a mother not telling her daughter about one of the basic functions of the female body seems incredible to some. But, as you confessed, for some reason some mothers miss this opportunity. **Monica** , I don't want you to be antsy and nervous, and I certainly don't want you breaking out in hives. As a couple, they are in a good place. But, life is always ready to throw us curve balls. Mona told Olivia long ago, "we are either going through something, coming out of something, or getting ready to go through something. It's what makes life, and this story, interesting, I hope. All of Olivia's attempts to fix Fitz were going to fail because she was not fixing the real problem. **Emma** , Bennie is a caring brother, boyfriend, and friend and doesn't let many things frazzle him. Notice, he was not upset with Marion for listening to Nora's gossip about the family. He moved on and helped Marion to understand why Nora is the way she is. Remember, Fitz has been insecure about his relationship with Olivia since they married. This came out a bit during their sessions at Mirage with Avril. We'll find out how or if Olivia addresses her resentment for her mother in Chapter 56. Not only does Fitz have to listen to Calvin's rants about socio-political issues, he must also wonder every morning if Calvin has made two pots of the spicy Café Touba. The little things start to build up over a while. Let's see what happens with their house guests. Managing all those children is going to be challenging. **Cleo** , you're perceptive. Feeling Liv's ever-so slight baby bump made Fitz realize he needed to get to the bottom of his anxiety attacks. Thanks for researching names, you know I'm absolutely horrible at naming characters. I don't think you'll ever like Marion. LOL. **kelleelekell** , glad you're enjoying the story. It is important for Olivia and Fitz to remember the tools Avril taught them. **Guest 1** , those Grant girls are truly daddy's girls. Keep reading, you'll find out how Fitz will handle his time remaining as council president. This pregnancy was unplanned, and Liv did not ignore Fitz' wishes. As Dr. Brennan told Fitz, it takes two to make a baby. Remember, way back in January, February, and March, they were going at it like jack rabbits, almost every night he came home from City Hall. What did Fitz expect? **Guest 2,** you give for those you love, Cyrus told Fitz that on the show a long time ago. But, you don't give in an unhealthy way. Marion is maturing in her relationship with Bennie. Both Olivia and Fitz have made sacrifices. I'm impressed you read the story straight through. Whew! **Guest 3** , Too funny your husband was catatonic after getting the news you two were having twins. That's how I imagined Olivia and Fitz responding. **Guest 4** , not engaged in the story – _what_? I get it. The last two updates were really about Fitz getting to the bottom of his panic attacks. Although this is FF, I couldn't resolve the issue in one chapter. It takes time for people to heal and evolve. Also, won't disrespect you all with shock and awe and unrealistic timelines. So, Cena pulled you back in with, "Daddy are you happy now?" Thank you and enjoy your summer as well. **Guest 5** , with all the children Fitz and Olivia are going to have, they need the big house in Church Falls. You're right, Olivia showed maturity and grace when she accepted her role in creating the problems in their marriage. Bennie loves Marion the way she is and doesn't care if she doesn't cook. Marion will be around unless she does something stupid to run Bennie away. Remember, Bennie doesn't like a lot of drama, and Marion can bring drama at times. More juicy stuff? Sheesh.

I recently realized that I've been writing this story for TWO YEARS. I can't believe it. Thanks to all who have stuck with it from the beginning. And thanks to all the new follows and favorites. Here we go!

 **Chapter 55. Summer Break**

The garage door slides up and Olivia slowly rolls her SUV over the cobblestone pavers until she reaches the end of the long driveway. With the driver side window rolled halfway down, she looks left then right before pulling out onto their street. It is late spring, and the birds are making quite a hullabaloo. She smiles at the sounds of the short, quick bird songs and calls and wonders if her goldfinch is contributing to the raucous this morning. As she drives down the street, she sees Harry, who is out with Rufus for their morning walk. They exchange waves and she makes a mental note to send Harry a basket of something as an apology for her husband's bad behavior a few weeks ago. She will also include a treat for Rufus.

As she turns onto Apple Way, Olivia takes a moment to admire the stately homes in built in various architectural styles. The landscaping is immaculate, as always. She inhales deeply, filling her nostrils with the wonderful scents of fully bloomed flowers and freshly mown grass. Fitz is right, Church Falls is truly a beautiful little town and a good place to raise their children. Today she will take the backroads into the city, instead of the highway. She wants to enjoy the scenery.

 **XXX**

When Olivia pulls into her reserved parking space in the underground parking garage of Bryson Foods headquarters, she laughs out loud when she thinks about how she and Fitz sat in the truck frozen for, well she does not know for how long, after Dr. Perry gave them the surprising news. She still cannot believe they are having twins. As she climbs from the car, she reminds herself to ask her parents if there is a history of twins on either side of the family. Fitz says there are none on the Grant side. The clickety-clacketing sounds of her heels striking against the concrete floor reverberate in the relatively quiet garage as Olivia walks quickly toward the elevator. The clickety-clacketing suddenly stops and Olivia stares blankly at the closed elevator doors. The reality that in seven months they are going to double the number of children in their home is somewhat scary. They are going to need help.

Deanna glances up from the reception station and smiles when she sees her favorite executive walking toward double-glass doors. She stands, balancing herself on the sensible kitten heels, then walks around the impressive station to greet Olivia Grant. She admires Olivia. The woman has an enviable life: a handsome husband, two beautiful children, and a burgeoning new career. She also admires Olivia's ability to walk in the not-so sensible, four-inch heels. She would give her eyeteeth to have Olivia's perfect life.

"Olivia, it's so good to see you. I didn't realize you were coming into the office today", outstretching her arms to give Olivia a hug.

"It's good to see you as well, Deanna", wrinkling her nose as she accepts the hug. "I need to pick up a few things from my office. I'll be working here for a few hours - until around four."

"I'm always glad to see you, Olivia - but remember - if you ever need anything from the office — just let me know and I'll have it sent to your home by messenger. There's no need for you to drive into the city."

"That's so kind of you, Deanna. I'll keep that in mind."

"Can I order you lunch or get you anything?"

"No - thank you. I'll just be having tea", slyly breathing through her mouth.

"Well - you'll find everything you need in your office."

Needing to escape the overpowering smell of Deanna's perfume, Olivia nods with a polite smile then dashes down the hall to her office. Halfway down the hall, she remembers she should ask Deanna about Kelly. She inhales a lungful of fresh air then walks back to the reception area.

"Deanna - there is one more thing."

"Yes — what is it, Olivia?"

"Would you happen to know if Kelly is in today?"

"Kelly from housekeeping?"

"Yes", Olivia replies, trying not to breathe through her nose.

"I'm afraid Kelly is going to be out for a few days. Her arm — the one she injured a while ago — apparently the old injury has flared up again."

"I see. Thank you, Deanna", Olivia says, hurrying to her office.

 **XXX**

Olivia really wants to pull the covers over her head and sleep forever, but she lifts the jar of skin caviar from the night table and half-heartedly begins her nightly routine. She has been feeling queasy all day, especially when she got multiple whiffs of Deanna's perfume. She laughs lightly because she bought Deanna the expensive perfume a few months ago to thank her for being so helpful during her transition to Bryson Foods. When her husband plops down onto the bed, Olivia clutches the jar and closes her eyes.

"Don't do that, babe — I'm feeling a little nauseous tonight", unscrewing the top from the jar.

"Don't do what?" He asks innocently.

"Nothing", sighing as she dips her fingers into the cool cream.

"Did you talk to Kelly? What did she say?" He asks with a hint of urgency in his voice.

"She wasn't at work today, babe", rubbing the cream on her arm.

"Well — is she going to be in tomorrow?" He persists.

"I don't know. She's ill, Fitz", now massaging the cream on her right arm.

"You need to follow up on this, Liv."

"Babe, I can't make Kelly come to work", she says with a tinge of frustration in her voice.

"Maybe you should go to her home —"

"Stop it — please. Just stop."

"What?" Surprised by her response.

"I get that you're now okay with Cee and Asha being friends — but you can't rush this thing."

"I just want to do what's right, Liv. Children shouldn't have to suffer because their asshole parents can't get it together."

"I get that, babe — but I can't go to Kelly's home and beat down her door just because you've changed your mind. She'll be back to work soon."

He nods. "When are we going to tell Cena that she's going to have two more siblings?" Smiling proudly.

"After I tell mom and dad", lazily rubbing the cream on her leg.

"It's going to be exciting having a house full of children. When do you want to tell the rest of the family?"

"I haven't decided yet, babe. Ben already knows", she says tiredly as she twists the lid onto the jar.

" _What?"_ Eyes wide with surprise.

"I told him, Fitz. I was so upset — it just sort of came out."

"What do you mean _it just sort of came out?_ We agreed to wait." Olivia sets the jar onto the night table and turns to face her upset husband.

"Babe - I went to visit Ben – I needed to talk. I asked him to teach me how to administer Narcan."

" _You. Did. What?"_

"I was scared, Fitz. I didn't know what to do. You weren't letting me in. I thought maybe …."

" _You thought—what - that I was taking opioids again? Dammit, Olivia — I told you I wasn't"_ ,abruptly standing from the bed and stomping around the room. He is livid.

" _I didn't know what to believe. You weren't talking to me."_

"So - you go to my brother and ask him for Narcan? For god's sake, Olivia", balling his hand into a tight fist, trying to control his anger.

"I wanted to help you — just in case ..."

"This has to stop, Olivia", halting his pacing and glaring at her.

"What do you mean?"

"Sharing with Bennie everything that goes on in our marriage. It has to stop."

"That's not fair — I don't tell Ben everything."

" _He's not just your friend, Olivia — he's my brother. I need you to keep what happens in our marriage between us."_

"I needed to talk to someone. I couldn't talk to my parents. I couldn't tell Abby. We'd already talked to Ben about it. I just thought …." Her bottom lip trembling. He pinches the bridge of his nose then sits down on the bed next to her. Not wanting to upset her, he softens his tone.

"I get that — and I'm sorry for scaring you. But - we have to resolve our problems together — not involve my brother. There have to be boundaries. Okay?"

She nods. "I couldn't bear if something happened and I couldn't help you", her voice quivering.

"I know — I know", holding her close.

"I'm sorry."

"Are you okay? Do you want some tea or seltzer?"

"I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" She nods. "It's late - let's try to get some sleep", pressing his lips to her forehead.

With his wife curled close to his side, Fitz lie awake in the dark, staring at the shadows the moon is casting on the ceiling. He is seething with anger. He needs to have a talk with his brother.

 **XXX**

"Good morning, Mrs. Handley", Fitz greets his receptionist somewhat glumly as he walks past her desk.

"Good morning, council president", she replies, thinking the man looks a bit haggard this morning.

"Oh — by the way - I'll be going out to lunch after my meeting."

"Of course, sir."

With foot resting on the edge of the desk, Fitz reclines in the oversized leather chair, concentrating on the latest document he requested from Darrin. He is still preparing for the budget hearings that start next week. He has been meeting nonstop with key council members and other city officials to garner their support. In 20 minutes he will be meeting with the Chairwoman of the Education Committee and the Superintendent of Schools. He needs their support.

Running his fingers through his hair, he expels a heavy sigh as he reflects on the guidance he received from his former advisor. Darius continually reminded him that as council president he must make sure that a vote in council is never close. Darius coached him to do whatever backroom dealing is required to control the outcome of the vote. Public defeat is not an option. A defeat will show vulture council members that he is weak and cannot control his own council.

Mrs. Handley knocks lightly on the slightly ajar door before stepping inside the office, just past the threshold. She never walks deep into the office unless otherwise invited. She smiles inwardly because she is learning how to read the council president's body language. Sleeves rolled up to the elbows and tousled hair indicate he is in deep thought.

"Sir, your 10:30 appointment has arrived."

"Give me a few minutes then send them in", standing from the comfortable chair and buttoning the shirt sleeves. He slides on the suit jacket then straightens his tie. A few minutes later, Mrs. Handley knocks on the door again.

"Come in — come in", displaying his politician's smile as he walks from behind the massive desk, unconsciously combing his fingers through his hair. "Thank you, Mrs. Handley", she nods and closes the door behind her.

"Henri, thank you for coming", extending a handshake to the chairwoman.

"It's good to see you again, council president."

"Chauncey - it's been a while", shaking the Superintendent of Schools hand.

"Council President", Chauncey says, giving Fitz a firm handshake and a warm smile. He is happy to no longer be under Mayor Wilson's control.

"It's Fitz — to both of you", flashing Henri a smile, which she returns.

"Have a seat - please. May I offer either of you some refreshments?" Walking over to the credenza that holds the beverages and light snacks. "Coffee, tea, juice. I highly recommend the coffee", he says with a genuine smile.

"Nothing for me", Henri replies as she settles into one of the chairs in front of the Second Empire desk.

"Nothing for me, either", Chauncey chimes in, sitting on the chair next to Henri.

"Well, if you don't mind — I'll have a coffee", lifting a fresh cup from the tray and filling it with the wonderful black brew. "I've been told to limit myself to two cups a day", bringing the porcelain cup to his lips before taking his seat.

"We all have our addictions", Henri says innocently, causing the corner of Fitz' mouth to twitch.

"Thank you both for taking time out of your busy schedules to meet with me this morning", Fitz says, setting the cup and saucer onto the desk.

"Anytime, Mr. — Fitz", Chauncey corrects himself and smiles broadly.

"I won't beat around the bush — you both know why I invited you here", his eyes darting back and forth between the two guests. "The budget hearings start next week."

"A new mayor _and_ new council president — this is unprecedented", Henri says.

"Indeed", Chauncey agrees. Fitz nods as he brings the cup to his lips again.

"I've discussed with each of you my position on the schools. Our schools are in trouble — the traditional schools and some charters. Despite the increase in spending — performance continues to decline — in both systems."

"Fitz - our schools need better resources to help improve test scores. We can't expect our children to learn if they don't have access to good teachers and the latest technology", Henri says somewhat defensively.

"Perhaps if we stop diverting money from the traditional schools to give to failing charters —"

"One — we have many successful charters in this city, Chauncey. Two — parents have the right to choose where they want to send their children to be educated", Henri says tersely.

"There's no need to get your feathers ruffled, Henri. I'm simply saying what Fitz is obviously thinking", the superintendent says as he looks at Fitz. Henri looks at him as well. Fitz clears his throat and leans forward, resting his elbows on the desk. He feels like he is caught between two squabbling children who are competing for his approval.

"Henri — you're right — if our children are going to compete in this new economy we must modernize our schools — implement more new learning technologies. We must also hire more qualified teachers. And yes — parents should have a choice as to where they send their children to school."

Henri smiles triumphantly at Chauncey.

"However — none of that negates the fact that test scores continue to drop. The data show that some of our charters are underperforming at a higher rate than the regular schools. This has been the trend for years. And within the charter system — there is such disparity in performance that it difficult to determine if the current system is a worthwhile investment. We need to get to the bottom of this, Henri.

Chauncey nods in agreement.

"Fitz — I appreciate your desire to understand the causes of the performance problems that plague our charters — but must we punish the families? Many families are excited about the prospect of sending their children to one of the new charters scheduled to open in the fall. They have been on the waiting list for years."

"I understand, Henri — but we will do the families — the children — more harm if we turn a blind eye and continue to fund a failing system."

Henri reluctantly nods in agreement. "I cannot support a moratorium beyond a year, Fitz. My constituents deserve an answer — sooner rather than later."

"Understood. The moratorium will be lifted well in advance of the following school year."

Chauncey gloats at Henri capitulating to the council president.

"We must all be responsible for how we spend taxpayers' dollars — especially when it comes to educating the children", looking squarely at the superintendent. "Chauncey - you're going to have to make some changes at the School Board — significant changes. You've made several questionable spending decisions and your administrative staff is bloated. Some are beginning to wonder if you're the right person for the job."

Flabbergasted by the unexpected reprimand, Chauncey Hixson shifts uncomfortably in his seat. A slight smiles forms on Henri's lips.

"Council president – I don't think –"

"Clean up your house, Chauncey — or I will", Fitz demands. The superintendent pulls a handkerchief from his suit jacket pocket and dabs his forehead. Marla Briggs appointed him as superintendent, and he knows he serves at the pleasure of the new council president. He sits back in his chair thinking the council president can be as vicious as the former mayor.

"Now — as part of my legislative agenda — I have encouraged the mayor to increase the school district's budget by 20 million dollars – 20 percent of which will go to charters."

Henri and Chauncey both smile.

"But – the funds will not be made available until after the study is completed."

Impressed by the rookie council president's political skills, Henri and Chauncey nod with understanding.

"Can I count on your support?"

"Of course,", Henri says.

"Certainly", Chauncey agrees.

"Thank you both for your support. I won't forget this", standing and walking around the desk to shake Henri and Chauncey's hands.

"I'll see you at the budget hearings, Fitz."

"Have a good day, sir", Chauncey says as he follows Henri from the office.

Fitz puts a check mark next to Henri and Chauncey's names listed on the yellow legal pad. One more to go he thinks. He looks down at his watch and slides his phone from the desk, he needs to leave now if he is going to be on time for his lunch with Bennie.

 **XXX**

When Fitz arrives at the restaurant, the manager recognizes him immediately and signals for the hostess to escort the council president to his table. Holding two menus close to her chest, the hostess guides Fitz across the dining room to one of the restaurant's best tables.

"Sir - may I get you something while you wait for your guest?"

"I'll just have the water for now", lifting the sweating glass from the table.

"I'll send the waitress over when your guest arrives", flashing Fitz a smile before walking away.

Fitz leans back in the chair, crosses his legs, and scrolls through the many unread messages while he waits for Bennie.

"Good to see you, brother", Bennie says, somewhat out of breath. "I'm sorry for being late – my last surgery went longer than expected."

"No worries", Fitz says, standing to hug his younger brother. "You look like you ran over here", razzing his brother about his running habit. Bennie smiles as he takes his seat.

"Have you ordered yet?"

"No — I was waiting for you."

"I like that we are getting the chance to see each other more often. I really enjoyed going to the wrestling match. I told Marion we should go with you and Liv one night."

"That sounds good. I'm sure Liv will enjoy that."

"Marion thinks it's phony and barbaric - kind of like Liv in the beginning", bringing the cool glass of water to his lips.

Fitz nods with a slight smile.

"Marion took Nora to dinner that night. She wants to get to know her better."

"I'm sure Nora was happy to get away from mom and dad for a few hours."

"What can I get you two gentlemen to drink?" The waitress, who seemingly came out of nowhere, asks with pen poised in hand. Fitz looks at Bennie.

"Diet cola, please."

"I'll have the same", Fitz says, flashing the waitress his politician's smile.

"Marion says Nora is angry. She says Nora hasn't gotten over how she was treated as a child."

Fitz nods with understanding. "Nora has to get past that, Bennie", running his fingers up and down the glass.

"She got a bad deal from our parents, Fitz — especially from dad. You know that."

"Of course — I know — and I'm not being insensitive. But — Nora can't let the past dictate the rest of her life."

"Two diet colas", the waitress says, setting a tall glass in front of each man. She slides two black straws from her apron pocket and sets them onto the table.

"Are you gentlemen ready to place your orders?" Looking back and forth at both men.

"I'll have the Super Salad — extra kale and quinoa, please", Bennie says, closing the menu and handing it to the waitress.

"I'll have the bacon-cheeseburger — medium-well", Fitz says, handing the waitress his menu as well.

"Nice choices — I'll be back shortly with your entrees."

"Always eating healthy", Fitz says, lifting the glass of cola to his lips.

"You might want to try it sometime. How about you start running with me? Exercise is not a bad thing, brother."

"Never. I haven't been running since I hired Geoffrey." Always amused by his brother's resistance to running, Bennie smiles and shakes his head.

"So - how are you doing these days?" Thinking all must be well since Olivia called last week to say she did not need the Narcan. He was relieved that she changed her mind.

"I'm well. I'm fine now", Fitz says, slowly nodding his head.

"I'm glad to hear that, brother", taking a sip of the diet cola.

"Bennie — I never got the chance to thank you and Marion for your help." Bennie waves his hand dismissively.

"I know we're family – but I also know it had to be uncomfortable to listen to that kind of information be shared", Bennie says sincerely. Fitz presses his lips together and slowly nods his head.

"Your entrees, gentlemen", the waitress says, balancing the tray on one arm.

"Thank you", Bennie says as the waitress sets the huge salad in front of him.

"Your bacon-cheeseburger, Council President Grant", the waitress says with a smile.

"Thank you", Fitz says, returning the smile.

"Is there anything else I can get for either of you?"

"We're fine", the brothers say in unison, and the waitress laughs.

"Enjoy your lunch, gentlemen."

"You're like a rock star, brother. Are you recognized everywhere you go?" Bennie asks, digging into his salad.

"Sometimes. There's something to be said for anonymity — though", biting into the greasy burger. "It can be a bit annoying when Liv and I are out with the girls and people approach me wanting to say hello or discuss policy", Fitz says between chews.

"I'm sure Liv understands – she's always been community focused." Fitz tightens his jaw and sets the burger onto the plate. Sometimes the familiarity is annoying.

"Liv told me about the Narcan — that you were going to get it for her — teach her how to use it. You should've told me, Bennie."

The two brothers stare into each other's eyes, each knowing the light-hearted conversation has taken a turn.

"She was scared, Fitz."

"I get that — I do. And I appreciate you wanting to help Liv — but I wish you had come to me — talked to me about it. Do you think I want my wife worried that I might overdose?" He says in a hushed tone.

"She needed my help — especially now", Bennie says, lowering his voice as well. "She told me about the pregnancy — I just wanted to put her mind at ease."

"I could've eased her mind if you'd told me what she was planning."

"She wouldn't have come to me if you were talking to her", Bennie says with a slight edge to his voice. Fitz takes a breath, he does not want to argue with his brother.

"All I'm saying, Bennie — Liv can't continue to run to you whenever she — we — have a problem. She has to allow us time to work through things without involving you." Bennie sets his fork on the side of the plate.

"For the record, Liv doesn't discuss your personal affairs with me. You know this was a special circumstance."

"As your brother, Bennie — I'm asking you not to entertain Olivia every time there's a problem. We've discussed the matter and she understands it's not wise to seek your counsel about our marriage. It's important to me that you understand this, Bennie."

"Are you saying I shouldn't talk to Liv?"

"You know that's not what I'm saying. We're family. You're my brother. You're Liv's friend. And you're my daughter's godfather. But —there have to be boundaries."

Bennie nods and looks down at his watch. He wipes his mouth with the black linen napkin then stands from the table.

"I understand. I gotta get back to the hospital", reaching into his pocket for his wallet.

"I've got this, Bennie. Go — if you must."

After Bennie leaves the table, Fitz tosses his napkin on top of his burger and slumps back against the chair. He has also lost his appetite.

 **XXX**

He is grateful for the end of another long day. He is mentally and physically drained and cannot wait until the hearings are over. His meeting with Henri and Chauncey went fairly well; expectations were set for both of them and, they in turn promised him their support. His abbreviated lunch with Bennie went as well as could be expected, but needed to tell his brother how he feels. Fitz sets the phone onto the charger, crawls into bed, and lays his head on his wife's lap.

"You're tired", grazing her fingernails over his scalp.

"I'm tired. How's my babies' momma doing tonight?" Pressing his lips to her stomach.

"Your _wife_ is doing fine."

"Are you sure?" Looking up at her with concern.

"I'm fine, babe —really."

"You have to tell me if you start to feel different, Liv — I mean it. I don't want you holding back from me this time. Dr. Perry said —"

"I won't - I promise. But, babe — please don't treat me like I'm fragile. I don't want —"

"I'm going to treat you like you're my wife who is carrying my two children. I won't pretend not to be concerned, Liv."

"I know. I just don't want you to treat me like I'm broken."

"And I don't want you hiding anything from me", he says emphatically.

"I won't— I promise. How's the vote— do you have enough council support?" Wanting to change the subject. Fitz sighs, rolls from her lap and onto his back.

"It might be tight", he says, staring at the ceiling.

"Well — at least you can count on Darius' vote", setting her eyeglasses onto the night table. Fitz remains silent and Olivia looks over at him.

"Babe — is something wrong? You can count on Darius' vote — right?"

"It's complicated, Liv", not interested in discussing the matter.

"What do you mean it's complicated? Darius is your friend— your advisor. How can that be complicated?"

"I won't be renewing Darius' chairmanship, Liv", he says tiredly.

" _What?"_

"It had to be done."

"What do you mean it had to be done? Why am I just hearing about this?" He gives her a look that says _we don't talk about my work_. "What happened, Fitz?" Ignoring the expression on his face.

"Let's just say Darius has conflicting interests — and that's all I'm saying about it tonight. Goodnight, baby momma", pecking her on the lips and turning off his lamp.

Olivia crinkles her brow, wondering what in the world could have happened between him and Darius. She also thinks about how this is going to affect her relationship with Yvonne.

 **XXX**

Darius knew it was a matter of time before the council president would come knocking on his door. After all, he taught the man everything he knows about politics. The budget hearing is next week, and the choirboy needs his vote to ensure the budget passes without council taking a chainsaw to it. But, there is a price for everything. If the council president wants his vote, then he will have to pay for it — big time!

"Go right in Council President Grant. Councilman Moton is waiting for you", Darius' assistant says with a smile.

"Thank you", Fitz says, returning the smile.

When Fitz enters the office, there is no greeting, no handshake, no joking around before getting down to business. This not a kayfabe, the friendship is dead. Darius pretends to read the document in his hand and does not look up when he hears Fitz enter the office. The council president is on his territory, so he will have to wait. Fitz, however, is not in the mood for Darius' games, and he certainly is not going to wait until Darius decides to acknowledge him.

"I need to know if I can count on your vote", Fitz says flatly. Darius looks up with faux startlement, as if he was unaware that Fitz has entered the room.

"Excuse me?" Looking across the room at the council president.

"The budget hearings start in less than a week — I need to know if I have your vote."

"Well — well — well", Darius says with a sardonic smile. "Saint Fitzgerald Grant needs something from this lowly sinner", tossing the document onto the desk.

"Cut the crap, Darius — you're not a victim."

" _And you're not my goddamn judge"_ , he snaps. "How much is worth to you?"

" _What?"_

"You heard me — how much is a disgraced councilman's vote worth to you, _Fitz_? You want your agenda funded. You want to study charters - how much is my vote worth to get all of that?"

"You don't give a damn about the children of this city."

"I'm negotiating", sneering at Fitz. "This is my last shot at the big seat and I'm going to fuckin' grab that brass ring. Barksdale is out of here soon and I want that seat. _I should've been mayor all these years. It's owed to me"_ , he yells, sending spittle flying across the room.

Fitz stares at Darius with furrowed brow, thinking the man has become unhinged. Darius leans back in the leather chair and wipes the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand.

"You agree to endorse me for mayor in the next election and I'll vote to fund your little agenda", he says in a more calm voice. "I know the vote count - you need me", smirking at a red-faced Fitz.

"Is there anything else?" Fitz asks with disdain, and Darius' eyes darken.

"As a matter-of-fact there is, council president. I want to retain my chairmanship — until I run for mayor. Yvonne doesn't know …." His bravado cracking slightly.

"That's not going to happen. I'm not an alchemist — I can't turn you into some kind of hero. I won't endorse you for mayor."

" _Then consider your legislative agenda dead"_ , Darius yells as Fitz stomps from the office. _"You need me, Fitz."_

 **XXX**

Fitz stares out the window of his office, pondering what happened a few days ago with Darius. He shakes his head as he thinks about how their friendship has soured. He thinks about Bennie. He glances at his watch, his meeting with the mayor is in 15 minutes. He lifts the cup of coffee from the desk and brings it to his lips. This is his third cup of the day.

Fitz exits the elevator on the fifth floor of City Hall and walks up the marble hall toward the mayor's suite of offices. Mayor Barksdale agreed to fully fund his legislative agenda if Fitz could commit to getting the council and community to support his budget. The hearings are quickly approaching, and Barksdale wants the status of the vote count. Fitz needs one more council member's vote to ensure the budget passes intact. He is not confident he can sway one of Wilson's old toadies to join his side, and Darius is a lost cause.

"Do you have the votes?" The man, who tends to fade into wallpaper, asks in a measured tone.

"I'm working on it", Fitz replies guardedly.

"Just because I won't be around to see the spending of this budget doesn't mean I don't want to leave office without a win. I don't want to be an asterisk in the annals of the city's history."

"We have community support and I'm confident of my support from most of the council members. With the increased funding for education — I can count on Henri."

Fitz refrains from telling the mayor that Darius is being difficult, he wants to explore other options before raising concerns. The mayor, however, notices the omission. He has heard the rumors that the council president and his advisor have had a bitter falling out.

" _Most?_ Well most isn't going to cut it council president. I need to know that you have all the votes — or if I have to make changes to the budget before presenting it to council. The community and council have to be behind this. I don't want anyone to think I am ramming this thing down their throats — or up their asses."

Fitz hears the veiled threat, nods with understanding, then stands to leave. Barksdale slides open the middle desk drawer and pulls out manila envelope.

"Fitz - Wilson didn't get a chance to clean out his desk before stepping down as mayor. This might be your insurance policy — do with it whatever you like", tossing the envelope onto the desk.

 **XXX**

Fitz leans back in his chair, staring at the envelope laying on his desk. For the past few hours he has been debating whether he should open it. He knows if it came out of Wilson's desk drawer then it cannot be good. He looks at his watch and sighs, it is late, and he needs to get home for dinner. He locks the envelope in the middle desk drawer, grabs his suit jacket, and walks from the office.

 **XXX**

After a trying day at the office, the yelling and barking of his greeting party make him smile, reminding him of what is important. He cannot wait until the council goes on hiatus for the summer.

"Guess what, daddy?" Cena yells, forgetting about her inside voice.

"Uhm", pressing his index finger to his chin and pretending to think about her question. "I can't guess — so you'll have to tell me", picking up his overly excited daughter.

"You have a birthday and I'm going to make you something special."

"You are? What are making me?"

"It's a surprise, daddy. I can't tell you."

"You can't tell me - hunh?" Tickling his daughter until she squeals with laughter.

"No, daddy. No tickles", Cena laughs hysterically while trying to escape her father's fingers.

Carrying Cena up the hall, he bends down to scoop up Jolie, who is just making her way around the corner from the family room. When he walks into the family room, he sees Olivia stretched out on the sofa. She looks a little green around the gills tonight.

"Daddy, mommy is tired again", Cena reports.

"Liv — are you all right", sitting down on the sofa with his daughter's still clinging to him. She lifts her head from the pillow and glares at him, her eyes saying _that's a stupid question_. He reads the message in her eyes and kisses her on the cheek.

"Okay, girls — let mommy rest while we go cook dinner."

"Yay", Cena yells. Jolie claps her hands and Bowtie barks as they all follow Fitz into the kitchen.

 **XXX**

For the past few days Fitz has been contemplating what to do with the envelope. Debating with himself whether he should throw it away, unopened; or, if he should open it to see why Barksdale calls it an insurance policy. This morning he opened the envelope, which only served to increase his inner turmoil. He returns the contents to the envelope and tosses it onto the desk, thinking politics is a dirty business.

Standing to stretch his legs, he stuffs his hands into his pockets and rolls his neck from side to side. He has been sitting too long. Bennie is right, he needs to exercise. For the next hour or so, Fitz stares out the window, watching the clouds slowly shroud the sun. He has to make a decision.

Pulling on his jacket, he breezes by Mrs. Handley's desk, without uttering a word, and continues down the marble hall. She wonders where he is off to in such a hurry. He walks past the assistant's desk and storms into the office, the rules of professional courtesy are long gone. He glances at the framed photographs of Darius and Yvonne smiling happily with their children, then tosses the envelope onto the desk. To be in this business you have to be willing to do horrible things.

" _What the hell is that?"_ Darius growls, glaring at the envelope then back at Fitz.

"Open it."

Annoyed by Fitz' presence, Darius sucks his teeth then snatches the envelope from the desk. He slides the photographs from the envelope and his countenance darkens when he sees pictures of him and Victoria go in and out of her apartment at all hours of the day. He angrily flips through the stack of pictures, abruptly standing when he sees the ones of him with his face between Victoria's thighs.

" _You motherfucker."_

"Council needs to approve the mayor's budget", Fitz says without batting an eye.

" _You fuckin' bastard. Are you blackmailing me?"_ Darius' chest rising and falling with anger.

"There won't be any negotiating", Fitz says flatly.

" _You self-righteous prick. You're no better than Wilson"_ , Darius yells, flinging the lewd pictures onto the desk.

"I expect your support in chambers tomorrow, councilman", turning and walking toward the door.

" _I understand why Charlie tried to kill your fuckin' ass"_ , Darius shouts the venomous taunt. Fitz turns and walks back to the desk, leaning in, nose to nose.

" _Fuck you, too",_ he barks, sending spittle flying over Darius' face. "By the way — you can keep those — I have copies", pointing to the damaging pictures spread across the desk.

 **XXX**

Olivia groans and pulls the covers over her head, a feeble attempt to block out the sounds of drawers being snatched opened and slammed shut. When she hears the familiar _dammit_ , her husband's word of choice when he is frustrated, she realizes Fitzgerald Grant is the source of the early morning disturbance. Unable to block out the noise nor ignore her screaming bladder, Olivia crawls from under the warm bedcovers and staggers toward the bathroom. She is still tired. She is always tired these days. As she washes her hands, she wonders what her husband is trying to find so early in the morning.

"What are you doing in here?" She asks through the yawns as she glances around the spacious walk-in closet.

"Go back to sleep, Liv. You need your rest", rifling through his valet drawer for the third time.

"How can I go back to sleep when you're slamming drawers? What are you looking for anyway?" Frowning at the clothes spilling out of various drawers.

"My lucky cuff links", now pushing around the contents of one of her drawers.

"Why are you looking in my drawer?"

"Because I've looked everywhere else", he says with frustration.

Olivia rolls her eyes and stomps over to the hutch, thinking cuff links is why she is awake so early. She snatches open the glass French doors, grabs the small leather box from the middle shelf, and shoves it at him.

"I told you the last time you wore them I was putting them on this shelf since you can never seem to find them in your valet", she says with annoyance.

He takes the box from her hand and opens it, checking if his lucky cuff links are really inside. She rolls her eyes again, wondering what he thought she was giving him.

"You have to put them on, Liv", pushing the leather box toward her.

"Fitz, please. I'm going back to bed."

"Do you want to jinx me today? You know the routine."

"Fine – just so I can go back to sleep. When are you going to get over this superstition? It's ridiculous."

"It's not. I always win when I wear them. You know that", holding out his left arm so she can attach the accessory to the cuff. Today is the last day of the hearings. The vote is today."

"Do you think Darius will vote in your favor?"

"Yes", lifting his right arm.

"How can you be so sure?" Fastening the second cuff link to his right sleeve.

"Because I'm wearing my lucky cuff links", holding up both arms like a superhero and smiling broadly.

"I'm not cleaning up this mess, Fitz", looking around the closet with arms folded across her chest.

"I'll do it when I get home tonight. I won't be too late"

"We're going to need help, Fitz. Two more babies — Cena and Jo. It's a lot."

"We don't have to worry about that now - we have plenty of time", sliding on his suit jacket.

"Why do you keep saying that? We don't have plenty of time. The babies will be here before we now it. There's a lot to do. I have to implement Bryson's program. I have to get the nursery ready. Abby knows someone — she says we have to move fast if —"

"We don't have to discuss it now, Liv - go back to bed. I'll call you after the vote." He pecks her on the lips and pats her butt when she turns to walk into the bedroom.

 **XXX**

The city is in an official heatwave. Triple-digit temperatures have plagued the city all week, and everyone is on edge. With the budget hearings underway, there could not have been a worse time for a heatwave to take residence in the city. For the past two days, hundreds of people have packed into council chambers to listen to the members debate the mayor's proposed budget. They also want an opportunity to express their support for or opposition to the budget. The city charter allows citizens to speak for five minutes, before the council president calls for the vote. Over the last two days, every special interest group, concerned parent, or general rebel rouser, has exercised their right. They have used the hearings as an opportunity to publicly share their political views or showcase their oratory skills. And today will be no different.

People are getting restless as they listen to council members debate the boring parts of the budget. And to make matters worse, the air conditioning system stopped working over an hour ago, rendering council chambers a virtual hot box. An overheated citizen yells out that the air conditioning is not working because city officials are not interested in maintaining City Hall's infrastructure because they are lining their pockets with taxpayer dollars. Other equally overheated citizens begin to grumble and agree with the man. Others start yelling out their general discontent for the government.

Wanting to stave off a riot, Fitz calls an hour-long recess. He orders the maintenance crew time to collect every damn fan in the building and set them up in chambers. He also ordered the staff to distribute cold bottles of water to everyone. Almost two hours later, the fans are blowing warm air, providing a modicum of relief to the council members, citizens, and reporters who are lucky enough to be sitting on the first level. Unfortunately, the fans do nothing for the poor souls who are seated in the sweltering balcony.

Fourteen hours later, after everyone who wanted to speak has spoken, Fitz calls for the vote, and the budget is passed, without incident, for the next fiscal year. The chambers is abuzz with excitement and people begin to quickly scamper to escape the oppressive heat. Fitz and the mayor slap each other on the back, congratulating themselves for a job well done. Henri and other supporters of the council president circle him, wanting to get close to the power. Slumped in his chair, a defeated Darius glares at the smiling council president with contempt, thinking he helped to get that bastard elected.

It is almost midnight when Fitz finally gets home. He kisses his sleeping daughters goodnight, then walks into their bedroom where Olivia is sound asleep. He flicks on the lights in the walk-in closet, it looks like a hurricane has swept through the room. He turns off the lights and walks back into the bedroom. He will clean the closet tomorrow. Right now, he needs a hot shower.

 **XXX**

It has been six long months since Fitz walked into City Hall and was sworn in as the council president. Last night he scored a major legislative victory and he is on cloud nine. As he packs up his office, he feels like a schoolboy who is anxious to start his summer break. He is ready to put the politics of City Hall behind him and spend a relaxing summer with Olivia and the girls. He glances around the Second Empire-style office, making sure he has packed everything he wants to take home. The credenza is void of family photographs and his desk is free of clutter. He smiles when he thinks about the day Olivia showed up unexpectedly to clean the office and surprised him with a sandwich from Moe's. She would be proud of how clean he has kept the desk.

"Come in", he calls out when hears Mrs. Handley's unmistakable knock in the door. He slides the expensive Mont Blanc ink pen Olivia gave him inside his jacket pocket.

"I know you're preparing to leave for your summer break, sir – but I wanted to stop in and congratulate you on your accomplishment in council yesterday. Or – should I say last night", Mrs. Handley says with a slight laugh as she stands in the doorway holding a wicker basket.

"Thank you, Mrs. Handley. Come in — please."

"I also wanted to give you this since council will be on break for a few months", setting the basket on the desk. Fitz eyes the basket curiously then lifts the lid, and his mouth immediately forms a smile.

"You are a godsend, Mrs. Handley", taking one of the six bags of coffee from the basket and examining it closely. "It would've been a long summer without this."

"Enjoy it, sir — and enjoy your summer", glancing around the office now clear of all personal items. He has packed the photographs of his beloved family, his daughter's artwork, and the crystal paper weight from his desk into the cardboard box.

"Thank you again – and you enjoy your summer as well."

Mrs. Handley smiles with her kind eyes and turns to leave, wondering if the council president is planning to return to City Hall in September.

"Oh - Mrs. Handley - before you go - there is something I want to tell you." The middle-aged woman turns with a warm smile. "My wife and I are pregnant - we're expecting twins", he says with a goofy grin.

"That's wonderful, sir. Four children - you and Mrs. Grant are truly blessed."

 **XXX**

Fitz exits the elevator and walks across the lobby carry the cardboard box in one hand and his brief case in the other. He stops at the security guard station to say good-bye to Dennis.

"Have a good summer, Dennis", Fitz says, shifting the box in his arms.

"Thank you, council president— you as well. Congratulations on getting the budget passed. I hear it was a long night."

"It was — indeed. Thank you, Dennis."

"Do you need help with that box, sir?"

"No — thank you. I'm fine. Good-bye, Dennis."

Dennis watches the council president disappear behind the door that leads to the parking garage. He leans back in his ergonomically designed chair and folds his hands on top of his round belly. He nods his head, thinking there goes one of the good guys.

 **XXX**

City council has been on summer break for over a week, and Fitz is finally starting to unwind and enjoy being home with his family. The political backbiting and jockeying for political power takes its toll after a while. He is glad to be out of the swamp. He smiles as he stirs the pot of homemade spaghetti sauce when he hears small, bare feet running across the hardwood floor and little voices giggling and chattering non-stop in the family room.

"GoGo, my mommy bought me a pretty dress."

"She did!" Olivia says in the exaggerated tone adults reserve for children.

"And new shoes, too. She said I wear them to the ballet", Asha says excitedly. Asha does not know that her mother spent her last few dollars to buy her a new dress and shoes. Kelly will be late paying the rent this month.

"Well - Baaba will have to take lots of pictures so you can show your mommy how pretty you look at the ballet", Olivia says, smiling at the little girls.

"Okay", Asha says before running into the kitchen.

"Baaba, GoGo say you have to take lots of pictures of my new dress and shoes. You have to show them to my mommy", looking up at Fitz with her big, brown eyes.

"She did?" He says in the same exaggerated tone. Asha nods her head up and down, causing her braids to swing from side to side.

"Well – GoGo is the boss lady — so I guess I'd better take lots of pictures", smiling at the excited little girl. "Guess what I'm making for dinner?"

Asha wrinkles her nose as she thinks hard about the question. She looks up at Fitz for help when she cannot come up with an answer.

" _Spaghetti — your favorite"_ , he announces with fanfare.

" _Yay"_ , Asha yells as she runs back into the family room. _"Cena — guess what? Baaba is going to take lots of pictures when we go to the ballet. And he's making spaghetti — too."_

Fitz smiles as he ladles chicken soup into a bowl for Olivia. The look on Asha's face is priceless.


	56. Chapter 56 Ride, Sally, Ride

**A/N: Sweet160717,** no need to worry about Deanna or Darius. Deanna is a good person and Darius is done. **Dendardendan,** you're right, Fitz did not take any prisoners in Chapter 55. We'll see more of Asha in the upcoming chapters. **Cleo,** you're right, the twins are doing a job on Liv. Yes, it's a good thing Fitz is home for the summer to help out around the house. **Emma,** Olivia and Bennie have a tight bond that is going to be difficult to break. The two couples are going to have to figure out how they can all respect boundaries and remain family/friends. **Monica,** I really do love this couple, but that does not mean they won't experience challenges and conflict. Glad you won't be joining Elizabeth, Fred Sanford's wife. Haha. Chapter 54 was about our couple coming clean with each other and finishing the work they started with Avril. Remember, they didn't keep their appointments with Dr. Brennan when they returned from Mirage, so they were bound to have issues. They're good now and the marriage is solid. You picked up on the clean desk – nice observation. **kelleekellkell** , waay back, before Kelly stopped the girls,' relationship, Gwendolyn suggested Asha call Fitz Baaba, an African term used for a male figure in a child's life. We'll hear a bit more about these names in Chapter 56. **Guest 1,** interesting predictions. Let's see if you are correct. **Guest 2,** Olivia wasn't really too close to Yvonne. They saw each other socially a few times, so no deep friendship to be tested. **Guest 3,** I'm not fixated with Kelly and Asha. They're just significant characters in this story arc. Olivia is only two months pregnant so it's all right for her to wear heels. **Guest 4,** I am always intrigued by the reviews because of the differing perceptions. Perception is reality. No gaslighting in this story, though.

Sheesh, August has been such a busy month and I'm posting this story just in under the wire. Only a few hours left in the month. Tell me what you think. Here we go!

 **Chapter 56. Ride, Sally, Ride**

 _ **Friday**_

 _Breaking News: The disgraced former mayor, Theodore Wilson, was convicted in federal court today on all counts of corruption. Wilson will remain free on bail until his sentencing trial in September._

It has been over two hours since Olivia arrived home with Asha and the house is filled with the music of little girls' laughter and chatter. Cena and Asha have been jabbering incessantly, catching each other up on the happenings in their lives since they last saw each other. Even Jolie and Bowtie are unusually animated tonight, she is talking gibberish and Bowtie is barking as he tries to outrun her groping hands.

The rule of not talking with your mouth full is relaxed during dinner. Frankly, the rule is completely abandoned, the parents deeming it next to impossible to enforce it tonight. The girls are too excited, blathering on and on about the much-anticipated trip to Seattle tomorrow. Occasionally, they take a break from yapping to shovel more of the long noodles drenched with tomato sauce into their mouths. The sight of their faces covered with the red sauce sends Olivia's stomach into a series of somersaults. Aware of her parents' presence, she silently inhales quick, shallow breaths before slurping a spoonful of chicken soup.

 **XXX**

It is 8:30 and the three energetic little girls are finally bathed, tucked into their beds, and hopefully sound asleep. An exhausted and bleary-eyed Olivia and Fitz start to wind down for the evening as well. She pulls the skin caviar from her night table drawer and begins her nightly routine and he tosses his watch onto his table. Although physically drained from trying to keep up with three screaming little girls running around the house all evening, he smiles inwardly, because it always has been his dream to fill their home with lots of children. After all, that is one of the reasons he bought such a large house. He cannot wait until they have four children underfoot all the time.

"Babe, you made the girls so happy tonight. Asha had spaghetti sauce all over her face. They both did."

"How are you feeling?" He asks tiredly before flopping onto the bed. Olivia closes her eyes because she has asked him more than once not to flop down on the bed.

"Better — and thank you for the chicken soup by the way", kissing him on the lips as he leans back against the headboard and closes his eyes.

"You hardly touched it."

"You're tired."

"It's unbelievable how much energy little girls have, Liv. Even Jo has become a little dynamo."

"They're just excited to see each other again. It's been a while. How many times did you and dad play that game?"

"Two more times _after_ your father abandoned me."

"You're such a good dad."

"Am I getting old?"

"What?" Surprised by the question.

"I love all the excitement — but I'm exhausted, Liv."

"You're as vibrant as ever, babe", pecking him on the lips again.

"Maybe I should start working out — get in shape — for when I have to chase four children around the house."

"Working out is never a bad thing, babe. Are you thinking about running? You can run with Ben."

"Running is not the only form of exercise, Liv", he says wearily.

"So - what are you thinking about doing?"

"I don't know - I just feel sluggish. Maybe I'll join a gym."

"You should get a personal trainer — so you don't injure yourself. Many novices injure themselves at the gym because they don't know how to use the equipment properly."

"I'm not a novice, Liv - I just have haven't done it in a while. Besides - I haven't decided on anything yet", he says somewhat annoyed. She nods, knowing when to drop a subject.

"Babe —you're going to have to take the girls to the ballet. I'm not up to the drive to Seattle and back."

"I thought you were feeling better", looking at her with concern.

"I am for now — but I can get queasy at anytime."

"Do you want me to stay home?" He asks somewhat worriedly.

"No - I don't want to disappoint the girls. They've been looking forward to seeing Misty Copeland dance for months. I've already talked to dad - he's willing to go with you. He can help with Cena and Asha. Jo is staying home with me."

"I don't like going away when you're not feeling well", eyeing her carefully.

"I'll be fine, babe — it's only two days – a day-and-a-half actually. Mom will be here."

"Are you sure?" Not quite convinced he should go away when she is not feeling well.

"Call me as soon as you get to the hotel. Okay?" He slowly nods his head, trying to devise another option.

"So how much time do you think Wilson will get?"

"Perhaps 10 years. Federal law says he must do 80 percent of the sentence. He won't be released for at least eight years."

"Wow — I guess that's the price you pay for being corrupt", snuggling close to his side. "You better get some sleep, babe — you'll be getting on the road after breakfast. The girls are going to enjoy having you all to themselves", she says before closing her eyes.

 _ **Saturday**_

Wearing her colorful boubou and matching headwrap, Gwendolyn seems to float effortlessly around the spacious kitchen as she prepares her morning tea. The tiny brass charms on her bracelet jingle as she fills her mug.

"Tea, Livvia?"

"No thanks, mom", typing feverishly on her tablet. "I need to finish the video. By the way - thanks for watching Jo while John and I go check on Fitz' gift."

"You don't have to thank me, Livvia — I love spending time with my grand-baby", tickling Jolie under her chin. Jolie squeals, showing off a mouthful of teeth.

"Fitz has sacrificed so much for our family, mom - it's time I do something just for him."

"He's going to love it, baby."

"I certainly hope so. It's been a while since — since the accident", not wanting to mention Charlie's name.

"Thank goodness Fitzgerald came around about letting those two little girls be friends again. Children that age don't understand adult decisions."

"I must admit - his change of mind was surprising to me. He's always been so adamant about not wanting Cee to get too attached to friends", remembering her husband's reactions to Cena's closeness to Deon.

"Maybe his change of _heart_ isn't just about Cena", Gwendolyn says as she sits on her stool and brings the mug to her lips.

Olivia looks up from the tablet and stares at her mother for a moment. She never considered her husband might have other reasons for reuniting the girls.

"You are so wise, mom."

"Those little girls are so happy - chattering nonstop at dinner last night — and when they left the house this morning. You know they have Fitzgerald wrapped around their tiny fingers."

"Kelly was really grateful that Fitz still wanted to treat Asha to the trip to Seattle."

"Fitzgerald is a good man, Livvia."

"He is", Olivia says, looking down at her tablet again.

"How is Kelly doing — you said she was out of work for a few days?"

"She seems to be fine – but I didn't ask any questions. Kelly is very private."

"What did she say about the nicknames for you and Fitzgerald?"

"When I explained that Baaba means _willing_ _father figure_ and GoGo means _dear aunt_ — she was okay. The names aren't threatening. In fact - she actually thinks GoGo is kind of cute — so do I", Olivia says with a giggle.

"They're traditional Senegalese names for adults who play an important role in a child's life. They're also signal respect."

Olivia glances at her watch then quickly springs to her feet. "Oh my — I have to get going. John hates when people are late", pecking her mother then Jolie on the cheek.

"Well — that's something he has in common with your husband", Gwendolyn says, lifting Jolie from the high chair. "Come on Jolie — let's go see what kind of mischief we can get into while mommy is away."

 **XXX**

Olivia eyes Abby's big belly thinking that soon she will have to tell the family she is also pregnant. She makes a mental note to schedule a party to make the announcement, but first she has to tell her mother and prepare Cena for two new siblings.

"Thank you for letting me borrow your husband for a few hours today, Abbs", Olivia says as she walks down the foyer hall toward the family room.

"You know you're the only woman I would allow him to go out alone with. Where I come from - you always have to keep your eyes on women who have their eyes on your man."

Olivia tries not to roll her eyes, wondering if Abby will ever let go of her past. "Fitz will be back tomorrow afternoon and I want to make sure his gift is at the house when he returns."

"That's a hell of a gift, Olivia."

"I hope he likes it."

"He's going to love it. Hell, I'm going to love it. Hello sister-in-law", John says, walking into the family room and giving Olivia a hug and peck on the cheek. "Maybe my dear — sweet - wife will — "

"Don't you dare finish that sentence. Olivia is the one who's making the big bucks down at Bryson's."

"Hello, John", pecking him on the cheek. "I really appreciate you going with me today. I want you to give it the once-over before it's delivered in the morning. I want everything to be perfect."

"Anything for my favorite sister-in-law", glancing down at his watch. "We'd better get going or we're going to be late for our appointment. Woman — we'll be back in a few hours", pecking his pregnant wife on the lips.

"I'm craving Choco-mint ice cream. Bring back another quart", Abby says, running her tongue over her bottom lip in anticipation.

"Yes, ma'am", John says, saluting his wife and clicking his heels like a dutiful soldier.

"I thought you didn't like anything", Olivia says, grinning at her friend.

"That was weeks ago", Abby retorts with a wave of her hand.

"Have you made your video, Abbs?"

"I did", smirking at her husband and rubbing her round belly. "I sent it earlier. Check your email."

"She had way too much fun making it — all at my expense I might add. She loved using my face as a target."

"Blame your weird brother. Fitzgerald is the one stubborn about not wanting to celebrate his birthday. Who doesn't like celebrating their birthday? And - why do we have to go through this every year?" Abby says with annoyance.

 **XXX**

Fitz and Calvin arrive at the opera house early with the girls to orient the aspiring dancers to their surroundings before the ballet starts. More importantly, Fitz wants them to use the bathroom before they take their seats. Misty Copeland will dance the Hungarian Princess named Odette in Tchaikovsky's _Swan Lake_ and he does not want to miss a minute of the performance, so he checks with the girls one last time before entering the theater.

"One more check before the ballet begins - does anyone need to use the bathroom?" Eyeing the girls closely.

"I didn't drink anything at lunch, daddy", Cena says, looking up at her father whose eyes match hers.

"Me either, Baaba."

Fitz smiles at his girls trying to remain calm when he remembers he should be taking pictures.

"Excuse me — can you take a picture of us in front of the poster?" He asks one of the two women passing through the hall.

"Why of course", one of the woman says, taking the phone from his hand. "A little to the left", wanting to get the huge poster of Misty Copeland pirouetting in the background."

The woman presses the button on the phone and captures the four smiling faces standing below the ballerina.

"One more — just to make sure", the woman says, snapping another picture.

"Thank you", Fitz says, taking his phone from the woman's hand.

"Your daughters are absolutely beautiful - you're a lucky man. Enjoy the show", the woman says, waving her hand as she catches up with her friend.

"A few more pictures before we find our seats", Fitz says.

"Yay", the girls scream as Fitz takes more pictures of the girls in front of the poster as they emulate Misty Copeland's dance stance.

"We have to show Miss Ebony the pictures", Asha says, and Cena nods in agreement.

 **XXX**

Now settled in their seats, Calvin reminds the little girls of the rules. "Young ladies - do you remember what I told you back at the hotel?" Calvin asks, and both girls grip their programs tightly and nod their heads up and down.

"Stay in our seat - and no talking while the ballet is on —"

"Or kick the seats in front of us", Cena says, finishing Asha's sentence "When the lights go out and the music begins — we must be quiet", her voice dropping to a whisper.

"Very good", Calvin says with a smile of satisfaction on his face. When the theater lights are dimmed, the girls start to giggle and squirm in their seats, their shiny shoes kicking the backs of the chairs in front of them. They cannot wait to see Misty Copeland dance across the stage. As the music begins, and the first round of dancers prance onto the stage, the little girls' eyes grow wide and their mouths hang open. The costumes are magnificent. A few minutes later, Misty Copeland dances on her toes across the stage and the girls expel audible gasp.

"She's so pretty", Asha says in awe.

"Daddy says she's a Princess — just like me", Cena whispers.

"Baaba said the mean man is going to turn her into a swan", Asha whispers, too.

The couple sitting in front of the chatty girls smile because they overheard the adult remind them of the rules and of course they immediately broke them when the principal ballerina danced onto the stage. Calvin gives the girls a stern look and presses the index finger with the silver and onyx ring to his lips.

 _ **Sunday**_

Olivia sits at the granite island top half listening to her mother drone on about her missionary work in the small village outside of Senegal. For many reasons, she is not in the mood to hear another one of her mother's stories. Today is Fitz' birthday and she is trying to finish editing the video before he arrives. The video is the compromise to her husband not wanting a formal birthday party. She brings the glass of seltzer to her lips and tries to drown out the sound of her mother's voice chattering about how much she misses the children of Senegal and how much the people in the village need her. Gwendolyn looks over at her daughter when she hears her sigh for the second time.

"Is everything all right, Livvia?"

"I'm fine, mom. I just need to finish this video before Fitz gets home."

Gwendolyn nods her head. "You're letting your hair grow really long these days."

"I haven't had time to go to the salon, mom. So much has been going on", running her fingers through the locks that are now halfway down her back.

"I can certainly understand - when your father and I were in Senegal I hardly have time to catch my breath. There is just so much to do — so many people need our help."

Olivia expels a heavier sigh, contemplating if this is the right time to discuss the resentment that has been haunting her all these years.

"Are you sure you're all right, Livvia?" Gwendolyn asks when she sees the look of frustration on her daughter's face. Olivia sets the tablet onto the island top, runs her fingers through her hair again, then looks over at her mother. With mixed emotions, she thinks there is no time like the present.

"Mom - do you ever think you and dad might've spent too much time away from home when I was younger?" She asks cautiously. Confused by the unexpected question, Gwendolyn stops peeling the ginger root and looks over at her daughter.

"What do you mean, Livvia?" Holding the vegetable peeler mid-air.

Olivia closes her eyes for a few moments when sees the puzzled look on her mother's face. She really does not want to have this conversation right now or ever, but she knows it is necessary.

"You and dad left me alone a lot, mom. I felt so alone most of the time when we moved to Church Falls."

"What are saying, Livvia?" Gwendolyn says, taken aback by her daughter's assertion.

"When you and dad decided to move here — I had no one. No other family. No friends. Then you and dad joined Triumph and immediately began spending most of your time there. You were hardly ever home", blurting out everything that has been on her mind in one breath.

Gwendolyn sets the vegetable peeler onto the cutting board, walks over to the granite island top, and stands next to her daughter.

"Where is this coming from, Livvia? What's this all about? You know your father's company transferred him here. We had no other choice."

"I know that, mom – but dad's job didn't require you to spend every free minute at church or some soup kitchen in town", she says, revealing her resentment. "I just wanted a family – like the other kids – like the Grants. Maybe not like the Grants — Lord knows they certainly have their own brand of dysfunction. But they're a family that's rich with tradition and always supportive of each other — no matter what. No one can ever accuse Gerry and Maura of not loving their children.

"Every family has their traditions, baby. The traditions and rituals the Grants practice are lovely — and I respect them. But — our tradition of helping others — is equally as important."

"It not just about the traditions, mom. I wanted my parents. I didn't want to come home from school every day to a big, empty house. I wanted to spend holidays at home in the kitchen cooking like all the other girls at school complained about - not at the city pantry serving strangers every holiday."

Gwendolyn gives her daughter a look that says, _you know I don't cook_. Olivia chuckles because they both know her mother is an awful cook.

"You know what I mean, mom."

"Your father and I aren't those people, Livvia."

"I know — but I didn't understand that growing up. Actually, I still struggle to understand why it's so easy for you to put everyone else before me."

" _What? That's not true"_ , once again shocked by her daughter's remarks.

"It's true, mom. All my life you and dad were off helping someone else — leaving me alone."

"We we're allowing you to become independent."

"I didn't want to be independent. The kids at school thought it was cool that my parents were never around. I would have done anything to have their parents — parents who put their children first."

"Livvia -"

"I needed you mom. I needed my mother when we moved here and no one at school would talk to me. Thank god for Ben …."

"Baby - why didn't you tell me?" Touching her daughter's shoulder.

"How could I? You set the expectations for who I should be long before I knew who I wanted to be. I didn't want to disappoint you and dad. I never wanted to disappoint you. So - I pretended to be okay when I was really lonely and frightened most of the time. I put on a cool demeanor at school so no one would really see how frightened I was. They thought I was weird, mom. I was different - and it was hard."

"Livvia."

"In time - I became this thing, mom; cold — emotionally dead. My life was my work and my work was my life. And when I met this incredible man - I didn't know how to love him. I didn't know how to lean on him — to partner with him — because I was this so-called independent woman. My independence was a disability, mom — and it nearly destroyed my marriage."

"Oh – baby", realizing for the first time the depth of her daughter's pain.

"When I was pregnant with Jo – I left Fitz and Cee - checked into a facility. Fitz and I were fighting all the time and I felt like I was losing my mind. When I had thoughts of harming my child I knew had to get away. Dr. Perry says I suffer from antenatal depression — caused by stress during pregnancy." Tears stream down her face when she thinks about that dark period in her life and Gwendolyn wraps her arms around her daughter's shoulders.

"Oh, baby — I didn't know. I had no idea."

"Whenever I needed you, mom - you were never here", brushing the tears from her face. "Mothers are supposed to know when their children need them. Mothers are supposed to put their children first - above all else."

"I'm so sorry, baby. We — I — thought I was doing what was best for you."

"I didn't want to be independent, mom. I wanted my parents - I wanted my mother."

Heart heavy with sadness and regret, Gwendolyn slumps onto the stool next to her daughter, slowly shaking her head from side to side. The gravity of her choices is almost overwhelming. How could she not know her daughter needed her at some of the most critical times in her life? How could she not know her daughter checked into a facility? How could she not know her daughter had thoughts of harming Cena?

Feeling like an utter failure as a mother, she chuckles mirthlessly when she thinks about the monikers church friends assigned her: Gwendolyn the Wise One. Gwendolyn the Saint. That is how churchgoers at Triumph Tabernacle referred to Gwendolyn Pope. Always ready with the right words of encouragement for anyone and under almost any situation, Gwendolyn was always available forever needed her. Before retiring, Gwendolyn worked tirelessly as a teacher, educating her students during the day and sometimes tending to their personal needs after school. Many of her students came from deprived families and needed her help. It was common practice for her to take girls shopping after school to buy them personal hygiene supplies. She has seen too many girls drop out of school because they were too embarrassed to show for class because they did not have the proper supplies at certain times of the month. Also, it was not unusual for her to go to her students' homes to meet with parents to discuss their child's progress, or more likely, lack of progress in school.

Oftentimes, after spending a full day shaping the minds of young children and tending to their personal needs, Gwendolyn would head over to Triumph to serve on the Missionary Board, developing programs to help the people from the poor villages outside of Senegal who attended their satellite church. Calvin would also join her after he finished work. Many at Triumph praised the Popes' dedication to the church and community, while others at quietly wondered how the Popes could spend so much time away from their teen-aged daughter. Most were not willing to give their teen-aged children the kind of freedom Gwendolyn and Calvin afforded Olivia. They remember the effects of raging hormones on adolescent girls and boys.

The brass charms jingle as she brushes the back of her hand across her cheek. The tears are the manifestation of the deep pain she feels for allowing her past to influence how she mothered her daughter. Filled with guilt, she sighs and looks into her child's eyes.

"As hard as I tried — I unknowingly became a version of what I did not want for you", she says through the sniffles. With brow crinkled, Olivia looks at her mother with concern. She has not seen her mother cry since Grandmom Bertha died.

"I was so intent on not being my mother — I didn't parent you the way you needed, Livvia.

And — for that I am sorry. You'll never know how sorry", shaking her head in sorrow. "I just didn't want to raise you the way my mother raised me. No child deserves that."

"Mom?" Olivia says somewhat confused.

"I loved my mother dearly — I really did. But she was so religious — so strict. She had these rigid rules about everything — about not getting involved in the secular world. I couldn't do anything. No parties. No boyfriends. No movies. No nothing. I spent all my free time at the church. We were at the church every Tuesday and Thursday and all weekend long."

Eyes red from crying, Olivia sniffs and wipes her nose with the cloth napkin.

"Don't get me wrong, Livvia - I loved serving the Lord – but momma made worshipping feel like a penance. There was so much more I wanted out of life and momma wasn't having it. Momma didn't want me to go to college - she said my job was to stay home and serve the Lord and wait for some boy to decide when he wanted to marry me. Well - I wasn't interested in marrying some boy from church — or any other boy in town for that matter. I wasn't going to leave one prison for another."

Olivia inhales deeply, trying to stifle her roiling stomach.

"Momma didn't realize she could've strapped me to one of those pews 24 hours a day and it would not have made a bit of difference. I had made up my mind I was going to leave home after I graduated high school."

Olivia smiles because her mother has always been strong-willed.

"When I told Mrs. Coraliss — my guidance counselor — that momma refused to sign the admissions papers for college — well Mrs. Coraliss wasn't having any of that. I'll never forget that day as long as I live", Gwendolyn says with a far-off look in her eyes.

Olivia quickly scrolls through her memory trying to recall if she ever heard her mother mention Mrs. Coraliss.

"Mrs. Coraliss grabbed her hat and purse from the closet in her office and marched me home after school. She wanted to talk with momma."

Intrigued by the story, Olivia arches her eyebrow and sits on the edge of her chair. This is the first time her mother has ever talked in-depth about her childhood.

"When we reached my house - momma was upset because I was late for church. But she was more upset because I brought Mrs. Coraliss home. Momma didn't like having strangers in our house. I can still see her standing in the doorway with arms folded across her chest - ready for battle."

 _ **Flashback**_

"I'm sorry I don't have time to socialize with you Mrs. Coraliss", Bertha Reddy says, reaching for her purse on top of the small table. "Gwennie and I need to get over to the church - the pastor is waiting for us."

"I understand, Mrs. Reddy — I just need a few minutes of your time. I certainly won't be long."

Bertha Reddy grumbles something unintelligible under her breath and steps aside, allowing the guidance counselor to enter the house. She does not offer the woman a seat.

"Mrs. Reddy - I'm sure you know Gwendolyn is an exceptionally smart child – smarter than most. She's had top grades since coming to Lumberton High. In fact – she's selected as the class valedictorian."

Surprised by the revelation, Gwendolyn looks at Mrs. Coraliss with wide eyes because she knew nothing about winning the prestigious honor. In fact, she assumed Sammy White was going to be named valedictorian since he got an A plus on the last English test and she only got an A. Unimpressed by the bit of information Mrs. Coraliss has shared about her only child, Bertha Reddy stares stone-faced at the guidance counselor.

"With her grades - and being selected as valedictorian - some of the finest colleges and universities in the country have offered Gwendolyn scholarships."

Bertha Reddy scowls at her daughter because in her mind the matter of going off to college had been settled months ago.

"Mrs. Reddy — Gwendolyn wants to attend Pepperdine University — in California. She wants to study Early Childhood Education. She wants to become a teacher and help shape the minds of our young children. Lord knows the children of our communities need more nurturing educators."

"Gwennie can teach at the church — just like she been doing. There are enough young minds over there she can shape. Besides— we don't have no money to be sending Gwennie halfway across the country for foolishness."

"I'm sure the church would be willing to offer Gwendolyn a small stipend to help with the expenses."

"We don't need no help from the church", Bertha says with proud stubbornness.

"Mrs. Reddy - Gwendolyn needs you to sign the admissions papers - the deadline is next week. She cannot attend any school without a parent's signature."

"Well I guess she won't be going to that college", Bertha says, reaching for her purse.

"Mrs. Reddy — you cannot tell me that you would deny your daughter this once-in-a- lifetime opportunity just because you think -"

"Come on Gwennie – it's time to go."

"Yes, momma", Gwennie says, giving Mrs. Coraliss an _I-told-you-so_ look.

"Mrs. Reddy - what can I say to convince you?"

"Nothing", Bertha Reddy says as she walks toward the front door.

"I'll sign them", a voice says from the next room. The three women turn and look in the direction of the darkened room.

 _"Papa?"_ Gwendolyn says, squinting and trying to see if the figure standing in the darkness is actually her father.

 _"What are you talking about, Earl?"_ Bertha demands of her usually milquetoast husband.

"I'll sign the papers, Mrs. Coraliss", Earl Reddy says as he walks into the light holding the admissions papers in his hand. "Gwennie is smart, Bertha — she needs to go off to college - so she can learn more. She needs to do more with her life than sit in that church all day."

 _"Shut your mouth, Earl. What you're saying is blasphemy."_

"Then - I guess I'll burn in hell", leaning against the fireplace mantle and signing the admissions application. "Here you go, Mrs. Coraliss — you make sure my Gwennie get into that school." Gwendolyn smiles, immediately beginning to write her valedictory in her head.

 _ **End Flashback**_

"I was so proud of my father that day. He was always a quiet man — a man of few words. But that day he spoke up for me and himself. I guess he was making up for a lifetime of staying silent while momma made all the decisions."

"Wow - I had no idea grand-mom was so strict."

"Parents don't tell their children everything, Livvia. Some things are best left in the past",

walking over to the stove and filling a mug with hot ginger tea.

"I had to tell you, mom. I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry about, baby. This on me, Livvia. I failed you. Your father and I went overboard with the freedom - I get that now. I'm sorry I wasn't the kind of mother you needed — you deserved better. I hope you can forgive me."

Gwendolyn sets the mug of hot tea in front of Olivia and kisses her on the forehead.

"I love you, mom. Can we just move on from here — put the past behind us?" Hugging her mother tightly.

"Drink your tea, baby while I make you some toast. You haven't been eating much of anything lately", Gwendolyn says as she walks over to the refrigerator. Olivia closes her eyes as she sips the tea. The hot liquid feels good in her empty stomach.

"Are you feeling any signs of depression yet?" Looking over at her daughter with concern, and Olivia's eyes widen. "Don't look surprised, Livvia - a mother knows these things. Even I can see you've been sleeping a lot lately and hardly eating anything. When will my new grandbaby come screaming into this world?" Smiling as she slides the loaf of multigrain bread from the refrigerator shelf.

"Mom - it's two babies. Fitz and I are having twins."

Gwendolyn gasps and Olivia laughs out loud as the loaf of bread slips from her mother's hand. Jolie claps her chubby little hands and laughs out loud, too, when the bread falls to the floor in a soft thud. The alarm system chimes, signaling the travelers have returned from Seattle. Olivia looks at her mother and the two women nod, each preparing to play their role. They look at Jolie and she nods, too.

 **XXX**

"Mommy — Nana", Cena yells as she runs into the kitchen. "We saw Misty Copeland and she danced on her toes and the mean man turned her into a swan."

"But the Prince loved her forever and turned her back to a Princess", Asha says, climbing onto Gwendolyn's lap.

"Really?" Gwendolyn says in that exaggerated tone as she positions Asha on her lap. Cena nods in agreement.

"It was cool, Nana", Cena chimes in.

"And Nana — we sleep at the hotel and me and Cena jumped up and down on the bed", Asha recounts just as excitedly as she twirls the brass charms on Gwendolyn's bracelet. Gwendolyn smiles, not bothering to correct the excited little girl's grammar.

Olivia bursts out laughing when Fitz and Calvin walk into the kitchen looking like two unattractive ballerinas. Calvin is carrying two tutus: one red and one purple. Fitz has two pairs of pointe shoes draped around his neck and is carrying a bag filled with gifts. He kisses Jolie on the cheek and places on her head a replica of the headdress Misty wore in the ballet.

"Dada — dada", Jolie babbles.

"Calvin, what on earth are you wearing?" Looking down at his feet.

"These are what male ballet dancers wear", flexing his foot to show off the leather slippers. "I have you to know, Mrs. Pope — I was told I could be a ballerino", spinning around on his toes. "That's a male ballet dancer — if you didn't know."

"Nana — GranPop danced with me and the lady with the flashlight told him to sit down", Cena reports.

"You didn't?" Gwendolyn says with surprise.

"He did", Fitz confirms, shaking his head at the memory.

"And what did you do?" Olivia asks looking at her tired husband.

"Baaba and I watched the play", Asha answers for him. "Baaba - I wanna show GoGo my mommy's gift."

Fitz digs through the bag of goodies they bought from the theater's gift shop until his fingers come in contact with the small square box that has settled at the bottom of the bag.

"Here it is", holding the little silver box in the air. Asha slides from Gwendolyn's lap and jumps up and down, trying to reach the box. Fitz smiles, playfully holding the box higher, out of her reach. Everyone laughs as Asha jumps higher and higher, trying to snag the box from his hand.

"Give it to her, babe. I want to see."

Fitz hands Asha the box and she carefully opens it, revealing a silver ballerina charm hanging from a delicate silver chain.

"Look, GoGo", Asha says, proudly showing her mother's gift.

"She's beautiful. May I hold her?"

Asha nods her head up and down, and her long braids bounce around her shoulders. Olivia carefully lifts the ballerina from the cushion of cotton and nods with a smile.

"She's doing a pir -pir", looking over at Fitz for help.

"A pirouette", Fitz says, demonstrating the ballerina stance.

"Your mommy is going to really love her. You're such a thoughtful daughter", Olivia says, kissing Asha on the forehead.

"Baaba helped me pick it at the store."

"Baaba has good taste", Olivia says with a smile.

"Mommy - daddy helped me pick a scarf for you", Cena says, looking up at her father for the gift. Fitz digs into the bag and hands Cena the wrinkled pink scarf printed with silhouettes of tiny ballerinas.

"That's beautiful, Livvia", Gwendolyn says.

"You'll have to iron it", Fitz says.

"I love it", wrapping the oversized scarf around her neck. "Thank you, baby", kissing her daughter on the lips. "Mommy loves her scarf."

"A little something for you, dear", Calvin says, handing his wife a small box.

"Oh, Calvin — I just love it", she squeals when she sees an African-inspired brass ballerina charm.

"Another charm for your bracelet", Calvin says, smiling proudly.

"You're such a good husband", pecking him on the lips.

"Come on girls — we've had a long day — let's get your bags and take all this stuff upstairs", Fitz says, turning to leave with the girls skipping behind him.

"Babe, before you go — I need you to take a look at my car. It sounds funny. It's been making a strange noise since yesterday."

"I'll look at it later, Liv — I'm beat. I just want to shower and —"

"I need you to look at it now, Fitz. Mom and I want to go to the store."

"You can use my truck."

"You know I hate that monster. It's too big. Take a look at it, please. I'm sure it won't take long."

"Can't you drive your parents' car?"

"It's not big enough. We have to get a lot from the store."

"How about I look at it?" Calvin volunteers, and Gwendolyn squeezes his arm. He frowns at the death-grip his wife has on his arm. Cena and Asha look up at Fitz, waiting to follow his lead.

"Fine — I'll take a quick look. Did you call the dealer? It's still under warranty."

"Here are the keys, babe", dangling her keychain in the air.

Fitz exhales softly, takes the keys from his wife's hand, and walks from the kitchen. Cena and Asha follow closely behind as he walks down the hall that leads to the garage. Calvin looks at his daughter then back at his wife, he knows the woman are up to something. Olivia grabs Jolie from the high chair and she and Gwendolyn run toward the garage.

"Come on, dear", Gwendolyn calls over her shoulder to Calvin.

Fitz flicks on the light in the garage and three mouths instantly fall to the floor and three sets of eyes come close to bulging from their heads. The sleek, black sports car topped with one of those oversized red ribbons is breathtaking.

" _Happy Birthday"_ , Olivia screams with the biggest smile on her face, and Jolie claps her hands and babbles _dada_. Fitz walks slowly down the three steps that lead into the garage, and slowly glides his long fingers over the hood of the car.

"Babe — Fitz, say something."

"Mother of god", Calvin says, peeking over his wife's shoulder. "Is that the same —?"

"The same", Fitz says in awe, finally finding his voice as he walks around the car, admiring the workmanship of the German manufacturer.

"Do you like it?" Olivia asks nervously.

"Like it? _I love it._ When did you? How did —?"

"You should take it for a drive, babe", reaching into her pants pocket and tossing him the keys. He nods excitedly as he snatches the huge red bow from the roof and throws it onto the floor.

"Come with me", he calls out the window as he starts the loud engine. Olivia places Jolie in her mother's arms, runs around the car, and climbs into the passenger seat.

"Get my shoes, Cee", Olivia yells over the roaring engine. "And my tablet, Asha."

The two girls take off running down the hall in search of Olivia's shoes and tablet.

"Don't wait up for us", Fitz yells to his in-laws as he backs the Porsche from the garage.

"Mommy — your shoes", Cena yells, holding up her mother's sandals as she runs toward the car.

"GoGo — here's your tablet."

"Thank you, girls", taking her shoes and tablet. "We'll see you later. Bye Jo", Olivia calls out as Fitz steers the car down the long driveway.

"Where are we going, babe?"

"Wherever we want", flashing her that crooked smile she loves so much.

 **XXX**

As he approaches the traffic light, he shifts the transmission into a lower gear and Olivia slides her hand on top of his. He looks so happy.

"I love this car. Thank you", leaning over and pressing his lips to hers. The light turns green and the cars behind them, without hesitation, blow their horns, interrupting their make-out session.

"Put the top down, babe — it's a nice day."

He glances at the the array of buttons and knobs on the dashboard and presses the switch to retract the roof. A warm summer breeze blows their hair and he revs the engine. Olivia opens the glove box and hands him a new pair of aviator sunglasses.

"You've thought of everything", shifting the car into gear as they approach the entrance to the highway.

"I have", opening her tablet and pairing it with the Bluetooth system. She taps the song he has always liked, and when the introduction to Steppenwolf's, _Magic Carpet Ride_ , flows through the Burmester High-End Surround Sound System, they look at each other and smile.

 _I like to dream, yes, yes_

 _Right between the sound machine_

 _On a cloud of sound I drift in the night_

 _Any place it goes is right_

 _Goes far, flies near_

 _To the stars away from here_

 _Well, you don't know what_

 _We can find_

 _Why don't you come with me little girl_

 _On a magic carpet ride_

 _Well, you don't know what_

 _We can see_

 _Why don't you tell your dreams to me_

 _Fantasy will set you free_

Olivia watches him sing at the top of his lungs as he zooms down the highway, causing the ballerina-covered scarf around her neck to dance in the breeze.

 **XXX**

The hour-and-a-half-long drive turned into two-and-a-half hours because they stopped at two different convenient stores so Olivia could use the bathroom. The engineering masterpiece attracts the attention of passersby and customers going in and out the stores as he waits for his wife. Smiling proudly, Fitz eagerly answers the questions of the awestruck young men circling the car. He had forgotten how much he missed his custom BMW.

Relieved when they finally arrive at the lake house, Olivia grabs the few plastic grocery bags and hurries up the front steps. She has to go to the bathroom again.

"Are you going to leave the top down?"

"She'll be fine — it's not going to rain tonight", he says, standing on the top step of the house smiling as he admires the car.

"She —huh?" Olivia says under her breath, flicking on the hall lights as she walks quickly toward the kitchen. She drops the bags onto the counter then hurries back down the hall to the powder room.

 **XXX**

Her bladder finally experiencing relief, Olivia leans over the sink, pushing up the window to allow the fresh mountain breeze to flow through the kitchen. She smiles, thinking about the last time they were at the house. It was a snowy day and she was inside disinterestedly stirring the risotto. And Fitz was out back on the deck grilling. She shakes her head as she recalls how the snow slowly piled on top of that silly knit cap Cena picked out for him at the mall.

She walks over to the counter and begins to unpack her seltzer, crackers, and popsicles. Popsicles are her new favorite thing; the coolness helps to calm her stomach. She peers inside the refrigerator, where only a few condiments and beer are on the shelves, then sets the seltzer onto the shelf next to the beer. She slides the popsicles into the freezer.

"I love it, Liv", pressing his body against hers.

"What's her name?" Reaching into one of the plastic bags for his dinner. His brow with confusion. "You said _she_ would be fine with the top down. So — what's her name", turning and wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Sally. Ride, Sally, ride", grinning from ear to ear at his attempt at humor.

"Should I be jealous of Sally?" Pecking him on the lips.

"Never", deepening the kiss as he caresses her butt. He roams his tongue inside her mouth and she moans slightly, scraping her manicured fingernails through the fine hairs at the nape of his neck. Unbuttoning her blouse, he kisses down her chest, his mouth quickly devouring a bra-covered breast.

"Babe — no — not …" Trying to squirm from his embrace, but he is caught up in the rapture and is unshakeable. "Babe …." She whines before summoning enough strength to push him away. He stumbles backwards, baffled by the turn of events, as she makes a mad dash toward the sink. Her body lurches and the tea and toast her mother made earlier spill from her mouth and into the sink.

"Liv …." Rushing over to his wife when he realizes what is happening. He rubs his hand up and down her back, trying to provide her some comfort.

Hunched over the sink, her body lurches again, expelling the last of her breakfast, and a putrid puddle forms at the bottom of the sink. She fumbles for the faucet handle and turns on the cold water, quickly rinsing her mouth then splashing water onto her face. Fitz grabs a red and white, striped kitchen towel from the counter and holds it under the cool running water. He squeezes out the excess water then places the towel on the back of her neck.

"Come sit down, Liv", guiding her to the family room. She sits on his lap and nuzzles her face in his neck.

"I'm sorry, babe."

"You have nothing to be sorry about. Can I get you anything?" He asks in a sympathetic tone as he tenderly strokes her arm. She shakes her head _no_.

"I've ruined your birthday."

"You've done no such thing. You gave me the best birthday ever", kissing the top of her head.

"You really like, Sally?"

"I love Sally. I love you. Now lie down — get some rest — while I put things away in the kitchen. He pulls the multi-colored cashmere throw over her shoulders and she nods as he walks toward the kitchen.

"Babe, I have another gift for you", she says weakly before falling off to sleep.

 **XXX**

After scouring the kitchen sink, Fitz pours a healthy amount of his favorite scotch over ice then walks out onto the deck. He he stares at the mountains and inhales a lungful of sweet mountain air. He loves the peacefulness of the lake house, everything is so simple and easy here, not like at City Hall. He raises the glass to his lips and closes his eyes, enjoying the taste of the smooth brown liquid flowing down his throat. He leans back in the comfortable chair thinking life cannot get much better than this. He is a lucky man. An hour or so later the sun begins to set as Olivia joins him on the deck. It is a beautiful evening.

"Did you eat anything?" Sitting on his lap and laying her head on his shoulder. He holds up the glass and smiles.

"Are you feeling better?" Pressing his lips to her temple.

"I am — for now."

"When do we go back to Dr. Perry? Maybe you should call him."

"A few more weeks. There isn't anything he can do, babe. Projectile vomiting is normal", trying to make light of the matter. He pecks her on the lips.

"You taste like vomit, Liv", he says with a frown.

"And you taste like scotch. Are you trying to make me vomit again?"

Holding up a hand in surrender, he grins and kisses her again.

"I have your other gift", lifting her head from his shoulder and opening her tablet. He furrows his brow as she presses the PLAY icon.

The video starts with Cena and Asha wearing silly birthday hats, grinning broadly, and jumping up and down in their Church Falls family room. He smiles at the screen.

"Happy birthday, daddy", Cena yells, definitely not using her indoors voice. "Nana helped Asha and me make you a poster", pointing to the decorated cardboard placed on the easel that is situated on the coffee table.

The camera pans to the oversized poster and he reads the _Happy Birthday, Daddy_ , written in multicolored letters. He smiles because he recognizes his daughter's left-handed scrawl.

"Watch daddy — I'm going to eat cake for you."

Cena picks up the plate from the table and takes a huge bite from the slice of cake. The icing covers her mouth and nose, and Asha laughs out loud.

"I love you, daddy — so — so much", bringing the palm of her hand to her lips and blowing him a kiss.

"I love you, too, Princess", he says softly, his eyes filling with tears. Olivia presses her lips to his cheek.

"Happy Birthday, Baaba. I'm going to eat ice cream for you."

Asha picks up the bowl from the table and slides a large spoonful of ice cream into her mouth and is immediately struck with brain freeze. Cena looks at her friend in horror and Fitz cringes, watching Asha's face contort as she rides out the pain.

"I love you, Baaba. You're the best Baaba ever", Asha says after recovering from the temporary headache. The girls resume jumping around, flapping their arms, and blowing party horns.

"I love you, too, Ash", he mouths at the screen. His smile broadens as Olivia coaxes Jolie into wishing her father happy birthday.

"Say dada, Jo. Tell daddy happy birthday, baby."

"Dada, dada", Jolie parrots her mother while grabbing for the tablet. Fitz' eyes brim with tears as he watches his family celebrate his birthday.

"Come on, Bowtie — say happy birthday to daddy", Olivia says, videotaping the dog as he reluctantly walks into camera view wearing a crown of balloons and a sign hanging around his neck that reads: _Happy Birthday, Daddy._ "

"Oh, god - he doesn't look like he's enjoying wearing any of that stuff", Fitz says.

"I gave him extra doggie treats for being a team player", Olivia says, smiling at the screen when she sees Ben and Marion's faces appear. Both are wearing party hats and those cheap, plastic leis around their necks.

"Happy Birthday, brother. I'm going to eat this cake in honor of your birthday." Bennie cuts the fork into the cake then slides a healthy forkful into his mouth. "So good - you don't know what you're missing. Wish you were here."

"He'll be up at the crack of dawn running off that morsel cake", Marion says, perched on Ben's lap and waving to the camera. Happy birthday, Fitz — many more", sliding a small amount of ice cream into her mouth.

As he brushes away the tears, his godson's handsome face appears on the screen.

"Happy Birthday, Uncle Fitz", Ethan says, waving excitedly at the camera. "I have a gift for you", holding up a gift-wrapped box.

"Happy Birthday, Fitzgerald", Abby says, smashing cake on her husband's face. "I would have smashed this cake on your face if you had a _real_ birthday party instead of this _fake_ video party", Abby says, sticking out her tongue at the camera.

"You see how I allow myself to be humiliated for you, brother. "Happy Birthday, Fitz", John says, scraping icing from his face then licking it from his finger. Fitz throws his head back in laughter.

"John loves every minute that Abigail tortures him", Fitz says as he watches his father settle into his favorite chair, balancing a cake plate onto his knee.

"Happy Birthday, Fitzgerald. When are you going to stop this silliness about not celebrating your birthday? This has been going on long enough. I don't know why your mother allowed you to get away with it as a kid. Who doesn't enjoy their birthday - or at least allow family and friends to celebrate it?"

"Don't pay your father any mind, dear. It's your special day and you get to celebrate it however you like. I remember the day you were born", tears welling up in her eyes.

"Enough, Maura — that was 42 years ago."

"Happy Birthday, Fitzgerald", Maura says, ignoring her husband and blowing a kiss at the camera.

"Happy Birthday, Fitz." Nora giggles as she throws a handful of confetti at the camera.

"Nora seems to be doing well", he says, and Olivia nods, smiling at the screen when her mother appears.

"Happy Birthday, Fitzgerald. I made this bracelet for your birthday. It's a Senegalese tradition to give the man of the house a special gift for his birthday", Gwendolyn says, holding up the brown leather bracelet covered with small infinity stones.

Fitz smiles. "Did you talk to your mother?"

"I'll tell you about it later", smiling as her father appears on screen.

"Happy Birthday, Fitzgerald", Calvin says. Livvia is videotaping this before our trip to Seattle. It's going to be really hard keeping this party a secret while we're on our road trip. Hit it, Gwennie."

Gwendolyn presses the icon on her phone and Stevie Wonder's, _Happy Birthday To You_ , begins to play. Calvin and Gwendolyn start to dance.

"Happy Birthday, Fitzgerald", Gwendolyn and Calvin say in unison, waving at the camera as they spin around the room.

"Your father did not say a word about this. He can really keep a secret."

"He can", Olivia says as her face appears on the screen. Fitz pecks her on the cheek when she begins to speak.

"You told me you did not want a birthday party — and I listened to you because I respect your wishes. But — I — the family — wanted to celebrate the man — my husband — who does so much for everyone else. So — I thought a virtual birthday party is the next best way to celebrate you. Baby — I love you more than anything — and I hope this is the happiest birthday ever", rubbing her belly. "Happy Birthday, babes", picking up a slice of cake and smashes it on the tablet screen.

The video ends with a montage of family members wishing him a final Happy Birthday as balloons and fireworks splash in the background. He now feels silly for not wanting to celebrate his birthday.

"When did you have time to pull all this together? And how did you get everyone to wear those silly hats - especially my father?"

"I have my ways, babe."

"And I have a fantastic wife", pulling her close and kissing her deeply. The taste of vomit no longer matters.


End file.
